CONTROL PANEL
This is the brains to the system, it is the heart of the burglary system. This device is usually installed in a home closet, garage, or somewhere that is not readily visible. Every hard wired system comes with one of these to connect devices. The Control Panel consists of an external casing that holds the circuit board, backup battery and in some cases the cellular communicator. In some wireless systems the keypad can act as the Control Panel.
ADT's Panel of choice is Ademco, manufactured by Honeywell, may be referred to as Safewatch. This is a hardwired Panel but can include a wireless receiver for wireless devices.
Hardwired devices such as contacts(sensors), motion detectors, smoke detectors, keypad, carbon monoxide detectors, glass break detectors, and heat detectors as well as the siren are connected to the Control Panel
The Control Panel sends and receives signals from these devices, it also handles the communication signals from these devices to the Central Monitoring Station.
I will not be discussing keypads here because there are too many to address. With automation being a driving force in home and business security keypads are becoming obsolete. Every alarm system comes with some type of keypad or a means to arm/disarm the system and make system changes. With remote system capabilities on most of Today's systems keypads have become a thing of the past.
HARDWIRED CONTACT
Hardwired contacts are actually wired back to the Control Panel, that is why they are called hardwired. They come in 2 types, embedded and surface mount. Contacts are used for openings such as doors and windows. For aesthetic purposes embedded contacts are used because they are not visible. Most of the time you will find them on doors although, they have been used in window applications. They consist of 2 parts, there is the part wired back to the Panel, the other part is a magnet, separation of the 2 parts causes a signaled alarm. The advantage to having hardwired contacts is no battery replacement and not limited on distance in larger homes.
WIRELESS CONTACT
Wireless contacts act the same when it comes to sending a signal, they consist of the contact itself and a magnet also. These contacts cannot be embedded due to their size and RF signal capability. All wireless contacts have batteries inside to provide power. The biggest disadvantage to wireless contacts is having to replace batteries and RF signal strength in larger homes.
MOTION DETECTOR
Motion detectors provide what is known as an interior trap when full perimeter design is not used. The motion is designed to pick up movement in the event entry is done through an opening that does not have a contact. Motion detectors are a reliable source for any alarm system but they can also be a main cause of false alarms. If a motion detector is not mounted in the correct area it can be triggered falsely.
Pets can also be a cause for false alarms from motion detectors. Large animals can present a challenge for some motion detectors, always check the rating for pets(height and weight). It is recommended that motion detectors are not used when cats are in the home, cats tend to be more active as far as jumping around in the home, causing false alarms. If you plan on using motion detectors make sure you are familiar with the specifications of the detector.
Motion detectors can be wired or wireless. Some motion detectors can be installed to create what is known as a pet alley way, I don't recommend this. Systems can be armed in two modes,(motion active vs motion inactive, away vs stay). Both of these methods have the ability to have the motion detector active or inactive.
Types of motion detectors
- PIR(Passive Infrared)
- Microwave
- Dual Technology
- Area Reflective
- Vibration
