Alarm system - wired or wireless ???

[khairabar]

Has anyone any opinions on, or experience of, the pros and cons of a new alarm system being wired or wireless? 1950's House is being re-wired and re-decorated.

Electrician No.1 swears new alarm should be wired, taking opportunity to chase walls etc. for a more reliable system without repeated nuisance call backs and replacement of batteries, and cheaper to install than wireless as extra labour of wiring is offset by substantially cheaper sensors.

Electrician No.2 swears that it must be wireless, for more reliable system... easier fault finding, (no mention of callbacks), batteries replaced regularly 2-yearly, and cheaper to install than wired because higher cost of transmitting-sensors is offset by saving of labour!

 

[kopkidda]

Hi,

I have an alarm system and most of the sensors are wireless, I have had to change the batteries in some of these sensors, if you go wireless make sure he gives you the engineer code and shows you how to power off a sensor so that you can change the battery or turn off sensor while you wait for battery to be replaced.

If I was you I would go for the wired option, If you do you wont have to worry about replacing batteries, the only problem I see for you and wired is that 1950's houses probable arent studded walls which makes it harder to fish wires around. Its a quicker job to go wireless but not in the long run.

 

[khairabar]

tanx kopkidda,
i am leaning towards wired for the reasons you mention. Though the walls are indeed virtually all solid ones. However they are being chased for the re-wiring job, it makes some sense to chase for alarm at same time.

 

[Leo]

Definietly put in the cables when you are chasing anway, it'll cost very little extra.

 

[RMCF]

'Wired' would obviously be less open to outside influences/interference and false alarms.

I remember looking at a wireless system once in a hardware store and it operated at 533MHz. A couple of days later I happened to be looking at my car remote central locking key and its had 533MHz stamped on it ! Not sure if I would arm/disarm or set off the system if I was trying to open my car.

 

[jnealon]

Wired

Definitely get it wired and make sure whoever installs the alarm is PSA licensed

 

[Ancutza]

Wired can be a pain in the butt. I was away from my warehouse for a week and it later transpired that the alarm system had been disarmed for 2 of those days due to a major fault with a substation up the road. No back-up power supply. Mains went down and so did the alarm system.

 

[jnealon]

Wired can be a pain in the butt. I was away from my warehouse for a week and it later transpired that the alarm system had been disarmed for 2 of those days due to a major fault with a substation up the road. No back-up power supply. Mains went down and so did the alarm system.

That can happen to any alarm, wired or wireless

 

[SparkRite]

Wired can be a pain in the butt. I was away from my warehouse for a week and it later transpired that the alarm system had been disarmed for 2 of those days due to a major fault with a substation up the road. No back-up power supply. Mains went down and so did the alarm system.

All alarm systems should have a backup power supply eg. a battery......
A decent battery will keep a system powered up whether in monitoring or standby mode for 2 days or more.

 

[airgead07]

Hi

I am in the middle of a new build at moment,electrician will be 1st fixing in next week or so.He has been told to wire for alarm but not sure whether to go for the wireless? I suppose I would be better getting house wired now and decide later to go for wired or wireless alarm?????

 

[Leo]

Hi

I am in the middle of a new build at moment,electrician will be 1st fixing in next week or so.He has been told to wire for alarm but not sure whether to go for the wireless? I suppose I would be better getting house wired now and decide later to go for wired or wireless alarm?????

Did you read the existing contributions to this thread?