Pet Friendly alarm system - zones, PIRs, etc.

[wizbongre]

Hi All,

I've just started to plan out a DIY install, probably of a Texecom Premier based system, to replace the current Wireless alarm in our new house. Main reason for DIY is I can add in PIR’s and door contacts, and run cabling slowly over time as we decorate and change different parts of the house, leaving the existing wireless system in place until the whole new system is complete and programmed to commission and replace it. Sorry for the long post, just wanted to capture my thoughts and get feedback from the experts and other DIYers…

We're hopefully going to get a new dog later in the year (got our first baby due any week now so one thing at a time!) so I'm trying to make sure the new alarm system is as pet friendly as possible. I've looked at lots of supposedly pet friendly PIRs but from what I can gather, they probably only really cope with smallish animals, such as cats. I don't believe something like a Ridgeback or German Shephard for instance would get by? Anyone got any experience/recommendations of PIRs that do work with bigger dogs?

To account for this, I'm contemplating magnetic contact switches on all external doors as normal but with added contacts on internal doors that could be closed of a night when we're all in bed (restricting the dog to a limited area downstairs.) On top of this, the usual PIR coverage of all downstairs rooms and landing would be incorporated.

Then, the use of different full & part-arm modes would allow me to have something like:-
1 - Full house armed, including all PIRS, external door contacts and internal door contacts. This would be used when the house is completely empty as a normal full arm. Entry doors, plus selected PIRs would be entry/exit, all other sensors instant alarm.
2 - Full house armed, dog at home, including some internal PIRS, all external door contacts and specified internal door contacts. This would be used when the dog is home alone but restricted to say the hall and one other room. Coverage of the ground floor would be achieved by a mixture of PIRs and door contacts (plus the dog of course!) Entry doors plus just selected PIRs would be entry/exit.
3 – Part house armed, us and dog at home over night, essentially the same as number 2 above minus the landing PIR. Basically an overnight part-arm.

Basically, I think modes 1 and 2 are pretty standard but instead of the ground floor being protected by just PIRs or just contacts, there is a combination. Mode 2 is a bit of a mixture to allow the dog to be left in alone too.

This is my first draft of the plan – anyone see any obvious problems or areas for improvement? First thing I'm thinking is I'm going to need quite a lot of zones to support all of the PIRs and contacts.

 

[Europlex]

I must say Gareth it's refreshing to find someone taking thought and care about an alarm system.

I'm impressed with your ideas, go for it.

Now, the dog.
I'm going to make an assumption here, you have a utility room (?), that is where the dog sleeps from day one, food, water and bed supplied.
Contacts on both the back door and the door to the house. It'll soon get used to being there. It's not cruel.

You can do what ever you like elsewhere.
If you have a garage and are thinking about doing something out there, a Dueltech is the way to go.

And also the Premier is a good panel

 

[EightyTwo]

Bosch blue line "tritech" detectors are good for quite big animals - about 45kg if I remember correctly... The animals need to be low down so don't aim the detectors at stairs or where the pets might jump up.

We don't usually bother putting a movement detector in kitchens. The external doors, reception rooms and hallway get them on the ground floor. Then the landing and any bedrooms that are easily accessible from outside (window over garage roof or ground floor extension, etc.).

If you do internal doors, you will need to make sure that they are closed properly before you set the alarm, of course. It's a bit more of a job to hide the cables, too.

 

[Europlex]

...... It's a bit more of a job to hide the cables, too.

err, so? It's still the correct way of doing things though.

 

[wizbongre]

Thanks for the initial feedback guys - Europlex thanks for the vote of confidence specifically. I work in IT so am hoping my logical approach will help out with this little project...

As for the dog, no we don't have a utility room, hence we will likely end up crate-training or at least limiting it to just the hall and one other room say. The last dog stayed in the dining room when we were out and was fine.

Garage was thinking just contact on the doors - would you suggest a PIR in their as well?

@EightyTwo - will probably stick a PIR in the kitchen for completeness. Would like a second keypad in there for a second entry/exit route so could use a zone off that. Made me think about upstairs too, and may need to have a couple of extra PIRs up there as well as just on the hall.

Hiding the cables is going to be the biggest issue with the whole install, hence doing it over time bit by bit.

Can the Texecom Premier stuff support wireless extensions, for instance if I wanted to stick something in the shed say? Probably won't just wondering.

Next step is to sketch out a rough plan of the system and figure out zones and stuff before then adding a ton of stuff to a shopping basket somewhere!

 

[bernardgreen]

The majority of so called pet friendly PIR sensors are in blunt terms less sensitive versions of ordinary sensors.

A small pet can be a very large heat source if it being very active and its body temperature has been raised.

Other than dormice and hamsters there are few pets that will never trigger a pet friendly PIR.

Many will dis-agree but a break beam sensor can give nearly fool proof protection against intruders coming through a window. ( and doors in the same wall ). With the beam located out of pet reach this can be a very "pet friendly" detector. It does normally mean two cables have ot be installed,one to each end of the beam. Alternative it may be possible that the beam can be reflected back using a small reflector so the source and receiver can be fed from the same cable.