Is there a way or a specific product that I need to monitor my shop that’s approximately 200 feet away from my house? I do have a Cat 6 network line out there with working internet and would like to monitor it with my existing GC3 panel. The shop is metal which attenuates any cell and FM signals so I don’t know if a signal booster from the house will work. The building is not insulated or heated yet, but I plan on doing that next year. Can you give me some suggestions?
Based on the description, there would only be one way to really use the existing GC3 to monitor an outbuilding like that.
Did you happen to have any additional Cat6 lines run between the two? Or have a pull string in conduit between the home and outbuilding?
If you have extra cabling pulled, or can easily add some, wired door contacts can be added pretty easily and then run back to the house and into a TAKE-345 or individual DW10 sensors as transmitters.
You cannot really use wireless sensors in that location, at least not with a reasonable expectation of reliability unfortunately. There are a number of reasons:
<li>Standard wireless sensors should never be installed in a non-temperature controlled environment. </li>
<li>Only the primary control panel can accept incoming sensor radio signals, so even with outdoor specific sensors like the 5816OD, range is an issue. There is no way to use the LAN to overcome this.</li>
<li>The metal building will significantly reduce the RF range of wireless devices installed there. A repeater will have a diminished benefit due to the metal.</li>
I do have an extra cat 6 cable pulled and if I can use that than I’m fine using wired sensors and a few DW10s. How would I set up the DW10s? Wire the wired sensors in series to the Cat 6 then terminate to the inside of the DW10? Ste the DW10 as a perimeter sensor?
Thanks for your help Jason
Will 23ga Cat6 wires work or do I need to use bigger wires?
Wire the wired sensors in series to the Cat 6 then terminate to the inside of the DW10? Ste the DW10 as a perimeter sensor?
Yes, you could use a few different DW10’s if you want multiple zones or you could wire them all in series to one DW10 if you are ok with the detached building being one zone.
The DW10 comes with an input plug and wire leads for a wired contact input. The DW10 wired input uses Loop 1, and typically yes you would program those doors as perimeter.
Will 23ga Cat6 wires work or do I need to use bigger wires?
Are these all just door sensors you are looking to add? the wire gauge shouldn’t be an issue as they are non-powered sensors.