[Cialug] OT: Alarm systems

[Josh More]

The answer, of course, is "it depends".

In the cheaper systems, the smoke/heat detectors should still be wired
for power (so they can work even if the fire causes a short and trips a
breaker).

The signaling mechanism will depend on the make/model.  Most, I believe,
are simple on/off, and you just connect the smoke/heat detectors to the
port on the board that handles that.  I suspect you'd have to make a
significant leap in price to get coded signals being sent along the
wire.



-Josh More, RHCE, CISSP, NCLP, GIAC 
 morej at alliancetechnologies.net 
 515-245-7701

>>> "Nathan C. Smith" <nathan.smith at ipmvs.com> 02/04/09 12:15 PM >>>

Anyone familiar with household alarm systems?  (I know at least one
person is)

In houses that are wired or pre-wired for Alarms, the smoke detectors
are often wired too.  Are they wired just for power or are they wired
with signal cable to so that they can connect to the alarm system as
well?  Mine seem to be wired for power but I haven't taken a multimeter
too them yet.

Further, would a signal cable be an on-off type of thing or would there
actually some kind of coded digital or analog signal on the smoke
detectors?  I suppose it could depend on the brand and price of the
smoke detectors?

-Nate

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