Help identifuing a wire

A note re: teh doors. If the holes are close enough to the jamb try a

3/8 switch and a rare earth mag in the door. We use this method with certain windows.

I can only hope it wasn't supposed to be for power.

Your description sounds as if it were something an electrician not experienced in alarm wiring, would do.

With regard to the Cat 5 wire, perhaps all he wanted was a "multi-conductor" wire and used his Cat 5 that he'd normally use for telephone wire, because thats all he had. It's possible that the wire is for a "trap" door contact and a cut-off switch for the closet door. I couldn't pull up your pic, so I don't know what it looks like. The contact would only be cut into the loop, with a toggle switch, when the homeowner left the house or went away on vacation. A long, long time ago, in the "Pre-motion detector era", we'd do this all the time.

Prior to that, we'd simply wedge a large bolder over the cave doorway attached to a vine, that someone would trip over when they entered the cave.

The AC outlet probably had nothing to do with the alarm. It may be for one of those door switches that turns on a light when the door opens.

Ive seen my share of poorly done prewires, but this one really has me scratching my head. The PIR's are wired at 6ft. The doors are drilled through the casing, not the jamb, so a standard flush mount 3/8 contact isnt an option. The keypads are wired to the same hieght as the swiches (not above)

all that aside.... This is a pic of the inside of the mstr bdr walk-in closet, above the door.

cat5 dangling out of the wall runs to the alarm panel location. Any idea what device it may have been intended for?

.... And whats the 120v duplex outlet for? In the old days they used to put an outlet centred, above a high traffic door for a clock.

Also, wondering if the exposed terminals on the t-stat transformer are a violation of code. (this is B.C. Canada)

Siren, power, temp sensor maybe? Using cat5 seems strange though.

And keep in mind that drywallers aren't the most intelligent group. The wire could have been moved from the attic (assuming there is one).

If not for the panel's power, the outlet may have been for a closet light or to have a tv mounted on the other side of the wall.

And although I see the risk of shorting, I don't think the transformer is a violation. It should be positioned so you can read the label though, but I can't tell from the picture. A piece of tape wouldn't hurt though.

Any idea who did this prewire?

can't wait to see that one at BAssburglaralarm

My guess is a camera setup. Cat 5 can be used for video transmission via a board camera or a balun. And the outlet is the power source.

Jim Rojas

Could also be for a self contained 24 hour exit door alarm. Those things are a PITA... :)

Jim Rojas

You can adjust the PIR's "view" to compensate for the lower height. If furniture's going to be a problem though, then you're going to have to extend the wire and fish it up to the correct location. I'm under the impression that it's a new house so patching and painting shouldn't be a major problem.

Try removing the trim around the door (on the interior wall). Usually you have a gap between the top of the door and the header that's anywhere between1/2" and 1" filled with insulation that's simply "stuffed in" (although sometimes they use that expanding foam stuff). Chances are you can drill your hole in the proper location in the jamb and re-route the wire through it. Use the "shorty" 3/8" contacts. I like the GRI's with terminals (not pig tails).

That's not a huge "biggie"...

Dunno. Where's the other end terminate??

Power for the system (i.e. plug-in "wall wart")?? I think the *big clue* is what looks like a length of 18-2 AWG pokin' out of the wall right under the outlet.

That's it!!! Sell 'em one of those big fifteen inch school clocks...

Nope.

I hate when they put Decora outlets in for alarm tranformers.

I've never seen a doorbell transformer in a MBR closet either, usually they're out in the garage or other out of the way place.

Yup sounds like an alarm prewire done by an electrician.

Are you sure it's CAT5 and not CAT3? We use CAT3 for Power (yes we use doubled up conductors)

Uh, plug in transformer for an alarm? Are you sure you know what you're doing?

OK, when you ask a question like this, I have to ask if YOU really know what you're doing. Low voltage transformers, how to install them, where, etc., etc., are all covered in the Electrical Safety Code which you should know if you are a properly qualified and licenced alarm tech in BC.

Julian (an actual TQ'd tech in BC)

Im sure its cat5.

Huh? Where do I state that Im going to plug in a transformer at this location? Im just trying to figure out why the outlet was installed in this position.

You clearly don't have the answer, so, why bother responding? I'm licensed in Alberta, hence my question regarding BC code. It is strictly against code here to have exposed terminals, unless the transformer is mounted at the breaker panel.

Some keypads have a zone input on them. If the installer pre-wired the door contact at the same height as the keypad he may have intended using that feature.

That transformer *might* be for a doorbell or some other non-alarm function. The cable protruding below the duplex outlet was probably intended for the alarm transformer. Although it's not really the proper cable, I've seen some installations where the tech bundled two pairs of CAT5 wire to one terminal and two to the other for the transformer. If you parallel four 24-gauge wires together, the effect is ~18-gauge.

The alarm transformer.

In the USA they would not be a code violation since they're low voltage. You'll find the same thing in almost every home -- a doorbell transformer. It's possible someone installed that doorbell transformer instead of the usual alarm transformer but I'm guessing that's not it.

Regards, Robert L Bass

yah submittals for a 200 dollar prewire! LOL...

That's funny Bobby! Drawing submittals.....

Bob, the only submittal on most prewires for builders is .......

The alarm guy finally submitting to a lowball price after being beat over the head by the builder.

It looks to me like maybe the electrician thought this was a place for you panel. Up and out of the way in the closet. That is why you have AC outlet.

What do the drawing submittals show? HA

Bobby D

JOhn wrote:

Boy you got that one right.

I ran into a guy that I've known on/off for years 15 years ago he was doing ONLY prewires for 10 bucks a drop and his wire...now he's up to 15 bucks a drop with his wire. He doesn't ever install a system...I can't believe he's still in business. Says he's not interested in headaches of installing and servicing alarms...just likes to run wire for other people. Yech.

Yeah, then hope like hell you'll get payment in six months....

After you beat the builder's kid over the head with a hammer?