Radio Shack Two-Zone Burglar Alarm System owner manual Choosing The Components, Sensors

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Battery

Normally-Open Sensors — stop electricity from flowing when not activated. When activated, a normally-open sensor completes the electrical path and signals the alarm center to sound the alarm.

Normally-Closed Sensors — allow electricity to flow when not activated. When activated, normally-closed sensors break the electrical path and signal the alarm center to sound the alarm.

Notes:

Choosing a Location for the Remote Keypad

The remote keypad supplied with your alarm system lets you arm and disarm the system, change the system’s operation, and see status information about the system. You can also purchase up to three additional keypads to use with your alarm system.

•Mount the remote keypads in a location where all family members who will use them can reach them.

•For many installations, it is best to mount the remote keypads near the main entry of your home.

•The remote keypad supplied with your alarm system is not weatherproof. Do not install it in a location where it will be exposed to excessive moisture.

•The remote keypads should not be mounted in a loca- tion where they are exposed to temperatures outside the range of 32–122° F.

CHOOSING THE COMPONENTS

Sensors

Sensors are the eyes and ears of your alarm system. When activated, they send a signal to your alarm center that acti- vates the alarm. Your local RadioShack store carries a full line of sensors.

Sensors are usually classified into two types:

Perimeter Sensors — These sensors protect areas such as doors and windows. Types of perimeter sensors include door and window contacts, window foil, glass-breakage de- tectors, and infrared photorelays.

Area Sensors — Types of area sensors include ultrasonic and infrared motion detectors, vibration detectors, and panic buttons and tamper switches. You can place area sensors such as motion detectors in wide areas such as your living room, or in access areas such as halls. You can place panic buttons just about anywhere.

Decide which entrances or areas an intruder would be most likely to use, and place sensors at those entrances or areas first.

The sensors you can connect to the alarm system should be either normally-open (NO) or normally-closed (NC) for the Delay Zone and Instant Zone, but only normally-open for the Panic/Tamper Zone.

•You cannot mix normally-open and normally-closed sen- sors within one loop.

•Normally-closed sensors are considered more secure than normally-open sensors.

•Unless otherwise noted, you need two-conductor hook- up wire to connect the sensors to the alarm center.

•Refer to your RadioShack catalog for specific types and catalog numbers of each sensor listed here.

The most common types of sensors are:

Magnet Switches — Magnet switches are available in both normally-open and normally-closed types. When mounted, a magnet switch either opens or closes when the object it is attached to is moved, signaling the alarm center to sound the alarm. You can use magnet switches for doors, win- dows, or anywhere you want the alarm to sound when something is moved.

Plunger (Contact) Switches — Plunger switches are avail- able in both normally-open and normally-closed types. You can install a plunger switch inside a door frame on the side with the hinges. This type of switch cannot be seen when the door is closed. You can use plunger switches for doors, win- dows, or any where you want the alarm to sound when something is opened or moved.

Metallic Foil Tape — Metallic foil tape is a normally-closed type of sensor. Install metallic foil tape on the glass just in- side the outer frame of windows that are not movable, such as plate glass or glass inserts in doors. If the glass is broken, the tape also breaks and signals the alarm center to sound the alarm. Mount metallic foil tape around the perimeter of the glass, then connect it to a normally-closed circuit.

Vibration Detectors — Vibration detectors are available in both normally-open and normally-closed types. When these sensors detect vibration on any surface, they signal the alarm center to sound the alarm.

Glass Breakage Detectors — Glass breakage detectors are a type of vibration detector and are available in both nor- mally-open and normally-closed types. You attach a glass breakage detector near a window. If the window is broken or struck, the glass breakage detector signals the alarm center to sound the alarm.

Motion Detectors — The most common types of motion de- tectors are:

•Ultrasonic — Send out an inaudible high-frequency sound, which bounces off objects in the protected area and returns to the sensor. When an object moves in the

10 Preparation