What is the Gadget Flashing?

It looks like a GSM communicator. What a cheezy installation.

Jim Rojas Technical Manuals Online!

It looks like a little green light to me.

Can you think of any reason why anyone would put a communicator on the wall next to a keypad? Other than laziness, that is.

RHC: How about incompetence - that's nothing new in this industry !

I don't know anything about the Alexor panels except that I heard that there was some kind of problem with it regarding loss of wireless communication without there being any notice, which DSC denied. So it's just the word of a central station who lost contact with all of it's Alexo panels at the same time for a day or two, against DSC who said it must be something that the central station did wrong.

However, if that green light is really on a GSM receiver that's sitting next to your keypad, I'd really find another alarm company to deal with. That device should be hidden away somewhere so it is not just hanging on the wall beside a keypad. I mean come ON! it's a security device that if compromised by an intruder could cause the system to not communicate with your central station. It should be installed kind of hidden away somewhere and as high as possible in the house to obtain the best communication advantage to the local towers in your area. And even if it does do that being mounted beside your keypad, it looks like someone just got lazy and couldn't be bothered making the installation look professional to some degree. Seeing this makes me wonder what ELSE ..... they didn't do ..... that you can't see.

I'd certainly get someone else in to give you an estimate and see what they say when they see the location of the transmitter.

Just to clarify, this installation is not in my Mother-In-Law's house. I saw this video on YouTube about the Alexor and was wondering what the device was next to the keypad panel. Thanks for the advice.

RHC: Just a side note Jim; I have several dozen of the Alexor panels in service now in homes where is is IMPOSSIBLE to install a conventional alarm, and they are proving to be decent alarms, albeit a bit on the expensive side. The only service issue that has come up (and it comes up with ALL of the panels) is the four double A batteries in the keypad only last about four months before needing changing. When I install the system, I show the client how do do this since it IS going to come up. Other than that I have not had the issue you describe with loss of communication, or for that matter, ANY other service related problem with them.

To avoid this problem, the client can have the installer include a $20 transformer that plugs into the keypad and an AC outlet, which makes the batteries in those cases only "backup" in nature.

Its just a demo, I've got worse in my office

Looks like a cell unit although none I'm familiar with, I posted the question on YouTube

I don't know the details of the incident but I would suspect that it was just a local tower issue. What was of bigger concern to the Central station is that there was no indication that the network was down until people started calling in that they were getting no respnse from central station from alarm conditions.

I don't use DSC anything .... so I don't have any first hand knowledge of this.

With regard to the keypad battery problem I'd just automatically install the power source for the keypad and tell the customer that the battery was only for standby power. Make a plus out of a negative.

RHC; Easier said than done when inevitably, the keypad is to be installed in the front lobby where there never seems to be an outlet handy (within 6 feet). Good idea though, but wouldn't work in many if not most situations....

Why should it matter if an outlet isn't within 6 feet?

RHC; Unless you want to run a long extension cord, the transformer only comes with a 6 foot connection cord from the AC outlet to the keypad. Since this kit also comes with a mounting stand, I have to assume that anyone buying it is planning to install it on a kitchen counter or some such place where an AC outlet is conveniently available. But in the front hall of the homes here there is never an outlet available close to the desired wall mounting position.

You can just cut the cable and extend it with 18/2. Just need to watch polarity.

A few of my satilite phone chargers have to be in places that are convenient to answer the phone but not near an outlet. Cut the wire and add enough additional wire to get to an outlet. You can even snake it behind the wall from the keypad until you get to the baseboard then run it along where the carpet goes under the molding or between the tackless and the wall, under the carpet. Or, you can use that real tiny single pair plastic raceway attached to the molding, to get to an outlet. Or, if possible, bring it to the basement. Or .... just run it to a hamster in the wall on a wheel which produces static electricty. Should last about a month before they have to replace the hamster. With a little food and water .... could last quite awhile. You'd have to do a trial run to check if that was cheaper than replacing batteries though.

I figured that was the reason, anyone placing the keypad based on how long the power supply cord is shouldn't be installing one

RHC: That's a pretty harsh judgment......

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That's alright. If he actually had any experience and knew how to install anything, he'd be doing it.

All he knows about the installation business is what he's heard. Just because he hasn't had the fortitude to advance himself, or the ability to run his own business, he can now hide his incompetence in field work and profess to be an expert by parroting all of the feedback and hearsay that he's picked up over the to-many years he's been stuck in the same job.

People who live in glass houses give me a pane.

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I did install I just never placed equipment based on the length of a $5 power supply cord. I guess if running your own business means you get to do that kind of stuff then yes you got me there.