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How to connect window sensors?

When we purchased our home it did not have a security system. I
installed one myself, really not knowing anything about the proper
ways of wiring one up. For each window, I drilled up through the
header and ran the sensor wires along the edge of the window. It
really is not noticable. I had sensors with very long leads and I was
able to make all my connections in the attic using butt connectors.

But since I lost many sensors due to a lightning strike, the
replacement ones I bought have much shorter leads. These are the
small sensors that do NOT have the screw terminals. I can't make the
connections in the attic, so have been soldering the new sensors
(staggering the solder joint for each wire) and using shrink tube to
insulate. This makes for a very small profile connection compared to
butt connectors. Is this a good idea? How do you pro's do it for a
repair job?

Another question... I have learned from this newsgroup that my
normally closed contact sensors failed since they were basically
welded together. Would I have been better off using normally open
contacts? I assume those are wired in parallel, and since NC ones are
wired in series, I can't just change, but I was just curious if they
fail due to lightning.

Thanks in advance.
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
Some folks like to use open circuit contacts and wire them like a typical
fire circuit. That is not what the majority of the industry does. Old
Radionics dealers used to do it that way the most. I don't know how to
compare and contrast which method is better for lightning since one method
is used so seldom. I don't know if balanced or biased contact do better
either for the same reason, hardly ever gets installed that way.
I can tell you that a biased contact on a chain link fence is like a
lightning rod in one of my installations. Went though three Sentrol
biased contacts before the client finally had me give it up. We put up
cameras with motion detection in the storage yard instead.
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
When we purchased our home it did not have a security system. I
installed one myself, really not knowing anything about the proper
ways of wiring one up. For each window, I drilled up through the
header and ran the sensor wires along the edge of the window. It
really is not noticable. I had sensors with very long leads and I was
able to make all my connections in the attic using butt connectors.

But since I lost many sensors due to a lightning strike, the
replacement ones I bought have much shorter leads. These are the
small sensors that do NOT have the screw terminals. I can't make the
connections in the attic, so have been soldering the new sensors
(staggering the solder joint for each wire) and using shrink tube to
insulate. This makes for a very small profile connection compared to
butt connectors. Is this a good idea? How do you pro's do it for a
repair job?

Another question... I have learned from this newsgroup that my
normally closed contact sensors failed since they were basically
welded together. Would I have been better off using normally open
contacts? I assume those are wired in parallel, and since NC ones are
wired in series, I can't just change, but I was just curious if they
fail due to lightning.

Thanks in advance.

A contact can go bad in the open condition as well as closed.
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
When we purchased our home it did not have a security system. I
installed one myself, really not knowing anything about the proper
ways of wiring one up. For each window, I drilled up through the
header and ran the sensor wires along the edge of the window. It
really is not noticable. I had sensors with very long leads and I
was able to make all my connections in the attic using butt
connectors.

But since I lost many sensors due to a lightning strike, the
replacement ones I bought have much shorter leads. These are the
small sensors that do NOT have the screw terminals. I can't make
the connections in the attic, so have been soldering the new
sensors (staggering the solder joint for each wire) and using
shrink tube to insulate. This makes for a very small profile
connection compared to butt connectors. Is this a good idea? How
do you pro's do it for a repair job?

As long as the connections are soldered and staggered so there's no
way for the wires to short, that will work fine. There's another
option which you could have chosen. There are miniature, wide-gap
magnetic contacts with screw connections you could have used. Those
would have allowed you to use the existing wires. However, since you
already bought the contacts stay with what you have.
Another question... I have learned from this newsgroup that my
normally closed contact sensors failed since they were basically
welded together. Would I have been better off using normally open
contacts? I assume those are wired in parallel, and since NC ones
are wired in series, I can't just change, but I was just curious if
they fail due to lightning.

You assume correctly regarding the wiring method but no, that would
not make the system more lightning resistant. The most significant
thing you can do to protect against future strikes is a bonded
ground. This was discussed earlier so I won't repeat it unless you
ask.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
troubleshooting open circuit switches is a nightmare - use what you are
using.

solder and heat shrink tubing is fine...probably the best way if you have
time to do it that way - you will seldom find it in production work though.



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| When we purchased our home it did not have a security system. I
| installed one myself, really not knowing anything about the proper
| ways of wiring one up. For each window, I drilled up through the
| header and ran the sensor wires along the edge of the window. It
| really is not noticable. I had sensors with very long leads and I was
| able to make all my connections in the attic using butt connectors.
|
| But since I lost many sensors due to a lightning strike, the
| replacement ones I bought have much shorter leads. These are the
| small sensors that do NOT have the screw terminals. I can't make the
| connections in the attic, so have been soldering the new sensors
| (staggering the solder joint for each wire) and using shrink tube to
| insulate. This makes for a very small profile connection compared to
| butt connectors. Is this a good idea? How do you pro's do it for a
| repair job?
|
| Another question... I have learned from this newsgroup that my
| normally closed contact sensors failed since they were basically
| welded together. Would I have been better off using normally open
| contacts? I assume those are wired in parallel, and since NC ones are
| wired in series, I can't just change, but I was just curious if they
| fail due to lightning.
|
| Thanks in advance.
|
 
B

Bill

Jan 1, 1970
0
You can get a long drill bit (like 5 ft.) which has a hole in one end in the
electrical department of home improvement stores, electrical supplies, etc.
Then drill up from the window opening into the attic. or drill down from the
window opening to the baseboard.

So the hole drilled is inside where the window opens.

Then pull a wire through the hole (using hole in drill bit to attach wire),
then solder on wires as you did and use electrical tape or whatever.

Then squirt silicone into the hole and gently push sensor back into the hole
so it is flush with the window opening surface. Then glue magnet to window
or drill hole in window wood and stick magnet in hole.

Stick dirt and dead flies over sensor before silicone dries. Then you have a
sensor on that window and no wires or contacts visible!

We spent two weeks doing this to a guys house who went out of town while we
were doing the work. He came back, called the office and was pissed! He was
really ticked we did not install his system like we said we would. We said
we did install it! He did not believe us. We had to go out and put a beeper
on and open/close each window to prove it was installed. And we pointed to
where the contacts were. He said "I don't see anything!" We said well that
is what you paid for....
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
You can get a long drill bit (like 5 ft.) which has a hole in one end in the
electrical department of home improvement stores, electrical supplies, etc.
Then drill up from the window opening into the attic. or drill down from the
window opening to the baseboard.

So the hole drilled is inside where the window opens.

Then pull a wire through the hole (using hole in drill bit to attach wire),
then solder on wires as you did and use electrical tape or whatever.

Then squirt silicone into the hole and gently push sensor back into the hole
so it is flush with the window opening surface. Then glue magnet to window
or drill hole in window wood and stick magnet in hole.

Stick dirt and dead flies over sensor before silicone dries. Then you have a
sensor on that window and no wires or contacts visible!

We spent two weeks doing this to a guys house who went out of town while we
were doing the work. He came back, called the office and was pissed! He was
really ticked we did not install his system like we said we would. We said
we did install it! He did not believe us. We had to go out and put a beeper
on and open/close each window to prove it was installed. And we pointed to
where the contacts were. He said "I don't see anything!" We said well that
is what you paid for....


Where do you buy your dead flies?
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
ADI has them, but they come from China and may contain lead.



--
Crash Gordon
-------ouch------

<I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe>
| > You can get a long drill bit (like 5 ft.) which has a hole in one end in
the
| > electrical department of home improvement stores, electrical supplies,
etc.
| > Then drill up from the window opening into the attic. or drill down from
the
| > window opening to the baseboard.
| >
| > So the hole drilled is inside where the window opens.
| >
| > Then pull a wire through the hole (using hole in drill bit to attach
wire),
| > then solder on wires as you did and use electrical tape or whatever.
| >
| > Then squirt silicone into the hole and gently push sensor back into the
hole
| > so it is flush with the window opening surface. Then glue magnet to
window
| > or drill hole in window wood and stick magnet in hole.
| >
| > Stick dirt and dead flies over sensor before silicone dries. Then you
have a
| > sensor on that window and no wires or contacts visible!
| >
| > We spent two weeks doing this to a guys house who went out of town while
we
| > were doing the work. He came back, called the office and was pissed! He
was
| > really ticked we did not install his system like we said we would. We
said
| > we did install it! He did not believe us. We had to go out and put a
beeper
| > on and open/close each window to prove it was installed. And we pointed
to
| > where the contacts were. He said "I don't see anything!" We said well
that
| > is what you paid for....
|
|
| Where do you buy your dead flies?
|
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
ADI has them, but they come from China and may contain lead.

--

Must be that breed of fly that only walk from one place to another.
 
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