Texecom decides to go green/save money

[ARW]

will no longer be giving out paper copies of installation manuals with their alarms. That's not much use to a DIYer.

From their email

"Texecom is no longer supplying printed copies of installation manuals with Texecom electronic security products manufactured after Monday 21st January.

Printing hard copies of installation manuals and supplying with each individual product is extremely wasteful, increasingly expensive, damaging to the environment and, crucially, does not guarantee the latest information relating to digitally-enabled and remotely upgradable security products.

Texecom installation manuals are always available and always up to date to professional security installers on our free TexecomPro app and on the Texecom website.

Texecom has developed the TexecomPro app specifically to enhance and support professional installers who design, install and maintain Texecom security systems. Available free on iOS and Android, TexecomPro is the go-to resource for all Texecom technical information."

See the clever use of the word crucially?

So how does this post help DIYers?

Well you just sign up as a professional installer and make up any company name you want for free online access to their manuals. They do not check any details (I am sure a reader will register with them to prove this).

Of if you do not want to sign up then just email me with the Texecom manual you want and I'll email it to you.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I bought one of their branded SLA batteries once (it was what the local wholesaler had). It had the shortest life of any SLA I've ever bought - just over 1 year on float at 13.8V without ever being run down.

Haven't ever used their alarms.

On the forum for the alarms I've installed, one of the professional installers asked why they make all the programming data and interface protocols available to the public, and shouldn't this be hidden? The answer from the company was that all the innovative ideas and suggestions they get for enhancements come from DIYers, and not the professional installers. A DIYer is using their installation, and tends to use most of the features which gives them good ideas for other things they would like it to do, which the company often implements. A professional installer is not using their installations and generally make use of rather few of the alarm's features.

One of the first examples (>20 years ago now) was the Homesafe sign in, where the alarm alerts the parents if the children haven't arrived back home from school by a certain time. This feature is configured by many DIY installers, but almost never by professional installers. (This feature has probably been overtaken by smartphone apps nowadays, but still shows how a DIY and a professional installation are likely to differ.)

[ARW]

Most alarms I fit are on new builds and so are left as working with no input from me to the user.

The second biggest market I fit alarms for are for people who have just been burgled.

[T i m]

<snip>

Do you typically fit a particular brand / model under those circumstances and if so what?

Would there be any you would advise the customer against?

If money was no object, what would you install at your own place?

Cheers, T i m

[invalid]

I have only fitted my own alarm in the last fourty years.

The last one I was paid for was in a bank in Walsall IIRC.

It was a pig as to fit the shock/heat/lock sensor on the safe required drilling and tapping the safe door. They are bloody hard going.

[invalid]

You wouldn't, you would get a monitored alarm fitted.

[ARW]

Self guiding lasers that asked no questions.

[ARW]

I fit Texecom stuff. Usually the R8.

[T i m]

Thanks Adam.

Assuming it can take both, do you generally use wired and / or wireless sensors as I'm not sure about the 'security' of Wireless these days (thinking keyless cars etc)?

Cheers, T i m

[ARW]

Wired.

[Michael Chare]

Thank you for your email. In the past I have been able to download the instruction pdf files from their website. I hope this will be possible I am not really a fan of mobile phones.

[T i m]

<snip>

Thanks.

Cheers, T i m

[Brian Gaff]

I wonder if they have thought this through. I can see what is going to happen now. All the installers will print them out and may even print two out one for them, and one for the customer, or at least in part.Then of course most crooks would be interested I'd imagine. Brian

[Robin]

That's helpful as I've been dithering about a wired alarm. But I was leaning towards one that offered a "follower" setting and can't see that in the R8 manual. Any recommendations please among those that do - eg Texecom's Premier range?

[whisky-dave]

What's clever about it , I would have thought it was quite important to have the latest install guide for any product even an old one especailly if something has been updated or the original install guide had an error or wasn;t as good as it coukld be.

It tells them they no longer have to resister at their website but can get an app .

Do you have to sign up claiming to be a professonal installer. Most apps yuo don't sign up for. You agree to T&Cs .

That's nice of yuo but if you get a request for 100s will you pay the cost of photocopying (which might be against copyright) and posting to everyone.

[F]

Adam said he would *email* it out, not post out a copy.

[whisky-dave]

So what's the problem ?

So what's the problem ?

How would he email out something that doesn't appear to exist ?

[whisky-dave]

and your conclusion ?

[WarnerCrick]

In it something is. I agree with you, thanks for an explanation. As always all ingenious is simple.

[ARW]

By "follower" setting do you mean a zone that will sound the alarm immediately if that is the first zone that is activated but would otherwise not immediately sound the alarm if you have already activated another zone?

eg zone one is the front door contact and zone 2 is the hall PIR and the keypad is in the hallway and you enter via the front door.

Or am I completely missing the point?