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This forum is now read-only for archive purposes.
Alarms
Connecting a wired alarm system to Homey
WilcoDeKreij
Member
The previous owners of my house had a (wired) alarm system installed with ± 15 motion sensors throughout the house.
All those sensors have wires going into one central place.
See https://d.pr/i/DkLgLX for a picture of that. The motion detectors look like this: https://d.pr/i/StxgF7
I've never used them yet, bit would love to connect them with Homey (so they can be used to trigger flows).
Does anyone have any ideas/tips on how to get started? Are there any devices available to which I could connect this?
All those sensors have wires going into one central place.
See https://d.pr/i/DkLgLX for a picture of that. The motion detectors look like this: https://d.pr/i/StxgF7
I've never used them yet, bit would love to connect them with Homey (so they can be used to trigger flows).
Does anyone have any ideas/tips on how to get started? Are there any devices available to which I could connect this?
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Comments
This sensor can be supplied from the 12VDC (which your alarm system has it) and it has two inputs and two outputs normally closed, and simply wire the FGBS in series with the existing motion sensor tamper and motion alarm. The FGBS only passes through the existing sensor alarm inputs. The FGBS's outputs are normally closed and that's exactly how your existing motion sensor tamper and motion alarm outputs are supposed to be.
See wiring diagram:
It is your choice if you fit all this units in the main control panel or into each individual existing motion detector. I choose to fit them into each individual motion detector, much more work but then when finished I will have a nice z-wave mesh network. Plus if you chose to fit them into the control panel, that's made of metal so you will have to get the antennas of those sensors out of the panel, else there is a good chance Homey might not reach on them.
The FGBS is impressive small size, made so it can fit inside an existing alarm motion sensor. You can then use those motion sensors not only for alarm but also to create flows e.g. "lights on if motion detected"
People might say "with this money you may as well then buy battery powered motion sensors which give you motion, tamper, lux and temperature, and fit them around the house"
That's a solution but nothing beats a non-battery powered unit. Main advantage that I see is that your existing alarm backup battery will keep the FGBS powered up at all times, even when a blackout occurs. Homey unlike other controllers, has no clue of the battery level of z-wave devices and I found myself with motion sensors that stoped working because the battery went flat!
You can also wire a tiny temperature sensor (DS18B20 ) into the FGBS and then the only thing left that the FGBS cannot do is lux reading.
But for me the real deal is that the dam z-wave bug which hunts all my battery powered motion sensors regardless of the brand, does not affect the FGBS! And sorry to be pessimistic but I don't see Athom fixing 100% this bug in the next years to come.
A zigbee motion sensor might be a solution but then again, your house must have lots of zigbee powered devices for a good mesh.
Last, in the main panel few more of the FGBS. For example to get the tamper status with the external and internal sirens, tamper of the main panel (you can notice the white button in the top right corner) and of course the status of the system: armed/disarmed and if all or zoning.
Depends of your alarm system, you can arm/disarm the alarm from the control panel by using a Fibaro Double Relay. The relay can be supplied from the mains power (I see you have them in your panel). But this all depends if your alarm has the contacts to allow this. On my case, I need to get an extra module from Bosch and I am done. After that I will use the Aeotec Keyfob to arm/disarm the system, open the garage door and alarm panic. And of course Homey for flows and push notifications.
Hope this gives you some ideas....
Going back to the house tomorrow (not living there yet). Will try to get the alarm to work (hasn't been used in ± 4 years according to the previous owner).
Ordering a binary sensor (Fibaro) in the meantime so - if I get the alarm to work - I can immediately check if I can get some kind of signal when the alarm goes off. Next step would be to arm/disarm the alarm using Homey as well.
Honestly... all of this is WAYY over my head - but I'm gonna give it a good try! In case anyone knows an expert who might be able to help (ideally around Utrecht) - let me know (paid job, of course).
Wished I could help but I live some 17.000km away from Utrecht.
However, the back of the print-board looks like this: https://d.pr/i/DdB6mp
What do you say? Any chance it might still work? Or can I assume it's dead (so no need to replace the battery)?
You can get a cheap battery and try it. But I doubt that with so much corrosion it will work.
However, you have the house wired and the sensors in place, all you need is perhaps a brand new main panel alarm.
At least before any test, I would try to remove corrosion first
Make sure you clean it good, otherwise you could have a perfect test for your smoke detector