looking for an installer in St. Pete/Tampa area?

Aaron,

I won't come up to do it for you but if you want to tackle it yourself I'll be happy to walk you through it over the phone. It's really pretty simple stuff. Any primate can learn it.

Thanks Robert, I may take you up on that. I am just worried about buying all of the equipment, and then getting stuck at the programming stage and then not being able to get it to work.

It'd also be nice to have someone come look around to make sure I've thought of everything, but if not, so be it.

Aaron

Does "help" mean no-pay?

of course not. I guess we could come up with a job charge, or an hourly rate?

Certianly don't expect anyone to work for free. I was looking to buy the equipment and then get some assistance with the install. Or, I guess I could buy the equipment from the person who's helping.

I had a quote from ADT (just for sh*ts and grins) and they wanted $1600 for the equipment and install. I would, of course, like to keep it under that, money-wise. :)

Go away. js

Aaron, before you decide where to buy your equipment take a look at this

Most alarm installers, even ones willing to freelance, are not gonna want to help just for an hourly wages (they do that already at their jobs) we wanna make money - so; you'd be better off buying the equipment from the installer as well. Not sure how you'd find a licensed freelancer though...maybe just look for a small family owned company to finish your install and be done with it.

Personally, I can work 4+x faster by myself or a knowledgable helper than with a nooby homeowner.

Did you make a wiring diagram/wirelist when you roughed the house in? That would save you some money if you did (time-wise).

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Been here before. js

Yeah. Let's have some fun, you 'n' me, an' put this alarm in on Sunday. Please. js

Otay.

I helped a contractor (sorta friend) try to install a system on his prewire...only problem was he ran 2 conductor to all the powered devices...including the keypads. 14/2 Romex to the outside siren same for the power...yah, 120vac right into the panel location. I told him what to fix and to take 2 asprin and call me in a week or two or three or not. Oh, yeah the window wires were all looped into zones...but were in 1/4" holes.

Where we workin' Sunday?

Maybe it IS rocket science after all??

| > Personally, I can work 4+x faster by myself or a knowledgable helper | > than with a nooby homeowner. | >

| > Did you make a wiring diagram/wirelist when you roughed the house in? | > That would save you some money if you did (time-wise). | | Yeah. Let's have some fun, you 'n' me, an' put this alarm in on Sunday. | Please. | js | |

Aaron,

Fear not. It's not rocket science or most of the people doing it would not be doing it. :^)

On the subject of programming, consider the process using a Napco "Gemini" system as an example. Once the system is wired up but before power is applied you would download the software (it's free) and install it on your PC. There is a device called a PCI-MINI that plugs into a port on the Napco control panel and connects to the serial port on your laptop. If it's a new laptop with only USB ports, Napco makes a USB version of the PCI-MINI.

You would make a list of what is connected to each "zone" (sensing circuit) on the panel similar to this: Zn 1: Front Door Zn 2: Living Room Motion Zn 3: Garage Door, etc.

In the software you click to create a new file and call it "Home" or whatever. A sequence of screens comes up where you select things like the model of your panel, the number of keypads you're using, time delays for entry and exit, etc. Then you type in the "zones", giving each a name from list. There's a drop down selector for zone types such as "motion", "perimeter", etc.

There are esoteric terms for some of the features which I will explain as I walk you through the various screens. The whole procedure takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or so, depending on the model (Napco panels range from a few to over 250 zones though most home systems use 16 or less).

Once you've gone through the screens and saved the file you click an error checking routine and the software tells you if you've entered incompatible data or if you've missed anything critical. Click on any problems displayed and it takes you to the appropriate screen to make corrections.

After everything is checked you plug in the transformer and battery, click an icon, select a few options and the software downloads to the panel in a few seconds. Next you use the software to run a diagnostic on the system. Short circuits, broken or unconnected wires show up on screen as zone faults.

If there is more than one keypad you have to set the address of the

2nd, third, etc. The procedure is simple. Press a code on the keypad and scroll to "Keypad Address". Punch "02" or whatever and hit the "On/Off" key to change it. On simpler keypads you set the address using little jumpers beneath the back cover. Most of the configuration is done this way.

In this example I used Napco because it's fairly easy to program by PC. Napco has numerous options so it's not so easy doing it from the keypad although it can be done. Other systems such as Honeywell (used to be called Ademco) are really easy to program by keypad. Their software is free, too but the PC interface is overpriced IMO.

Hope this helps.

On Aug 28, 9:19?am, "Robert L Bass" > Maybe it IS rocket science after all??

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

You sure made that sound simple !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Why don't you go take care of all the customers that can't get you to respond to their calls and E-mails before you go trying to scam another one into buying from you?

I don't see that Better Business Report of yours getting any smaller. I guess a crook is a crook, no matter how much you come here and lie to people.

If you Did a full pre-wire (all doors, windows, motions, glassbreaks, etc.) that might not be a bad price for someone to spend probably a couple of days installing, programming, and troubleshooting a new system that they did not wire.

If you only have the doors and a couple of motions, call around and get several quotes. Also ask your freinds and neighbors who they use.

Heck call around anyway.

Yeah, that bid was for 2 keypads, 2 wired motion sensors, a siren, and

3 wireless door contacts. Quite a simple install, I'd think, but what do I know. Seems most companies won't even touch you if you don't have the monitoring with them.

Robert, I'll be in touch soon.

Thanks! Aaron

That's all you prewired for???? - that ain't much protection, why didn't you do the whole job?

ADT won't install a local system, none of the biggies will. You might find a small company to help. We don't do locals unless we're bored and the money is right.

| > If you Did a full pre-wire (all doors, windows, motions, glassbreaks, etc.) | > that might not be a bad price for someone to spend probably a couple of | > days installing, programming, and troubleshooting a new system that they | > did not wire. | >

| > If you only have the doors and a couple of motions, call around and get | > several quotes. Also ask your freinds and neighbors who they use. | >

| > Heck call around anyway. | | Yeah, that bid was for 2 keypads, 2 wired motion sensors, a siren, and | 3 wireless door contacts. Quite a simple install, I'd think, but what | do I know. Seems most companies won't even touch you if you don't | have the monitoring with them. | | Robert, I'll be in touch soon. | | Thanks! | Aaron |

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

Shop around online too.

While it can be done, DIY. Do you want to or have the time to spend on it? I don't know your technical savy, but nothing is as easy as it looks on paper. Robert's explanation was somewhat over simplified. It may not be ocket science" as he puts it, but it is also not as easy as watering the yard either.

I am not trying to disuade you from doing it yourself, just want you to have all the information, as i have no interest in selling you anything. I am not near your area, nor an online salesman.

"Crash Gordon" wrote in news:46d4d9a9$0$10300$ snipped-for-privacy@news.qwest.net:

Just out of couriousity, what did you pre-wire for?

Keypads, motion detectors and sirens take all of 10-15 minutes apiece if they've been prewired. Wireless door contacts take maybe 5 minutes each, tops. Connecting and programming the panel for a small system like this should be about one to two hours' work. $1600 seems inordinate.

Sure thing.