Wireless security alarms

[AJB]

... Anyone got or looked at wireless alarms?

I'm currently looking to install an alarm, and wireless would be Oh so much easier to plumb in, obviously.

I'm worried about battery life / interferance / false alarms and stuff...

The Response SA5 looks like a nice unit, but it's only got 256 unique 'house codes' (as do many wireless alarms). You _can_ sit outside someone's house and simply try them all until you find the one that disarms the system... which kind of seems a bit weak on the security front.

Anyone got any comments or experience?

[RedOnRed]

I'd only ever consider a NACOSS installed wired system, like the one i've got. OK, it cost over a grand but if you take security seriously (like you should) then it's well worth it.

Put a couple of dummy boxes outside until you can afford one - if that's the thing stopping you.

[Badger]

Forget wireless, jammed easily in most cases, not regarded as reliable by the police either, hence:

brush that now means all systems except those installed, REGULARLY maintained and monitored by "suitable" companies will not get a response without seperate conformation of criminal activity....

Wired systems are simple, very simple, 6 core cable and some mains, easy, money for old rope, NACOSS etc have now got a CORGI situation from the ACPO, or is that ACPO Ltd.

[Andrew Gabriel]

This is probably irrelevant for a DIY alarm anyway.

There is little point in having a police response for most residential properties. Average time burglar is there is around 90 seconds, during which time the monitoring centre is unlikely to have even completed the call out to the police. Being on good terms with your neighbours and keeping an eye out for each others' properties is likely to be very much more effective.

However, even without police response, you might still want to go for a monitored system, so that you know something's happened, and you or the monitoring company can arrange to re-secure a property after a break-in. In this case the APCO rules are irrelevant.

[Ian_m]

What happens is you buy one, like my brother did. Spend day or two installing, bit temperamental, some sensors didn't work in the room corner you wanted for what ever reason (most likely near wire and/or pipes in wall). Then you get reports from your neighbours your alarm has been going on an off all day. You change all the batteries (usually expensive PP3's) still misbehaves. You also discover that some zone no longer trigger the alarm. You move the sensor. Each time you remove the sensor you damage your wallpaper/paint. Curse as you have to do yet another repair. You get terribly p*ssed off, rip it all out and buy one that needs wires. 3 years later still working fault free and requires zero maintenance (OK 12V battery needs changing every 5 years !!).

[Badger]

Absolutely, I'm lucky to live in a mixed age group area with shift workers, parents at home with kids and retired people at home during the day, the alarm hopefully makes enough noise to attract their attention and put the criminals into escape NOW mode as well. Nosy neighbours can be a good thing if they beleive in proper community.

In this case the APCO rules are irrelevant.

So true, though as the CRO put it this morning, the ACPO Ltds rules are actually ignored by most alarm companies who use unqualified subbies most of the time, "its not rocket science is it"...