Hello,
I need help with my system design. I have built several home automation / Av control systems in the past but i am sick of ADT and want to do a diy with surety so now one device / app etc
What i currently have:
Alarm:
26 windows with hard wired sensors
4 doors with hard wired sensors
2 motion sensors hard wired
3 keypads (4 wire)
1 alarm box with brains / cellular / battery backup (no phone line)
Hubs:
2 Wink 2 Hubs
2 Lutron Radio RA2 Controller
1 Lutron Smart Bridge Pro
Cameras
1 Ring Door bell (Ring & Wink)
3 Ring Flood lights (Ring & Wink)
4 Ring Stick Up (Ring & Wink)
Thermostat
2 Honeywell (Lutron Radio RA2)
Sprinkler
Rachio
Garage
Chamberlain Qlink (wink)
What i would like to do is:
Utilize the existing wiring (take over kit?) and potentially have each sensor connected individually…?
3 / 4 digital screen key pads since this will replace the Wink Hubs… if possible using the existing low voltage wiring at each spot but I’m assuming new wart / transformer in the box.
i know Ring doesn’t play nice with others. I’m happy to just replace the door bell which is the most crucial.
i want to be able to create saved lighting levels / all on / all off / vacation mode
What specific items / brands would you choose? It’s ok if we leave the Radio Ra 2 alone as it’s in on specific room and predates all the rest but i would like the caseta switches connected.
I would like to be able to add new Zwave devices / sensors over time (water shutoff / senors etc)
1) "Utilize the existing wiring (take over kit?) and potentially have each sensor connected individually…?"
This is possible. Products needed would depend on the main panel type you wish to switch to. We offer the Qolsys brand IQ Panel 2 Plus. If utilizing this panel, you could use the Qolsys Hardwire 16-S to take over up to 16 zones each. Multiple Hardwire 16s can be used as well. Note that hardwired life safety devices can not be used with the Hardwire 16-S.
"2) 3 / 4 digital screen key pads since this will replace the Wink Hubs… if possible using the existing low voltage wiring at each spot but I’m assuming new wart / transformer in the box."
In this scenario, the Qolsys IQ Panel 2+ would be the main panel. If extra secondary keypads are desired, the Qolsys IQ-Remote would be used. These secondary panels communicate with the main panel via wi-fi. Included transformer and wiring are recommended however.
"3) i know Ring doesn’t play nice with others. I’m happy to just replace the door bell which is the most crucial."
That is correct. Ring is not compatible with Alarm.com. The only compatible video doorbells are the SkyBell Slim and the SkyBell HD. This list here will show you all of the Alarm.com compatible cameras should you decide to add more than just the doorbell.
"4) i want to be able to create saved lighting levels / all on / all off / vacation mode"
Z-wave Lighting rules and scenes can be set up through Alarm.com for connected Z-Wave devices. The Lutron Caseta and Radio RA2 would connect to your Alarm.com account and Z-wave devices learned into them would be controlled via ADC. Dimming levels, on/off would be controlled within the scenes.
Rachio irrigation is compatible with Alarm.com and requires either the Surety Home or Surety Complete plan.
Z-Wave devices (switches lights etc) could be added as needed. Z-wave sensors (door/window, motion, etc) are not compatible with Alarm.com. The FortrezZ Valve WV-01 or the DynaQuip Water Valve (Watercop) could be used if desired.
Awesome thank you. A couple of follow up thoughts under the assumption i go with IQ 2+, 3 IQ 2 Remote panels, 1 or two hardwire 16 takeovers, sky bell doorbell and your complete plan.
is there a power solution for the touch screens that uses the existing 2 / 4 wire so that i don’t have to fish wires? Thinking a transformer in the alarm box connected to the wires to a barrel pin.
i set up the rules / scenes in alarm.com. That website / app becomes the unifying graphical user interface?
do i need a siren / alarm? Or is each keypad it?
you mentioned z wave sensors can’t be added? Isn’t that the point of the Q2+? Their website has water sensors and all kinds of stuff?
any recommended z wave repeaters with the Q2+ since one won’t reach from one end of my house to the other based on the main pad placement.
is there a power solution for the touch screens that uses the existing 2 / 4 wire so that i don’t have to fish wires? Thinking a transformer in the alarm box connected to the wires to a barrel pin.
It is strongly recommended to use the included plug-in power supply for the IQ Remote. Recent updates to the Remote allow more leniency in cable length for the power run. You can reuse existing cable in most situations
to physically extend the included power supply.
i set up the rules / scenes in alarm.com. That website / app becomes the unifying graphical user interface?
Correct. To download the app you would just search your app store for “Alarm.com”
All features are controlled through the website and app.
do i need a siren / alarm? Or is each keypad it?
Each Remote keypad and the primary alarm panel have built in siren sounders.
you mentioned z wave sensors can’t be added? Isn’t that the point of the Q2+? Their website has water sensors and all kinds of stuff?
There are water valves that are Z-wave and compatible, not sensors. Z-wave is used for automation devices like lights locks and thermostats.
Z-wave sensors are not currently used by any Alarm.com compatible alarm panel. Battery operated Z-wave sensors have historically had (and still have) significant limitations compared to the compatible wireless sensor radios 319.5 mhz and Power G. While they can be effective, it is harder to implement, requiring many repeating nodes and thoughtful placement, whereas something like a Power G sensor can be added pretty much anywhere in even an abnormally large home and have no issues due to range.
any recommended z wave repeaters with the Q2+ since one won’t reach from one end of my house to the other based on the main pad placement.
Generally any AC powered Z-wave device, like a light switch, appliance module, or thermostat attached to a C wire will act as a repeater. Keep in mind Z-wave will only make 5 jumps to a target through the mesh network, so if the main alarm panel is placed far to one side of a large home you might still run into range issues. It is harder with Z-wave plus to see range concerns, but something to keep in mind.
I would generally recommend using plug-in modules like the AEO-ZW096-A02 to add a functional repeater where needed.
A tamper sensor in the can is possible but it may not be in use at all. Unfortunately it would not be possible to tell for sure until the can is actually open.
The big question here is if the system is currently being monitored. If not, it doesn’t really matter if you trip an active tamper switch as no signal would be received or acted upon. Is the system currently being monitored?
This video covers how to wire/setup the Hardwire 16. While programming is for the Gen 1 Qolsys panel specifically, programming would be very similar on the Qolsys IQ Panel 2+
Keep in mind that the Hardwire 16 handles 16 zones and more than one Hardwire 16 could be used.
"1 x Iq2+ panel
2 x Iq2 remote panel
3 x 7v transformers for the panels"
Transformers/wiring are included with the primary and secondary panels.
'1 x camera doorbell (suggestions)"
Currently, only the SkyBell HD and SkyBell Slim doorbell cameras are compatible with Alarm.com.
"Also the system comes with a cell connection; are there separate instructions on how to connect that?"
There would be no additional setup for the cellular module itself as it is built in to the panel, along with the Z-Wave, 319.5 MHz, and Power G radios.
It includes the IQ Panel 2+, SkyBell Slim Doorbell, Alarm.com ADC-V522IR Indoor camera, 3 x Qolsys S-Line Mini Door/Window Sensors, 1 x Aeon Labs Smart Switch 6 Z-wave Module (acts as a z-wave repeater), 1 x Qolsys IQ Z-wave Lightbulb and six month trial of the Surety Complete plan.
Keep in mind that the Hardiwre 16-S cannot be used with wired life safety devices.
If you want to monitor smoke detectors, you would need to obtain wireless smoke detectors. or the Qolsys Hardwire 16-F can monitor wired smoke detectors (which we do not currently stock but can be purchased elsewhere) Note that compatible equipment does not have to be purchased from Surety in order to be used with service through Surety.
So the panel 2+ you sell is QS9201-1208-840 (Verizon) and is backwards compatible with the 319 devices qolsys sells correct?
Had a fire alarm go off yesterday they are just hard wired for power (+ a 9v) not to the alarm panel.
Thank you, you guys have been awesome.
One last question. If the power goes out my exixsting system screams and beeps non stop. Is there a way to defeat that chime on the new panel 2+ / remotes?
So the panel 2+ you sell is QS9201-1208-840 (Verizon) and is backwards compatible with the 319 devices qolsys sells correct?
Yes, it is compatible with 319.5 sensors, both standard GE and Qolsys, as well as S-Line encrypted Qolsys ones.
Had a fire alarm go off yesterday they are just hard wired for power (+ a 9v) not to the alarm panel.
If these are interconnected AC powered smoke detectors you could use one SLXADT3 Firefighter (it is an audio detector that listens for your existing detector to trip) to monitor all of the smoke detectors.
If the power goes out my exixsting system screams and beeps non stop. Is there a way to defeat that chime on the new panel 2+ / remotes?
Power loss alerts, like other trouble conditions, can be acknowledged on the panel and silenced. Power loss alerts do not occur immediately, only after a period of power outage.
Just wanted to make sure i have this all sorted out correctly.
A)
They you sell the :
IQ Panel 2+ QS9201-1208-840
Which connects to your service.
B)
I would need:
16F Hardwire kit
To integrate with my existing wired window sensors & wired motion detector and to connect to the main panel.
C)
Then i would get 2
IQ remote QW9104-840
For other places to arm / control lights / door locks etc.
D)
I would get 10-15
IQ Flood-s QS5536-840
Which would connect to over z wave to the Main IQ 2+ panel. Is there a repeater / way to extend the range of the 319 band?
E)
I would get 10
IQ Smoke QS5110-840
They would connect to the main panel.
F)
2 7v power supplies for the remote panels
G)
2 Z Wave extenders
AEO-ZW096-A02
F)
Skybell slim door bell camera.
Does this all look like it will work together? I don’t want to order 2/3k of stuff and have it fail.
what happens to all this when the power goes out (hurricanes / brown outs)? Do they all have their own back up batteries etc? Do i need one for the hardwire kit?
One more to the above; the main panel is not hard wired in any way to the takeover correct? It connects wirelessly with it? Ie i can put it in a 100% new location
The flood sensors are S-Line security sensors not Z-wave. I don’t see any Z-Wave devices mentioned above so you shouldn’t need Z-Wave repeaters.
If range becomes an issue with the S-Line sensors you can use PowerG sensors which cost a little more but have a much longer range than other wireless security sensors.
The hardwire kit has a backup battery but it needs to be charged. You can use the power supply on your old security alarm panel to charge it if you want or you can get a separate charger for it if necessary. It does not get wired to the main Qolsys control panel, it communicates wirelessly.
Everything has a battery backup except the remote panels. They do include power supplies so you shouldn’t need to purchase those separately.
