Window AC unit with a home alarm system


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Old 06-03-16, 05:28 AM
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Window AC unit with a home alarm system

We have a dog. When we are at work, I don't want to turn on the central AC to cool the whole house when he has access to only one room. I want to install a window AC unit in that room. But, the windows are hooked to the alarm system. How can I fix it so that we can have the window AC unit and the alarm for the window to function? After the summer, we will take down the window AC, so the change has to be reversible. Thank you!
 
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Old 06-03-16, 05:33 AM
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You'll need to figure out what zone that window is on and disable it. Often the instructions are on the inside lid of the keypad. With mine, you hit *, 1, code, zone #, then hit alarm.
 
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Old 06-03-16, 09:44 AM
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I want to avoid disabling the zone. I was thinking of digging out the contact and taping it on the mate. Just wasn't sure if it would work with tape over the contact.
 
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Old 06-03-16, 10:27 AM
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You probably have magnetic contacts in the window framing. Adding another magnet to whatever is adjacent to the frame switch when the A/C unit is in place may work for you. I've used round "button" magnets as well as cylindrical "rod" magnets with success.
 
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Old 06-03-16, 08:10 PM
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A picture [or two] would be helpful -- Basically you just need to place a magnet over the sensor when the unit is in place.
 
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Old 06-03-16, 09:51 PM
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A little bit of help for posting pictures... http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
 
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Old 06-04-16, 05:54 AM
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Thanks Furd and tpring. So I can go to a hardware store and buy any alarm magnet? It does not have to match the one from the original installation? I'll give it a try later. Thanks!
 
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Old 06-04-16, 07:46 PM
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These days, some big box hardware places are selling a limited selection of security hardware, so you might be able to find them there, otherwise there are tons of online vendors, including the big "A" that sell the contacts and magnets. They generally only cost a couple of dollars for a set.
 
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Old 06-05-16, 07:30 AM
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Big box store has complete sets only. So came home and looked at the magnets on the fridge. All of them are flexible magnets. Tried them but they were not strong enough even though I stacked several together. Looked in the junk drawer and found a magnet used to keep the kitchen cabinet doors closed. Broke the magnet out of the plastic case, took some tape and taped the magnet over the contact and it worked!!! Cost $0
 
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Old 06-05-16, 09:06 AM
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Glad you found a cheap solution. In general, get the set of contacts and save the switch half for later. Door/Window reed switch contacts do fail (usually in the stuck closed position), which is why you should check their operation a couple of times per year.
 
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Old 06-06-16, 05:07 AM
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MrRonFL, sorry, I wasn't clear enough. The big box store sold only the whole security unit (monitor, control, contact, etc), not just the contacts and switch. That is why I skipped it. You are right, they do fail. I remember a few years back the alarm kept going off for no reason and it was a faulty switch. Thanks!
 
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Old 06-06-16, 07:25 AM
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Old 06-12-16, 08:20 AM
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You can also design it so that if the A/C unit is removed from the window (burglars will do this), then that will separate the magnets from where they are and trip your alarm. Or you can have a separate contact. Or just a loop of wire attached to the A/C unit - removing the unit breaks the wire.

With magnetic contacts, add a lot of spacers if attaching to a metal A/C case - that metal can "drain" the magnet's pull.
 
 

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