Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] Best security setup w/ ECS HV-PC Scott Danks Fri, 27 Aug 1999 10:15:07 -0500

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 Fri, 27 Aug 1999 10:15:07 -0500
O.K. here it is.  It is lengthy. . . 

Scott's Relay method.

Many of us know this type of stuff, but for the ones that don't I'll go into detail.

First, I used standard reed switch door contacts, except for the garage where I used
a garage door wide gap reed switch.  These are normally closed (NC) when the door is
closed, so in other words, when the contacts are near each other, it is like a closed
switch.  These are usually rated for a voltage and amperage maximum.  You can switch
12 volts easily, but I would not want to run 120 volts through it.  So, I have an alarm
panel (it was a magnum alert from napco), but that's not important.  Most alarm panels
have a 12 volt output to power things like smoke detectors, and PIR (passive Infra Red)
detectors (motion detectors that pick up on body heat).  I send this 12 volts to all
the contacts in the house, and they return the 12 volts to me when the doors are closed.
 I use this to power a relay that is double pole double throw (DPDT).  These relays
are like two switches that are isolated from each other.  I use one side of the relay
to go to the zone input on the alarm panel, and the other side goes to the digital input
board.  One relay for door contact.  I used a Quatech card for the digital input.  They
make one with 3 pio chips on a card.  Each pio chip (8255) has three 8 bit ports on
it, so 8*3*3 = 72.  I think I mistakenly told someone it was 96 the other day.  Anyway,
one of the recent posts to board gave an internet address of a place to buy a single
card that has 2 pio chips on it.  This might be a good way to go.  Each 8 bit group
can be configured as input or output, so there are many possibilities.  I am planning
to use these to monitor doors, rain gage switches, wind speed etc.  I have identified
a "blue sky" of about 50 inputs that I could think of ever using, and as time goes on
will probably want more.  I am thinking of using MANY pir's in the house to sense occupancy.
 I will need an input for these.  I might build a beam circuit to install across doorways,
I don't know.  I am also thinking of using opto-isolators.  These are a phototransistor
and LED in a chip.  When you supply power to the LED, it triggers the transistor, and
thus isolates the incoming voltage from the computer circuitry.  These usually have
a 2500 v isolation to them which means the incoming line could have 2500 v induced on
them, and it would still not get into the computer circuitry.  What I need to find is
some optoisolators that have 8 separate ones on one chip.  If anyone knows of a chip
number (that is cheap) Please let me know.  I don't want to buy 72 individual chips
(or even 48).  Anyway, I hope this answers your question.

Scott.



>>> "Dave Kolb" <davekolb@email.msn.com> 08/27 1:16 AM >>>
Scott,

Please post to the list.

I too would like to know a bit more specifically how you wired the sensors
thru relays as I have been thinking aobut doing soemthing like this to help
protect my equipment.

Thanks,
Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Walters <wtwalters@home.com>
To: ecs-list@netbloc.com <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
Date: Thursday, August 26, 1999 5:28 PM
Subject: Re: [ECS] Best security setup w/ ECS HV-PC


>Scott,
>
>As an ECS'er also with a Magnum Alert 800 panel, could you be a little more
>specific?  perhaps via direct e-mail instead of the list?
>
>Thanks -
>
>Bill Walters
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Scott Danks <sdanks@ci.tulsa.ok.us>
>To: <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
>Sent: Thursday, August 26, 1999 3:26 PM
>Subject: Re: [ECS] Best security setup w/ ECS HV-PC
>
>
>Just an idea.  My old home grown version used double pole double throw
>relays.  I sent 12v to the sensors and back to the relays.  One side of the
>relay went to the alarm system, and the other went to the digital inputs.
>The 12volts was from the alarm panel for the relays, so since the alarm
>panel (magnum alert 800) was always up. my system was completely
>independant.  Also since it was relays, nearby lightning strikes didn't
>bother the relays, so my digital wire runs were only a foot or two.
>
>Scott
>
>
>>>> <hutchins.ta@pg.com> 08/26 1:35 PM >>>
>Carl,
>
>So what you are saying is look around, find the security system that has
>what I
>want but run all / some of the hardwired sensors though the HV-PC digital
>inputs
>then to the security panel. That way I can have ECS do 'cool stuff' (make
>announcements, phone calls ect) as well?
>Sounds like a great system!!
>
>Tom
>
>
>
>From: "Carl Keyes" <carlkeyes@hotmail.com> on 08/26/99 01:15 PM
>
>Please respond to ecs-list@netbloc.com 
>
>To:   ecs-list@netbloc.com 
>cc:    (bcc: Thomas Hutchins-TA/PGI)
>Subject:  Re: [ECS] Best security setup w/ ECS HV-PC
>
>
>
>
>Tom,
>
>I've been using a Radio Shack 2 zone system
>for about 8 years now with very few false alarms.
>Our house is quite small so 2 zones is plenty, but
>they have others with more. They're easy to install
>and relatively inexpensive.I use all wired switches
>for the windows etc. I've found the wireless units
>to be very unreliable. Most any security system will
>accomodate the sensors you've mentioned but the real
>power does come from it's integration with ECS.
>I've wired some of my window switches through my digital
>inputs to ECS as well as back to the security unit
>so ECS can report,in any way you like, what has occured
>there. One of my favorite, "only with ECS" things is
>when I open my garage door with the remote it disables
>the alarm for 5 min allowing enough time to leisurely
>unpack or exit the car before the alarm units buzzers
>kick in. It reminds me verbally to enter the code to dis-
>arm. I doubt there's nothing that's not possible with ECS
>a decent alarm system, and some imagination.
>
>later,
>
>Carl
>
>
>>From: hutchins.ta@pg.com 
>>Reply-To: ecs-list@netbloc.com 
>>To: ecs-list@netbloc.com, comp.home.aut@pg.com 
>>Subject: [ECS] Best security setup w/ ECS HV-PC
>>Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 07:49:41 -0400
>>
>>I want to buy a security system for my home and would like to interface it
>>w/ my
>>automation system (ECS / HV-PC). I need to be able to have the following
>>capabilities:
>>
>>1) Latch-key (call me when kids get home from school)
>>2) Smoke / CO / Flood / Freeze monitoring
>>3) Be able to differentiate between the above and call me to let me know
>>which
>>one it is.
>>4) Be able to differentiate between zones (ie. 'An intruder has entered
>>through
>>the kitchen window' ect)
>>5) Wireless capability (retrofitting) but combination wireless / hardwire
>>best
>>6) Must be upgradable
>>
>>Obviously must be reasonably priced and be able to install myself
>>Any recommendations?
>>
>>Thanks
>>Tom
>>
>>
>
>
>                                                               
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