New Home Alarm Panel and Pre-wire

I have a new home under construction, and I’m looking for some guidance in pre-wiring for an alarm/automation system. In the short term, I’m mainly interested in making sure all the wires are in the wall for alarm keypads, door/window contacts, etc. However, I was told it’s best to select a panel before completing the wiring. I was originally planning on a simple DSC or Honeywell alarm panel, but some of the features of the ELK or HAI panels look like they might be useful in the future. Nevertheless, founds are limited, and I don’t want to spend a lot all at once, on something way beyond my needs, if I can help it.

I have about 14 windows and 2 doors in the house. In the semi-detached garage, there are 3 windows, 2 doors, 2 garage doors. I would like to home run the contact wires from all of them to my panel location. I’ll need at least two, probably three keypads.

I’m unsure if I should run the sensors/contacts in series at the panel or one sensor/contact per zone (thus needing a lot of zones on the panel). I’m also debating whether or not to use end of line resistors. I’m unsure how I would even install them with each sensor/contact running back to the panel. Most of the examples I’ve seen are using daisy-chained contacts.

After moving in I’d like to have gate control, camera, and intercom from two driveway gates. One is over a 1000ft. away from the house and shared with another house, and another will be placed only a few hundred feet away after construction. This doesn’t have to be done with the alarm panel, but it would be nice to integrate them if practical.

Some options I might like to do in the future include:
-Controlling outdoor lights with a timer automatically adjusted for sunrise and sunset.
-Connecting the lights on the wrap-around porch to motion sensors on the porch for security.

Again, my main concern is getting the wiring right, and choosing a panel; something for basic security in the short term, and expandable for future automation. I’d appreciate any suggestions and information you have.

Thanks.

While the document is a little outdated, most of it is still valid, so take a look at the CT wiring guide.

I was in the same boat a year ago
After a lot of hours spent trying to come up with everything I still missed a thing or two
So be prepared for that to happen as well.
But the most important thing I learned is that you should look into your devices first, separate them into wired and wireless first.
keypads, sirens, strobes, motion sensors will need planning, decide where you want them and run wires for it.
doors and windows could be either wired or wireless and it would be up to you to decide if you rather spend the time and effort to run a wire to each device or between devices than simply getting wireless devices that are very easy to install later
when it comes to windows be very careful, a lot of window manufacturers will void the warranty if you make any holes to install recessed window contacts, but some companies are making windows with pre made holes for them example the Micra line of wireless contacts.
any devices outside your property that will be more than 100 feet away from your panel i would recommend to wire it, and if you can run conduit for it even better, specially anything going underground.
if you are gonna group several windows in one zone (series) try to keep them grouped by area or room that way you wont have to waste time looking at every single contact to find a problem or when you have an alarm you know which area generated the alarm.
end of line resistors were designed to supervise your circuit, to let you know when there is a problem with your wires or tampering, dont install them at the panel but at the last device on that zone.
as far as your gate control, camera, and intercom from two driveway gates, you should look at what devices you may buy for that application, look at their specs and how they are wired, since its 1000 feet you may have limitations on how far those signals can travel and you may have to consider a junction point or even using a fiber optic cable in order to boost those signals.
for cameras i would run cat5e or cat6 (cat 6 is very picky has to be installed in runs less than 300 feet no kinks dont pull it too hard etc) and a 2 conductor 16 or 18AWG wire for power, this would allow you to install a network camera and power if you get some PTZ cameras that cant get power over the ethernet because their wattage usage.
you could substitute the cat cable for coax, but again it all depends on what type of camera you want.
same thing for gate control and intercom, it will depend on what equipment you are buying, some will work with cat cable some need multi conductor cables or even their own cable.
for devices like sirens and strobes use at least 18AWG wire or bigger, dont use cat cables even if you are using more than one pair.
for elk keypads if you decide to get an elk using cat5e/6 is the way to go because it will allow you to go from the panel to one keypad and from that keypad to another keypad and so on, without having to run a home run to each keypad.
for garage doors i would recommend a GE garage door contact designed for specifically to be mounted on the vertical track of your door, this contact is wired, but i have it connected to a wireless transmitter. The elk allows me to arm the system having the door open (meaning there is no exit delay since the elk bypassed it temporarily), i can take my time to turn the car on then whenever i leave and close the door the system will bring it back to normal operation.

hope this helps..

CharlieGulf said:

I have a new home under construction, and I’m looking for some guidance in pre-wiring for an alarm/automation system. In the short term, I’m mainly interested in making sure all the wires are in the wall for alarm keypads, door/window contacts, etc. However, I was told it’s best to select a panel before completing the wiring. I was originally planning on a simple DSC or Honeywell alarm panel, but some of the features of the ELK or HAI panels look like they might be useful in the future. Nevertheless, founds are limited, and I don’t want to spend a lot all at once, on something way beyond my needs, if I can help it.

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Selecting a panel vendor is not critical at the pre-wire stage of construction. Just about any alarm system will work with standard wiring for standard devices. Many folks have their local alarm companmy install a "generic" alarm (Honeywell, GE or DSC) then swap it out later. This is because most alarm companies will not install Elk or HAI. If you do it yourself you can do whatever you want.

I have about 14 windows and 2 doors in the house. In the semi-detached garage, there are 3 windows, 2 doors, 2 garage doors. I would like to home run the contact wires from all of them to my panel location. I’ll need at least two, probably three keypads.

I’m unsure if I should run the sensors/contacts in series at the panel or one sensor/contact per zone (thus needing a lot of zones on the panel). I’m also debating whether or not to use end of line resistors. I’m unsure how I would even install them with each sensor/contact running back to the panel. Most of the examples I’ve seen are using daisy-chained contacts.

Click to expand...

This has been discussed thouroughly in this forum is you want to search for the discussions. And there are a dozen different methods users prefer. But here is my advice, (without giving the reasons why because these reasons are already posted), as a professional: You have a reasonable number of devices which can be handled in one panel (use a 28"), wire each device to the panel. If you need to group several windows into a single zone, do it at the panel, not in the field. Forget the EOL resistors. Use cat 5 for the keypads, and 2c/22 or 4c/22 for contacts and other devices.

After moving in I’d like to have gate control, camera, and intercom from two driveway gates. One is over a 1000ft. away from the house and shared with another house, and another will be placed only a few hundred feet away after construction. This doesn’t have to be done with the alarm panel, but it would be nice to integrate them if practical.

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These are stand alone systems which should be in their own box, separate from the alarm panel. You may want gate status wired to the alarm system though. I'd prewire for that. Also, think about where the intercom station, and CCTV monitor will be and wire for that.

Some options I might like to do in the future include:
-Controlling outdoor lights with a timer automatically adjusted for sunrise and sunset.
-Connecting the lights on the wrap-around porch to motion sensors on the porch for security.

Click to expand...

I think your best bet here is to use UPB. UPB can be integrated later.

Again, my main concern is getting the wiring right, and choosing a panel; something for basic security in the short term, and expandable for future automation. I’d appreciate any suggestions and information you have.

Thanks.

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In short, wire each device to the security system panel, and have a separete panel for the gate controls.

Dan, thank you for that link to the wiring guide. That should keep my busy for a while.

Panamanian, thanks for that great list of tips. I appreciate you taking the time to post them all. It helps a lot.

panamanian said:

...when it comes to windows be very careful, a lot of window manufacturers will void the warranty if you make any holes to install recessed window contacts...

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I'm planing to use the miniature stick-on contacts for that reason. I'm not comfortable drilling into my windows. I should be able to use recessed on my doors though.

panamanian said:

...for garage doors i would recommend a GE garage door contact designed for specifically to be mounted on the vertical track of your door, this contact is wired, but i have it connected to a wireless transmitter. The elk allows me to arm the system having the door open (meaning there is no exit delay since the elk bypassed it temporarily), i can take my time to turn the car on then whenever i leave and close the door the system will bring it back to normal operation.

Click to expand...

That sounds really cool, I'll look for that contact for my doors.


Sandpiper, thanks for your answers to my questions, I appreciate the professional prospective.

Sandpiper said:

This has been discussed thouroughly in this forum is you want to search for the discussions. And there are a dozen different methods users prefer. But here is my advice, (without giving the reasons why because these reasons are already posted), as a professional: You have a reasonable number of devices which can be handled in one panel (use a 28"), wire each device to the panel. If you need to group several windows into a single zone, do it at the panel, not in the field. Forget the EOL resistors. Use cat 5 for the keypads, and 2c/22 or 4c/22 for contacts and other devices.

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I'll definitely run Cat 6 (I'm already buying Cat 6 for my network pre-wire) to the keypads. I like the idea of forgetting the EOL resistors, they sound like a pain. In regard to the panel, do you recommend a recessed or surface mount of the can? Will any panel work (like a Leviton), or do I need one matched to the alarm board?

Sandpiper said:

I think your best bet here is to use UPB. UPB can be integrated later.

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That's good to hear, since my electrical work is already done. Although, my floodlights are conveniently run to a timer in the same mechanical closet as the panel location.

Does anyone know any gate intercoms that don't need an incoming telephone line? It would be nice to have something that can be run over ethernet, as I will probably have to use ethernet over fiber for the 1000' gate, with baluns for video.

Thanks again everyone!

2 quick tips:

1. For the keypad wiring, also include a wire for the speakers - I kinda like using a 22/4 - mainly because there's another output and input at each keypad as well that you may someday want to do something with... but depending on which keypad you go with (I really like the KP2's flush-mounted) they have the option for the SP12 speaker mounted inside the keypad box - it's a nice effect having alarm sounds come from your alarm interface.

2. You may not need a fiber transceiver for your long gate - they also make ethernet extenders which let you get your 1000 ft; google Ethernet Extenders to see what I mean... though fiber is cheap, it requires special tools - Cat6 does not.

also, for your zones - while you could combine them, it's not going to save you a fortune... I'd probably buy 2-3 input expanders - and wire everything into its own zone. If you have any wiring faults it's easier to troubleshoot, and for future automation it's nice to see exactly which window isn't secure.

For the detached garage, I'd just run probably 2 Cat 6's and two 18/4's for flexibility... but run another can in the garage (14 or 28") - you can run an input expander there and an output expander, and a keypad if desired - all off the one Cat6 because you'll have the databus out there. It means running less all the way back to the house. I do that and have garage and sprinkler control directly in the garage - it's a lot cleaner that way. The 2nd Cat5 and two 18/4's are for future speaker or other stuff you could want out there - but you could also get by with literally just a single Cat5.

I think the biggest reason to select a hardware panel before doing the final trim work is if you want to use end of line (EOL) resistors. It seems that every system uses a different value resistor, so if you want to use EOL resistors, then you need to know what value resistor to install. Of course you don't need the actual panel installed, but you need to decide which one you want to use.

The use of EOL resistors is not really necessary in a home environment. Most people would probably say it is not worth the extra effort and expense to add them. But having them installed does allow you to have a monitored line, so if it gets cut or short circuited for some reason (generally by error), the system will let you know. Without them, it is possible that a line could get cut or shorted out and therefore not actually work. But the system doesn't know it is cut and it appears that everything is fine.

Either way, the best protection is to do a walk around test every couple of months (or after doing any work that might effect the alarm wiring of sensors).

Sic- as a pro, panel choice doesn't make so much of a difference on the prewire barring a couple of minor conditions, however EOLR's should never be buried in the field at devices or splices, they should be easy to get to both before and after the install. Installing in motions, GBD's or other is easy, but picking contacts with space to install the EOLR at them is the better choice. Technically speaking, once you move from a single device per zone, EOLR's and proper supervision of the wire are mutually exclusive items.

Here's my take and best practices: Doors, I 99% of the time install 3/4" recessed magnetic with a 3/8" mag, unless it's physically impossible or something like a steel door that needs a bushing. This gives plenty of room to put an EOLR at the contact unless you're planning on form A wiring. which I rarely see, even as a pro. Surface contacts for things like windows, I use something like the Honeywell PAL or equivalent. Gives me a place to put an EOLR and have it accessable with the minimal tradeoff in contact size. Others, like OHD's and SA contacts, you plan accordingly, j-boxes or whatever you need to do.

Fire alarm, I generally wire continuous loop (wherever possible) with 4 conductor because it doesn't usually pay to homerun FA and I can always install the EOLR in the panel at that point when I have a 2 wire loop. If I'm looking at more than 8-10 smokes, then I'm looking hard and long at installing an addressable panel next to the BA system and then working from there because it's more time and cost effective for me to go that route and integrate the second panel to the first for proper device reporting to the central station rather than monkey with more fire zones that just group devices.

The main thing is this: if your system supports outputs and inputs at the keypad, plan for enough conductors + a pair or so to bring it all back to the panel. Sure you can get creative with common negatives to free up conductors, but it's easier and 9/10 times, you have those zones to use at the panel to save on buying another board if it's only a single output or zone you need.

The biggest mistake I see is people using Cat. 5 cable for everything. Unless your manufacturer specifically says so, it's usually undersized for the current draw of the majority of the panels out there. Good for data, but bad for general wiring, including how fragile it truly is and how to install it properly as well. The better plan is to bring enough 22 awg cables or multi-conds. to the keypad and bring a piece of cat. 5 with it in case you're not sure. Doubling up pairs on a piece of cat 5 is hokey and most of the times, it leads to other issues (paralleling a power supply, which the NEC frowns upon).

The big thing is always look at what your plans are and plan your wiring accordingly. If you know you might want a video intercom, Aiphone (example) used to be very specific on the # of conductors needed OR if pulling a parallel cable (zipcord) you're looking at shielded or similar. The requirements go both ways, some manufacturer actually DECREASE the length of wire you can run by simply using shielded cables vs. standard.

Not to overwhelm, but think of 2-3 individual manufacturers you're considering and then plan your rough accordingly, pull spares to the attic or crawl, depending on the house, and also think of the proper types of cables you need installed to make it work. I've had plenty of other pros forget to pull a cable for a remote antenna (cell backup or other) or pull the wrong type and basically pigeon hole the install because you're already down.

installing EOL resistors at the panel is like leaving your car keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked

as a professional as well and with all due respect I agree with everything you said but the way you treat EOL's

there are very specific reasons why they were designed to be installed at the end hence the name "end of line"

panamanian said:

installing EOL resistors at the panel is like leaving your car keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked

as a professional as well and with all due respect I agree with everything you said but the way you treat EOL's

there are very specific reasons why they were designed to be installed at the end hence the name "end of line"

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You completely misread the statements and are misinterpreting how EOLR's function electrically rather than physically.

Form A wiring, in a simplified example, would be wiring a contact with 4 conductors, tying 2 to the contact and splicing 2 together at the contact. The EOLR would be tied to a pair in the panel and the other 2 would go to the panel's zone. Full wire supervision for open/short using a traditional EOLR installed in the panel, no worse than a field EOLR. It'd be easier to draw a diagram to show it, since most people don't understand how it works the same. If integrity was a concern, the zone would be wired with a 4 state EOLR. These things are spelled out in the 5000 page UL book sitting on my desk.

An EOLR, installed correctly, is at a SINGLE device in the field, installed on the "low"/ common side of the zone, which supervises the wire for an open or short to ground, however does nothing to supervise if the contact itself is intact or functioning properly. The contact or relay can be physically spot welded shut and the EOLR would never know the difference. 4 state wiring on a single device, yes, but traditional EOLR, no and never. This is why they make contacts that have more terminals or pigtails for simple NO/NC wiring.

EOLR's installed at a device that is removable are accessable, same goes within a proper junction box or at a SINGLE device installed on a zone. I was referring to the direction (implied) at installing EOLR's in an inaccessable manner, such as buried at a junction point in a field location. I have seen way too many DIY and minor pro installs that install EOLR's that are inaccessable once the "building fabric" is completed, whether it be sheetrock or anything else. What's worse is someone taking the EOLR value and dividing it to be placed at multiple devices on the same zone, such as someone who will remain nameless from this board that told a person that installed a M1G nearby to take 4- 560 ohm resistors and install them at the 4 windows on their 2.2K zone. I had to basically gut that install and spend days fixing basic install issues.

Installing an EOLR on a zone with multiple contacts on it,I'll use 3 contacts on a zone, the EOLR does not supervise all of the legs of the series loop for short circuits,just the pair where the EOLR is involved, basic ohm's law, and if you install it at the low, EOL point of the circuit at the last contact in the field, the other 2 contacts can be shorted or the pair of conductors feeding them and the panel would never see any foul, because that's Ohm's law and the nature of a series loop with a single EOLR. Years of field experience and having to troubleshoot circuits

Wiring a 2 wire fire loop using 4 conductor simply allows you to install the EOLR in the panel by bringing the entire loop back to the panel on the second pair of wires on a 4/18 or whatever you pulled that has at least 4 conductors. If you have a 4 wire fire loop, you'd pull 4 back to the panel, then install the supervision relay and EOLR at the panel. Just extending the wires from the last device to the panel electrically. The proper term, if the panel supported the return, would be a Class D fire loop. All I'm doing is making the legs of the resistor very long by backfeeding the 2 wire or 4 wire fire loop back to the panel.

I'm only stating facts, which both NICET, NFPA, and UL already have in print. The best way to see how an EOLR truly functions would be to pick up a copy of NFPA72 and view the styles of wiring methods and then look at all points that are stated for wire and circuit integrity based on common wire faults, such as opens/shorts/grounds or what have you.

Run way more wire than you think you'll need. Wire is cheap. I also put a 300 pair 110-block in the basement, cross connected to a 100 pair in the garage, and another in the attic. This way, if I need to run more in the future, I can drop it down the walls from the attic if needed. And since it's all Cat-6, I can use it for alarm, network, audio, or whatever.

Another idea I had was to run a huge loop of wires around the soffits of the house, including 110v romex. That way, if you needed to put in some future cameras or whatever, you'd have all the wire run through your soffits.

Here we go again......another EOLR feud. Please....please.... start another thread for that so I can ignore it.

CharlieGulf said:

(snip)....... In regard to the panel, do you recommend a recessed or surface mount of the can? Will any panel work (like a Leviton), or do I need one matched to the alarm board?....(snip)

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Advantages of a recessed panel:
1. Looks a little nicer if installed in a hallway or bedroom closet. If in a wiring room or utility room, I would't care.
2. You can run conduit to the accessible areas such as an attic or crawlspace to make future access easy.

3. You can get a panel with an 120VAC outlet at the bottom. This is handy and makes a much nicer installation.

Disadvantages of a recessed panel:
1. You must know if your equipment can be properly mounted in the panel you choose. For example, the ELK M1 will fit nicely in an Elk cabinet, but I am not sure if it fits properly into a Leviton or OnQ panel. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I know OnQ makes adapter plates to allow many differerent panel types to be mounted.

2. Must be installed at pre-wire time, not at finish-out time.

So you can make your own choice.

unfortunately Elk doesn't make a structured media mounting plate - I think all of us end up just drilling holes in whatever can we use. HAI does make one though.

After what I paid for a 50" ChannelVision Can with the plexi door, I hated drilling it, but I spent 2 weeks looking at every mounting plate option - and finally ordered a Leviton Universal Security Mounting plate - when that arrived and clearly wouldn't work still, I took some self tapping screws to it and moved on.

I really like the look of recessed panels... so a 3rd option could always be to recess the panel, but not sheetrock that section for a year or so - give you time to figure out what you forgot and what you want to change.