Need Advice on Setting Up a Ademco 6150 w/ Safewatch 3000


  #1  
Old 04-08-09, 08:37 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 13
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Need Advice on Setting Up a Ademco 6150 w/ Safewatch 3000

Hi everyone,

So I've been around the forums and have been doing my research but I'm still not sure what the optimal configuration would be.

This is what I have:
an Ademco 6150 keypad in my kitchen, a Safewatch 3000 (I understand this is a Vista 20p) in my basement, an alarm on the front and back doors, and a motion sensor in my hallway (I have a small house). What I'd like to add is the following:

A smoke detector (it may pay for itself in home insurance), a motion detector in the basement (currently there's nothing in the basement, which is kind of worrisome.. since the alarm panel is.. in the basement).

I'm looking for a good combination of cheap cost and not a lot of time setting everything up. I'll probably end up buying most things from ebay. Could someone please direct me to the hardware (i.e. the components themselves that are compatible and additional components I would need)?

Currently the system isn't actually live.. I was thinking of hooking it up to nextalarm or alarmrelay since adt is so expensive. Is there a better service to try out? I've heard good things about both services.

Thanks a bunch!
 
  #2  
Old 04-08-09, 09:32 PM
A
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Northeast
Posts: 67
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
More Info

So you're using three zones on an eight zone panel. Suggesting sensors depends on whether or not you can get wires to the locations you want to install sensors. If you can wire them, I like the System Sensor 2-wire Smoke Detector and the Optex RX40PI Motion Detector.
If you're going to use a 2-wire Smoke Detector, you have to move whatever is on zone one to another zone, but this is better than using a 4-wire smoke because you would have to add an EOL relay.
If you can't wire them then you have no choice. You would have to add a wireless receiver (AD-5881EN/L/M/H) and would have to use Ademco Wireless Smoke (AD-5809) and Wireless Motion (AD-5890).
 
  #3  
Old 04-09-09, 04:48 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Gainesville, FL, USA
Posts: 15,532
Received 293 Upvotes on 268 Posts
You also need a keypad upgrade. The 6150 keypad cannot access the programming menus to add or alter zone settings. You need a 6160 or equivalent.
 
  #4  
Old 04-09-09, 09:11 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 13
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
More questions!

Thanks for the responses guys. I have two questions.

How hard is it to swap out the 6150 for a 6160? Is it just a matter of pretty much lining up preexisting wires? I think I could do this?

How hard is it to wire smoke/motion detectors? I've never done this before but I think there's plenty of places I could drag the wires through. What type of wire would I need?

Finally, do you guys have any recommendations for buying these components? I was thinking of ebay but as I understand this is often hit or miss..
 
  #5  
Old 04-16-09, 01:45 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 13
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Time to get started for me!

Okay, so our neighbor's house across the street from us just got broken into .. twice in a period of about 1 week. So I'm thinking now is a great time to really upgrade my system.

These are the components I'm thinking of getting, as per the suggestions of AllTrack & MrRonFl.

1 x Ademco 6160RF - keypad ($180)
1 x Ademco 5804 - keyfob ($25)
1-2 x System Sensor 2-wire Smoke Detector ($35x1,2=$35-$70)
2 x Optex RX40PI Motion Detector ($20x2=$40)
1 x Ademco Wireless Smoke (AD-5809) ($50)
Total: $330-$365

On the ground floor, I have the front and back door wired, and a wired motion detector in our main hallway. (3 zones)

Now, my panel is in the basement, so I assumed it might be tricky for the keyfob to "get to" the 5881, hence the 6160RF. Or am I making an issue out of something that's not really an issue? (4 zones)

However, since the panel is in the basement I'm thinking it'll be easier to add the 2 motion detectors down there. I would also add either one or two wired smoke detectors in the basement as well. Could someone comment on the type of wire I'd need to get? (3-4 zones)

Finally I'd add another smoke detector (wireless) upstairs, probably in my hallway. (1-zone)

Would this all work out? Will I need any special tools? I've been trying to read up on all the issues involved in modifying the Vista20p but I must admit I'm not the most experienced handyman. Am I missing something egregious or should I go for it?
 
  #6  
Old 04-16-09, 03:30 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Gainesville, FL, USA
Posts: 15,532
Received 293 Upvotes on 268 Posts
The RF model keypads were designed exactly for the type of setup you have, since the keypad/receiver is going to be a lot more centrally located than the control box, you get much better reception.

For the wired devices, the manufacturer specs 22 gauge. A couple of hundred feet of 22-4 will work just fine. In a pinch, cat-5 wire works; just realize that it's smaller (24-26ga), and tends to be a little brittle.

The major specialty tool is a 1/8" blade flat screwdriver. Everything else is typical electrical stuff.
 
  #7  
Old 04-17-09, 11:02 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 13
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Okay now I'm set on the 6160RF. However, I'm wobbly on the other things because I'm really not looking forward to wiring. The entire house is pretty small-- about 1200 sq feet, and the basement is maybe 8-10' down. Do you think having wireless motion sensors & smoke detectors would work? Would the batteries drain faster with the greater distance?
 
  #8  
Old 04-18-09, 04:23 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Gainesville, FL, USA
Posts: 15,532
Received 293 Upvotes on 268 Posts
A good rule of thumb is that if wireless router signals and and cordless phone signals reach an area you are _reasonably_ safe to try wireless security devices there.
 
  #9  
Old 04-18-09, 08:34 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 13
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks MrRonFl! That's really great advice. Based on this I walked around in my basement with a PDA which hooks up to my wireless and, based on the one bar I got, decided that maybe wireless is not the way to go. I'll bite the bullet and wire up the basement smoke detectors and motion sensors.

I had another change: the 6160RF was pretty expensive, so I decided to go for a 6150RF + 6160 or 6139 to program. I was going to get 2 5804BDVs + 1 wireless smoke detector. My entire setup is planned to look like the following now:

Main floor keypad: 6150RF
Main floor other devices: front & back door, wireless smoke alarm 5808W3
Keyfobs: 2 5804BD

Basement control panel: Vista20p
Basement motion sensors: 3
Basement smoke detectors: 1

Does any of this look particularly problematic? I'll report back here in a couple of weeks when I've got all the pieces together.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: