Glass Break detector question?

[carter]

How do these type of sensors work and how reliable of an
option are they compared to contacts?

Do they audibly detect a certain range of freqs to alarm?

Do they attach to the glass?

 

[Frank Olson]

How do these type of sensors work and how reliable of an
option are they compared to contacts?

On an opening window, glass breaks are pretty useless unless the windows
closed and locked. Contacting it to show that it's "faulted" when open is a
good idea. Installing a "fresh air" opening by positioning the magnets so
you can open the window six inches is an alternative that works with sliding
windows and *some* crank style.

Do they audibly detect a certain range of freqs to alarm?

Some do... some are shock sensors that actually attach to the glass.

Do they attach to the glass?

Some do.

Here's a couple of links for more information:

http://www.getintellisense.com/products/glassbreaks/default.htm
http://www.geindustrial.com/cwc/pro...=9&famid=55&catid=1134&id=sle-sens&lang=en_US

 

[Frank Olson]

Glassbreaks should be programmed as "Interior 2" devices which are bypassed
when the family is at home and awake.

What??? Glassbreaks provide *perimeter* protection... Are you going to
suggest he auto-bypasses the door to the patio too because he might be
barbequing?? Modern Glassbreak sensors can be put on a 24 hour loop if you
like with no adverse effects (I don't normally recommend this but some of
our clients have requested it and have never had a false alarm from the
zones programmed this way)...

That is because normal activities, such as dropping a spoon into a

stainless steel sink,

The FG-1625's and the older 730 series have *never* falsed from that...

playing "Top Gun" on the home theater system and slamming doors
on alarm salesmen :^) can set them off.

Really??? Please... try it, Robert... You obviously don't have any in
your house... Gawd... you're sounding more and more like Paul the "RFI"...


<disclosure> Robert L. Bass is clueless when it comes to glass break
detectors.</disclosure>

 

[Southern]

What??? Glassbreaks provide *perimeter* protection... Are you going to
suggest he auto-bypasses the door to the patio too because he might be
barbequing?? Modern Glassbreak sensors can be put on a 24 hour loop if you
like with no adverse effects (I don't normally recommend this but some of
our clients have requested it and have never had a false alarm from the
zones programmed this way)...

I think you need to do some real residential installing Frank. I have seen
*every* glass break fielded false in a home situation, even the newer high
tech ones. Teenage girls girl screams are real good at it, as are dishes,
percussion practice, snapping on the front panel of computer cases, pool
tables in rumpus rooms, and the Matrix or Dune on the HT.

We program the zone depending on where the glass breaks are installed.
Unoccupied basements are set up differently than the HT area. Houses with
teenagers programmed differently than a retired handicapped couple. I
assume others here do something similar.

 

[Frank Olson]

I think you need to do some real residential installing Frank. I have seen
*every* glass break fielded false in a home situation, even the newer high
tech ones. Teenage girls girl screams are real good at it, as are dishes,
percussion practice, snapping on the front panel of computer cases, pool
tables in rumpus rooms, and the Matrix or Dune on the HT.

Let's see... of the hundred's of 730 series glass breaks we've got out
there I can confidently say we've had *zero* false alarms. I don't count
the time one customer's son broke the living room window with a base ball...
The sensor performed flawlessly and did exactly what it was supposed to.
I've got the Matrix and Dune in our movie room... Along with an FG730...
I'll crank up the amp next time I watch them and get back to you. I have a
customer that has a daughter in a band (she plays the drums). They practice
in their garage and that has a FG-1625 mounted on the ceiling... No
problems... Dropping a dish or glass on the floor *can* result in an alarm
(or so I've heard)... I guess if you stomped on the floor at the same time
that the glass broke, it would go off, but then you *are* meeting all the
sensor's detection parameters aren't you?

We program the zone depending on where the glass breaks are installed.
Unoccupied basements are set up differently than the HT area. Houses with
teenagers programmed differently than a retired handicapped couple. I
assume others here do something similar.

I agree the environment plays a huge role in how any detector should be set
up. I've yet to see an Intellisense FG series detector false from any of
the things you've mentioned (including rattling your keys)...

 

[Frank Olson]

From one of the IntelliSense installation manuals:
<snip>

Now that you know how to install (and test) them properly, I'm sure that
you're going to provide better information in your FAQ's...

These detectors are for perimeter protection but an experienced installer
would know that they are not the same as magnetic sensors (contacts).
Anyone who has actually installed for a living for more than a week knows
you don't want glass break sensors armed while the family is at home and
moving about.

On the contrary... You *want* the perimeter protection activated while the
family's at home. Perimeter systems are designed to safeguard individuals
*not* contents... And no... I don't give you permission to use this line in
your FAQ...

You don't do installations.

You know nothing about what I do... Your investigative skills leave much to
be desired.

Were these clients also with you aboard the Fictitious Flight
of the Phantom Fools where you claim to have inverted a 737
jet airliner at 5000 AGL and lived to tell the tale?
Nope...

He doesn't install residential or commercial systems.

Heh, heh, heh... The "green monster" on your shoulder's getting bigger by
the minute, isn't he??

Same here.

Yeah, I'll bet... Was that like seven years ago??

Play "Band of Brothers" on my HT and the neighbor's glass breaks
go off three houses away.

That's probably because you installed it (on the "QT")...

Yes.

Liar... You haven't installed professionally for seven years, Robert...

 

[Petem]

First time I come in a discussion between Frank And Robert,(wanted to do it
before but stopped before touching the send button...)

But this time I have to say that Robert have a point there..
every damn GB I have seen would trigger in normal life operation..

Frank I am very disappointed by you...but I hope you wont think I am at war
with you..

Robert don't think that I am friend either..I don't want to be between you 2

 

[Frank Olson]

No prob... I sell glass breaks as part of a complete perimeter system...
designed to protect my clients and not their property... Things may be
different in Quebec... Maybe it's the French accent... ;-)

 

[Allan Waghalter]

We always include glass break detectors for our perimeter protection and
only on rare occassions and then for a specific problem would we catagorize
one as interior. I have been doing this since 1983 beginning with the
Visonic GFD20. It was pretty good, but the new ones from Caddx (FG3000) are
excellent. If I have a problem with two dogs, one big for the flex sound
and a little squirt with a high pitched bark in the same house, I switch to
the sentrol 5812A. While it is more expensive, it handles the dogs better.

In the past few months, I have been installing a GE 512-RND. It is about
1/3 less money than the Caddx and about half the price of the 5812. So far,
I have had no false alarms. My tester indicates that the catch should be
nominal.

We have a lot of thunderstorms here. If there is a close by lightning
strike, we can get an occassional false. But, with the close strike, it
could be something more than the audio portion that trips the system.

Regards,
Allan Waghalter

 

[Southern]

Don't ever program glass breaks on a 24 hour zone. They are for perimeter
protection when the alarm is turned on. To many false alarms if programmed
24 hours... slamming a counter door, construction, nailing a picture on the
wall.... Let the customer decide when they want the alarm to be turned

on.

Int/24/perimeter are terms somewhat dependent on the panel you use. Lets
try it without the vendor words.

- We prefer to set up any glass break trigger as an alarm generating event
for safety, even if the panel is not armed. If you fall through a large
window you need help. Its a safety thing and most of our customers seem to
be into big picture windows.
- In some locations of many houses, that is not possible since when the
occupants are present and active since their activities cause the nearby
glass breaks to trip occasionally.
- To solve the problem we program those glass break zones to be an alarm
generating events only when the system is armed.

 

[Nathaniel Lind \(New\)]

Other things that could trigger a GB sensor:
Playing certain video games.
Drums (acoustic or electronic), especially Cymbals.
Action Movies
Smoke Detectors/CO Detectors (This might be advantageous, though.)
Woodworking, Car repair (even though they shouldn't be installed in a
garage), metalworking...
Newer keyboards, sound effects CD's,......

 

[Nathaniel Lind \(New\)]

Our neighbor has a security system (not sure of the brand/supplier) and for
a while they had a vibration-actuated glassbreak on their door and it would
often false, whether from wind or even an insect slamming into it. I also
read a report on the 'Net a while back that told about a vibration-actuated
glassbreak that was triggered by a smoke alarm! (I assumed the SD was one of
the older units that used the vibratory electromechanical horns [the ones
that have the buzzer like sound])

 

[Rex Wilson]

what do you consider the "better quality" ones?
do you like the Sentrol 5400 series?

 

[allpaws]

working in a monitoring station I d say i find a bgd (sound) a better
devise at forecasting a break than a vibs ...esp if with a pir afterwards.

altho in saying that i do occasionally find bgds go off in sympathy of pirs.
Vibs work as a deterrent I guess. In terms of false (ie unwanted) alarms
vibs are far worse than bgds activated by sound/both.

Air pressure sensors suck.