Hi,
Newbie and just received Qolsys 4 panel.
My AV guy ran low voltage wire for the panel, but looks like I can’t use that?
I’d really like to avoid seeing transformer - how do people wire these so they are clean?
Cheers
David
Honestly there is no easy option. You can plug the transformer in in the attic or a closet or something like that and run the wire in the wall, but that’s about it. Personally I just used a low profile cable track from the transformer up the wall to the panel and it looks pretty good. Not a perfect solution but good enough.
Gotcha. I just had a thought - I should be able to connect the AV wire to the wire coming out of the transformer?
There is a chart in the manual for lenths and wire gauge. As long as you stay within those parameters you’re golden.
Qolsys IQ4 instructions state that for “custom wiring” you should use 18AWG wire no longer than 25ft. However installers will frequently use 22AWG quad wiring from a central wiring cabinet to panel location(s).
If that is your situation, and the length isn’t too far, you may be able double up two of the wires for the positive connection and the other two for negative. (Doubled up 22AWG is roughly equivalent to 19AWG.) Then you connect your transformer to a 120V receptacle near your wiring cabinet.
That’s what I was able to do for my IQ4 main panel and 2 IQ secondary keypads, i.e. a total of 3 transformers on three sets of doubled up wires.
Qolsys IQ4 instructions state that for “custom wiring” you should use 18AWG wire no longer than 25ft.
That is the recommendation for the old IQ Panel 2 with 5VDC transformer I believe.
The IQ Panel 4 18AWG distance limit per the manual is 98.5 feet.
Ah, thanks for the correction, Jason.
No problem, yeah the newer IQ Panel 2+ and the IQ Panel 4 are much easier to plan around for power.
Pulled the wire out - looks to be Honeywell 1103 22AWG 4/C.
To confirm - do I need to double up the wires for IQ4 panel?
cheers
David
If you can, you should, yes. Doubling the 22AWG conductors will increase the effective range by lowering voltage drop.
Hi Jason,
I just reread the manual, and noticed this:
IMPORTANT IF USING CUSTOM LENGTH
WIRE:
- 7v⎓DC Transformer: Use 18AWG
(0.75mm2) wire no longer than 98.5ft
(30m) to ensure sufficient power is
received at the panel.
*** The minimum permissible wire size shall**
not be smaller than 22 AWG (0.33mm2)
** 7v⎓DC power supply output shall not
exceed 15VA (15W) under any conditions
Note the comment about 22AWG being the minimum.
Do you know how using 22AWG affects things?
The thinner the wire, the more resistance, the larger the voltage drop along its length. Thinner than 22AWG will not deliver proper power.
Doubling conductors effectively increases the cable size. As the other poster added, 22AWG doubled is effectively similar to what 19AWG would be.
Double up the 22AWG conductors and you should be fine up to around 75 feet.