Some questions for Texecom experts regarding internal sounders and sirenes and configuration of a custom zone type.

[alarmnewb1]

Hello Alarm pros.

I am looking to install a Texecom Alarm in a new house. I have no experience with installing alarm systems but am doing some research.

Besides having pir detectors and smoke/fire detectors I was also looking into maybe wiring some water sensors like these ones: https://www.grisk.com/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/C_ES 5 Water Sensor Relay 2500 2600.pdf

I was planning to go with a Texecom Premier Elite panel and wiring some water sensors into a wired zone expander. Now I don't want the sirene to go off when a faucet leaks. I would prefer getting a notification on my phone (i am planning to integrate the Texecom Premier Elite into a home assistant that will send notifications to my phone when the water sensor zones are being triggered) and maybe something that beeps INSIDE the house.

So I grabbed the manual and started reading.
I see there are all kinds of different zone types you can configure for your zone. I was looking through them. The following one popped up as a possible candidate:

12 - Auxiliary
This zone type will cause a Silent alarm if it is activated when the system/area is armed or disarmed. The panel will also report an Auxiliary alarm to the Alarm Receiving Centre when using ‘Contact ID’ reporting.

Q1: I couldn't really find the defenition of a "Silent Alarm". I assume nothing beeps and nothing is visible on the keypads and it just notifies the external configured contact. Is that correct?

This doesn't seem like the settings I want, so i continued reading. I noticed there is something called 'custom' zone type. I think this could be the one I need.
The configuration settings for the custom zone are the following:

I - INTERNAL
Activation of this zone (when armed) will cause the internal sounders
to activate.

B - BELL/STROBE
Activation of this zone (when armed) will cause the external
sounder/strobe to activate.

M - MONITOR 24Hr
The zone is armed at all times.

C - ENABLE COMS
Activation of this zone (when armed) will cause the area ‘Alarm’
output to activate.

Note: Any Custom zone with this attribute will activate both the
internal and external sounders even if they are not enabled
above.

W - WARNING REQ.
If the zone remains Active for the duration of the ‘Warning Delay’
timer (see page 70), a warning tone will occur every 30 seconds for 3
minutes (or until a code is entered or R is pressed).

Note: If MONITOR 24Hr is enabled, an internal alarm will occur after
the Warning Delay

So I was thinking to configure it like this:
INTERNAL: ON
BELL/STROBE: OFF
MONITOR 24h: ON
ENABLE CON: OFF
WARNING REQ: OFF

Now I got some more questions.
I was planning to put a wired sirene outside and wire it to the pannel. I think it is pretty clear that this would counts as the BELL/STROBE.

Q2: Now for the alarm system I also want to have an internal sounder(s) for the fire alarm when people are sleeping. It is unclear to me how this can be achieved.
I see the keypads have a built in buzzer. But I think this is only to let the user know a key was pressed, the alarm is being armed etc, is that correct? They don't suffice to wake up people when the alarm sounds, right? The buzzers in the alarm pannel are not the so called 'internal sounders', are they?

Q3: What does count as the 'internal sounders'?

Q4: Is it possible for something such as water leak detection to only sound the buzzer on the alarm pannels and don't have the sirenes go off?

Q5: I see you can also wire 'loudspeakers' to the pannel, are this the so called 'internal sounders'? If so, I assume these can go quite loud and wake you up in case of a fire alarm?

Q6: So to summarise, for me it is a bit unclear what the difference is between: the buzzer inside the keypad, 'loudspeakers' which you can connect to the panel, and the so called 'internal speakers' that are being referred to by the manual.

Q7: I want to be able to sound the internal sirenes and the external sirene when there is fire and an intrudor. In case of a water leak detection I want to have maybe the buzzers inside the keypads play a sound or a very low volume on the internal sirene if possible.

I know these are many questions and I do appreciate everybody reading through them and sharing their experience. I have already watched many videos and read a fair share of posts regarding Texecom alarms, but this one regarding the sounders/sirenes etc got me really confused.

Cheers,
An Alarm newb

 

[secureiam]

fair few questions:-

think the best way is to look at what you want the system to do and post that.

HA can be used but depending on the integration and what else you have have integrated the options can become mind blowing.

speakers, sounders whilst different sometimes are described similar and people are forever getting confused.

In general a speaker plays different tones from the panel or keypad, so on Texecom FAFSEXCK these are described in the manual.

Fire
Alarm
Fault
Service
Entry
Exit
Chime
K is to use keypad Areas or not, which affects how some things work.

speaker tones vary uses an audio signal. Texecom tend to use a 16ohm speaker. connected to two wires.

a sounder is usually a loud noise which is turned on or off by a trigger. these are usually referred to in terms of dB (sound output, how load) rather than ohms or watts like a speaker. usually has power wires plus a trigger wire.

Not sure how clear that is.

Smoke alarms are best if they have a speaker with the unit and that unit can trigger other units.
I think the panels 16 ohm speaker whilst volume is turned up isn't as loud as a smoke alarms own speaker/sounder.

There are units out there that combine both a speaker and a sounder.

 

[alarmnewb1]

Hey thank you for your answer. I came accress this video:

The person here is using, what I believe is a speaker. It looks great to me. Do you happen to know if you can use any kind of 2 x 8ohm loudspeaker or single 16 ohm loudspeaker for this? Like for example those: https://cpc.farnell.com/pulse/pls00089/5-25-ceiling-speaker-8ohm-20w/dp/LS03350. Do you think they will be loud enough as a fire alarm? Do you nkwo if there are any specifics you should look out for when selecting such a speaker? (besides the ohm rating).

This is basically what I would like to achieve:
Internal speaker + external sounder for intruder detection + fire alarm.
And if possible configure the zone with the water sensor to only sound the internal buzzer in the panels when it detects water or maybe also sound the internal speaker, but way quieter than the fire alarm/intruder alarm. I don't want my heart to skip a beat every time i do something stupid and get the water detector wet.

But I don't know if it is possible to get this 'low noise' alert for specific zone types (water sensors). I have read in the manual that the volume for 'alarm' is always the maximum volume. So i am afraid it's not possible.

If it is not possible I would place the water sensors in a custom zone (with 24hr: ON, and no internal or external alarm) and then listen for the water sensor zones to be activated from home assistant and handle the notification from there.

I do wonder tho if the water sensor does get activated with the config (24hr: ON, and no internal or external alarm) and then a PIR get's triggered if it would still sound the internal speaker and external sounder. Something to play around with I guess.

cheers

 

[secureiam]

At 91db quoted should be loud enough, but the acoustics in a home and its positioning can make a big difference.

The specification should be in the panels spec list.
As a rule I tend to fit industry standard solutions.

At the price they are at you could try and see what you think?

There are options available ie trigger a dedicated sounder or speaker and if its volume is controllable.

You could for example assign a separate keypad to an area that the water devices are on and control the volume of that keypad.

But you may want to think about if there’s a leak in the middle of the night do you want it stopping so alarm has to wake you.

 

[alarmnewb1]

Yeah you're right! Thank you for sharing your insight