> be developer
> Laye 90s/early 2000s when most were high school drop outs with an entrepreneurial stream.
> Hey alarm system guy! I'm a developer and want to install alarm systems in my tract homes.
> Hey developer! I'm a moron. Let's go ahead and install gay ass sensors on every 1st floor window and snake wires every where behind the walls.
> Don't mind me, I'll just forget to install them on the original patio door.
> Good idea alarm system installer.
> Hey electrician bro, install this circuit breaker on the outside wall so any old c**t with lock cutters can open it up and kill the power.
> Ok!
> *Burgler sees empty house*
> Cuts power
> Wait 3 days for alarm system battery backup to die (heck it long died so it probably doesn't need 3 days).
> Goes in through patio door which never had alarm to begin with.
It's all so tiresome.
It doesn't even have to be 2000s alarm system, Paradox sucks too. I can't upgrade my system's firmware (box + IP module) without a 3rd party and they'll only do that if they can sell me a surveillance service as well. And of course the battery is dead...
I have a paradox system and I managed to install Babyware (their software) and connect using a device serial number using the same network. I can even see the installers master code through Babyware.
Unfortunately I now cannot use the app anymore because I need the software updates through the installer.
Can I do this myself you think?
Honestly, I'm moving soon and thinking of setting up a smart home security system, using cheap Aqara sensors. Frick spending 100 bucks on a single contact.
You can't. Paradox only gives software to installers.
I have the software as I'm an installer, drop an email and I can send it to you.
[email protected]
I used to install paradox stuff, it's the best honestly although the Bosch sensors are much better than paradox ones. Why do you need to update your firmware anyway? It's not a fricking computer?
Ring is anal gaping spyware and also total dogshit. The app and push notifications don't even work half the time and they are always dropping out of connection. If you need that functionality then install a proper camera and wire a regular doorbell switch into the input for push notifications to your phone.
set the alarm off while you're sitting on the front porch, see if anyone even looks at you
These days I'd just use an arduino to trigger a burner phone to send me a text. Total cost <$200
Get an Arduino SMS shield, they are about $30, and look online for prepaid data SIM cards, you can get deals like 2GB for $100. It might not seem like a lot of data but those cards expire in one year instead of the usual 30 days. Plus you can rig the Arduino to a mains detection circuit (a USB charger plugged to a data input) and send you an alert when the power goes down.
I'm off-grid. I can throw in this to your tips: If I was going to spend $100 for a 2G (2 gigabyte?) SIM that expired in a year, ostensibly so I'd have internet backhaul (and texting etc) if the power went down;
I'd get either a 12v 6ah direct swap LFPo ($25-30), or a larger LI TIME 12v battery (whatever size you like, depending on how much runtime you need), and a used Belkin BU3DC001-12V REV B ($25 - usually the battery is dead, save on shipping and tell them to remove it first), and use that to power an OpenWrt router (like a Netgear R6350/6850 or Linksys E8450/Belkin RT3200) ($20-40). Add the package(s) in the Openwrt smartphone USB tethering wiki article, and search for the nft (nftables) ttl and hop limit commands to add to the firewall. Verizon Visible is $25/m.
Set the phone so it has no pin code/no lock, and in dev tools set the default USB to be Tethering. It's powered from the router, and the router is powered by the UPS. Minimal unlocked phone you'll need is a Pixel 3a. 4a 5G for 5G. PixelExperience or another rom of your choosing.
Now you have complete wifi backup, and never have to worry about data caps. 2GB might be fine for small data packet signalling, but if you want to jump on and monitor that human or car movement alert you received, on your cameras, etc, you have 20Mb/s minimum in each direction, assuming your LoS to the tower is decent and distance is ok, or, if not you bought a SolidRF booster (which is also 12v..).
>a 12v 6ah direct swap LFPo
Does direct swap mean the bms can handle lead-acid charging methods? As in, pulsing 14+VDC with low impedance to it? I'm looking at small-scale solar stuff at the moment and I'd like to go lithium iron phosphate, but all the low-power charge controllers locally are simple PWM, none actually buck convert until you get to the 15-20A MPPTs for hundreds of dollars. Maybe I'd be better off with a CC/CV buck converter module.
regulate the charge voltage with an LM317, clamp extreme overvoltage with a zener diode.
frick efficiency, that sunlight was gonna become heat anyway.
>LM317
Eh, I guess it works. Might use a zener+BJT regulator if I need more current, though the LM317 is nice for its built-in overtemp protection.
I'm talking only about putting an LFPo direct-swap F2 tab 7(or6)ah 12v into the Belkin UPS. And the room has to be above freezing (indoors). For anyone reading..
To your question:
I remember a charging system based on solar-LFPo I evaluated, at one time, I think being similar to what you are saying, using converters and a solid state relay. LFPo has very different (better) charging characteristics than lead acid. Sorry, I do not remember the vendor.
Chinese MPPT's that work 'ok' do not cost 'hundreds of dollars'. I used an inexpensive one until I upgraded my system.
You need to visit diysolarforum and post your details there. I'm probably one of the more knowledgeable solar people on /diy, although not that much (like a 3 or 4/10). There could well be an anon reading this who is a 5, 6 or 7; I'm not here for stupid pointless ego battles. You will find 10/10's, though, that have an unbelievable amount of expertise on the diysolarforum.
The biggest mistake I see, over and over, is messing with expensive $1/watt mini-panels. Get 300-350w value-priced residential panels for 33¢/watt or less. You need a lot of solar to make it work; production is 10% or less on overcast days, for instance. And figure that x watts of power will only deliver that for 5 hrs a day, on sunny days.
Suddenly, your project that has a median consumption of 100w/h requires 2000w of panels, in order to never switch to generator [example, a semi-northern situation.. great lakes, canadian border..] whereas tx/az it would be 1000w, or less.
Noobs hear big numbers and have no idea, no experience, that the solar wattage has to be much higher. 100w/h is like a small fridge and basic lights, phone charger, laptop etc.
>Hey electrician bro, install this circuit breaker on the outside wall so any old c**t with lock cutters can open it up and kill the power.
putting the breaker on the exterior is quite literally dumbest fricking thing with home building. can someone explain the """"""logic"""""" behind it?
>""""""logic""""""
More like ~~*logic*~~
Garage would have been better.
Latest version of the NEC has moved the main disconnect to the meter. The idea is the fire department doesn’t have to cut the feeder to shut off the power. Reminder, the NFPA is the author of the NEC.
The kids around my block used to “circuit break” houses meaning shut off power to neighbors houses then runaway giggling
>3 days
Isn't three days a long time to wait between the power being cut off and actually forcing entry? Wouldn't the home owner or someone acting on their behalf know that something was up well before that point?
Have you never left home for a week long trip?
I don't even have a landline so no VM to call and check. You wouldn't know.
Not to mention, a bad actor could just see the alarm off, run upstairs to the master bedroom closet and unplug the thing.
>Have you never left home for a week long trip?
No?
>a bad actor could just see the alarm off, run upstairs to the master bedroom closet and unplug the thing
Pretty sure that'd still be more than enough time for an alert to be sent out, even assuming no effort is put into protecting the panel against forced entry.
I don't know about burgeristan but here most all alarm systems since a long time send a heartbeat signal every few seconds over radio/GSM to the security company so lack of that signal would prompt them to contact the owner or send in a team/police. It also sends a signal if the mains power is cut.
So cutting power or jamming it's communications would also notify security
>rip out of wall
>pull wires
>chop wires
>bit of mud
>paint
>never leave home
>never have to look at POS alarm terminals
life is good
Check out the Level1Techs video on DSC security systems. If you can get access to your old alarm box and replace the board, you can set it up and get a huge jumpstart on a smarthome.
Do these work like the old galaxy keypads were there's a capacitor inside the keypad and if it goes long enough without power for the capacitor to die you have to reprogram the whole thing?
posting this here instead of making my own thread since this looks relevant. Have any of you installed a RING doorbell? I have one but it came with the house (new build) so I have never installed one. I wanted to get one for my moms house and was wondering what advice I could find on here.