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oldbiker650

Power for Security Alarm?

OldBiker650
10 years ago

I am roughing in a Honeywell Vista 20p for my house remodel... The metal enclosure goes in a closet, but not sure what to do with the small plug-in transformer that goes along with it. Where do people normally stick these?

a) I could just put an outlet in the closet and plug in the transformer... but I don't like the idea of having this kind of things around clothes in a closet.

b) I could (with a little work) place it in the alarm enclosure itself--just feed some Romex into the box. But I am not sure about the thermal profile of the silly thing...

Sigh... any ideas?

Cheers, Shawn

Comments (14)

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    A is your only real one given the two questions Why on earth are you putting the alarm panel in a clothes closet?

  • OldBiker650
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    That is where all the contact/sensor wires go, so that is where the panel goes. Quite common location around here, was same for last 3 houses and I had nothing to do with them.

    c) I could also put the xformer in the attic above the panel... but attics get quite hot around here.

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    You can't really run the low voltage cordage through the walls legally. It may be common but really the code eschews putting such things in clothes closets.

  • joefixit2
    10 years ago

    "You can't really run the low voltage cordage through the walls legally. It may be common but really the code eschews putting such things in clothes closets."

    Could you cite that code section? Not the zip cord from the transformer, which is understandably prohibited, but where does it say you cannot locate an alarm panel in a clothes closet, and where does it say you cannot run the properly rated alarm communication wiring through the walls? Just curious because I have never seen it and we have roughed in houses where the alarm installers requested a recep in a clothes closet for their panel, and they ran all their door and window sensor wiring through the walls into the closet and everything passed inspection.

    This post was edited by joefixit2 on Sun, Jan 19, 14 at 14:58

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    "You can't really run the low voltage cordage through the walls legally."

    Where the heck else is it supposed to go?
    Let me guess: "all low voltage wiring must be visibly tacked to the exterior walls of interior rooms, since it is hundreds of times more likely to burst into flames than 120V wiring - you at least have a chance of putting it out or exiting the building"

  • Bruce in Northern Virginia
    10 years ago

    My previous house had the main alarm junction box mounted low on the wall of the master bedroom closet, next to a standard receptacle and phone jack where it was plugged in. The alarm keypad/display panels at the doors were powered through connection to the alarm junction box. There was no separate power or telephone connections needed at the keypad/display.

    I now have a new Honeywell Lynx 5000 wireless alarm panel to install, and based on the posts above I'm not sure of the best way to run wires for power and telephone.

    The plug-in power transformer has terminals on it, and power can be provided to the display/keypad panel using lamp cord or other wire of appropriate size (the gauge depends on wire length). The keypad/display panel also has a telephone line connection. However, the panel would be mounted at about the height of a wall switch, while all my receptacles and phone jacks are mounted much lower in the wall.

    What is the best/suggested way to provide power and phone line connections for a wireless alarm panel like this? I could mount it directly above a standard height AC receptacle and phone jack, but would then have two wires running down the wall to make the connections. It would work fine, but I don't think I would like the looks. Could I run the two low voltage wires inside the wall cavity and then come back out of the wall to connect to the transformer and phone jack? Or is there some other alternative?

    Thanks,

    Bruce

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    Where he hell is it supposed to go? Between the device and the receptacle to which it is plugged in. Again, you can NOT run cordage through the framing. It is not supposed to substitute for permanent house wiring.

    Putting the panel in the closet is dubious to begin with but the ONLY LEGAL ANWER is to install a receptacle in the closet to plug it into.

    You don't have to scream and yell at me, I'm just telling you what is safe and approved by the code. If you want to break the law and ignore the accepted rules of safety, feel free to do whatever the hell you want. No skin of my damn nose if you set your house on fire or your alarm fails to protect you.

  • greg_2010
    10 years ago

    I think they just missed the 'cordage' part of your statement and wrongly assumed that you meant all low voltage wires.

  • joefixit2
    10 years ago

    "Putting the panel in the closet is dubious to begin with".

    Still can't find anything that would prohibit this, going to have to assume this is just your opinion. We have one going in a coat closet right now, on a new build, specd by the drawings. Alarm panel and LV patch panel, side by side. With no basements out here it's not always easy to locate these things.

    This post was edited by joefixit2 on Wed, Jan 22, 14 at 8:50

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    Didn't say there was a prohibition, just dubious. My opinion alone. What is not opinion is that it is ILLEGAL to run cordage through the framing.

  • Bruce in Northern Virginia
    10 years ago

    I have a fairly simple question.

    When the alarm transformer is plugged in to a standard receptacle, what are the rules/restrictions on running the low voltage cord from the transformer to the alarm panel? Can you run it within the walls? The power provided by the wire from the transformer is 9 volts to the panel, so I would think you would apply the same rules you do with door bell wiring (with is usually 16 volts). Or is there some other rule that applies?

    Bruce

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    Again, cordage can NOT be run through walls. PERIOD. Doesn't matter if it has 12 or 120V on it.

    Low voltage wiring/cabling can be run through walls. Often, the transformer/power supply will just have screw (or other) terminals so you can attach appropriate low voltage wiring to it. Cordage is right OUT.

  • steve_fl
    10 years ago

    Ron-
    Agreed-cordage cannot be run through walls, but this is NOT cordage-
    The transformer is connected to 18/2 low voltage cable (which IS allowed in walls), that in turn connects to the alarm panel for power.

  • Ron Natalie
    10 years ago

    Yes,Steve did you read my last post? It would seem that the block fort he Vista 20P just has screw terminals. So if he uses proper low voltage cabling to connect it, it is OK.