Relay Programming (First Alert)

[JoeRaisin]

Installing a First Alert 168CPS in a large house on a golf course. The
sub has three overhead doors on the garage in front of the house and one
on the lower level for his golf cart.

He wants to be able to push one button at night and have all the doors
closed (open ones close and closed ones stay put).

I ran a four conductor to each door and another to the location of each
opener motor.

I think I have it figured out on paper but there is one issue that I
have never tried.

Will the relays respond to a zone fault even if the panel isn't armed?

This is my plan:

Run a loop from the power side of the opener to the return (parallel to
the normal wire).

All four loops through a relay that activates on command (FA 700 keypads).

Each loop then runs through another relay that is controlled by the zone
status - if the zone is not faulted relay is open, if the zone is
faulted relay is closed.

When the command is given any open doors will get the short causing them
to close, closed doors will not get the signal.

Also considering triggering the command upon activation of 'stay' arming
for even more convenience to the sub.

Any thoughts (using the wiring I described above - too late to add any)

Also thought about using a normally open door contact to run the signal
through but the sub wants the doors protected and I don't like the idea
of running the door controller voltage through my panel or putting two
contacts on each door but if I must, I must (N.O. contacts have to be
special ordered and the company gets antsy. This 'feature' was talked
up to the sub by the salesman - now I have to make it work with the
equipment spec'd... crap... don't get me started on the sales guys...)

Thanks

Joe

 

[Robert L Bass]

Installing a First Alert 168CPS in a large house on a golf course. The sub has three overhead doors on the garage in front of the

house and one on the lower level for his golf cart.

He wants to be able to push one button at night and have all the doors closed (open ones close and closed ones stay put).

I ran a four conductor to each door and another to the location of each opener motor.

I think I have it figured out on paper but there is one issue that I have never tried.

Will the relays respond to a zone fault even if the panel isn't armed?

Not sure. You may find it easier using one set of contacts for "door status" and one set for alarm input. Considering the cost
(less than $10 each) of a few Ademco 958 sensors compared to a system in a large home, price shouldn't be much of an issue.

This is my plan:

Run a loop from the power side of the opener to the return (parallel to the normal wire).

All four loops through a relay that activates on command (FA 700 keypads).

Each loop then runs through another relay that is controlled by the zone status - if the zone is not faulted relay is open, if the
zone is faulted relay is closed.

When the command is given any open doors will get the short causing them to close, closed doors will not get the signal.

Also considering triggering the command upon activation of 'stay' arming for even more convenience to the sub.

Any thoughts (using the wiring I described above - too late to add any)

Also thought about using a normally open door contact to run the signal through but the sub wants the doors protected and I don't
like the idea of running the door controller voltage through my panel or putting two contacts on each door but if I must, I must
(N.O. contacts have to be special ordered and the company gets antsy. This 'feature' was talked up to the sub by the salesman -
now I have to make it work with the equipment spec'd... crap... don't get me started on the sales guys...)

I never tried that with Ademco but I've done similar things using Napco a Gemini P9600. Napco has a neat feature (selectable per
zone) that allow the system to ignore an open zone upon arming, then activate the zone when the circuit closes. I've used that
feature to allow clients to arm with a few windows open for ventilation during the evening. They close the windows at bed time and
they become protected. I've also used it for OH doors. Open the garage door. Back the car out. Arm the system and then close the
door. The door is protected as soon as it closes.

Obviously, this feature can only be used with very careful user instruction since it is possible to forget to close the door or
window, leaving the premises unprotected. Fortunately, Napco's event log shows all bypassed zones upon arming so there's a record
in case a customer forgets that he left the door open.

The wiring method you've chosen should work fine, assuming the remotes are low voltage. Also, check the amperage of the openers'
remote circuits and specify a couple of DPDT relays with an appropriate contact rating. That can save you some service calls to
replace relays.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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