Subscriber Discussion

Storage Unit Alarm System Design Question

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Nov 28, 2015

Due to a recent rash of storage unit break-ins I am planning to offer the owners a complete system in which they can pass the costs to their renters and earn a little revenue to boot. I am wondering of it is possible to use a partitioned alarm panel with separate accounts for each partition. For instance, a Vista 128 with 8 partitions and a keypad installed inside of each unit. How do I offer the monitoring for 8 different accounts from one panel? Or will each customer require their own panels and accounts? Also considering an Elk M1 if that would be a better route. Cameras would be installed around the outside common areas and integrated with the alarm system.

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David Johnson
Nov 28, 2015

Each partition can report its own account number so no problem there. Will need to watch your 12vdc budget with 8 keypads - might need an aux 12v supply. Owner can supply the pots line for dial up and split the cost out to each partition. Elk m1 is also a super versatile panel and could probably do the same.

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Mark McRae
Nov 29, 2015
Inaxsys Security Systems

How many storage lockers are there in your application?

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Nov 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Instead of buying and installing 8 keypads would Honeywell Total Connect be an option? Customers can then use a mobile device as a keypad, plus looking at event history would be much easier...

jo
jason oneal
Nov 29, 2015

An average of about 30 units per site. I would sell the service in 8 unit blocks.

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Mark McRae
Nov 29, 2015
Inaxsys Security Systems

Disclaimer: we rep/distribute the Protege WX that I mention below.

Jason, if your're the OP then this is the solution you need. It's is silly to need to sell 4 panels (and 4 monitoring connections with no centralized management) to do 32 partitions.

Use the ICT Protege WX panel - it does 32 partitions on a single panel (with 32 keypads if that is how you want to go although I don't think this is the right way to do this) and also does 512 alarm zones (more than enough for your 32 lockers), 10,000 cards/codes and 128 access control readers (you will only need 2 in my scenario below)

This is how you should do it (for maximum security, maximum ease of use, ease of programming and minimum false alarms):

You put an "in" reader at the entrance (at the car entrance gate is the best since the User can never forget to disarm - the action of opening the gate using the card is what disarms the system. This can also be done with a reader at the man-door entrance or even a reader per building/floor). You put an "out" reader at the exit (same as above, this is better if it is at the car exit gate - this is the action that rearms the User's partition). The "IN" disarms the User's alarm partition, the "OUT" rearms the User's partition. This way, the User never has to do any code on any keypad (codes which they can forget or misuse)-- actually, the arming and disarming of the alarm are completely invisible to the User.

In each of the lockers, you only install a door contact on the locker door (you could also put a motion detector/smoke detector/panic button if you want to, the WX supports 512 zones so you can add a lot of protection if you want). As the User arrives and badges in at the gate he disarms his own locker and nothing else. He does his business in his locker and when he is finished and leaves, the action of badging his card at the exit gate rearms his locker. In the WX's web page user interface, each User can be assigned a User Partition (his own partition for arming and disarming at a common reader or keypad)

At the monitoring station, each locker is a partition and there is only 1 WX panel necessary for 32 partitions, with only 1 monitoring account. The programming of the WX is done using it's built-in web browser (no third-party fees to pay to anybody for web access). This is a demo of the user interface (U: admin P: admin).

Monitoring at the central station can be done over IP (built-in IP communicator) or over the built-in dialer (CID) and can also be connected to a third-party GSM communicator if you wish.

Protege WX is available in the US at SES and Tri-ed (they don't stock it in every branch but you can get it in anywhere in the US in a few days). WX has an excellent online training (available here once you register online: http://www.ict.co/Training-Certification) that will get you up-to-speed on everything ICT. Pricing is very reasonable and will be much less expensive than putting in 4 x Vista 128 panels (and maybe also an access system in addition).

This is by far more cost-effective and simpler than your idea of using multiple smaller alarm panels.

And if you ever wanted more than 32 partitions, then WX has a bigger brother called GX that can do 10,000 partitions on a single panel. We have a storage facility done in Ontario with over 2000 lockers on four GX panels (4 separate building) all managed centrally by the property manager and integrated with the storage facility's accounting system to automatically assign and delete locker access permissions (yes, 2000 partitions monitored in a central station coming from 4 panels).

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jo
jason oneal
Nov 29, 2015

This sounds exactly what I'm looking for. I didn't want to use the Vista or M1, those are just all I was familiar with. I am looking at your product now. Thanks very much!

jo
jason oneal
Nov 29, 2015

What sensors are compatible?

MM
Michael Miller
Nov 29, 2015

Any standard 2 wire sensor works with ICT panels.

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Mark McRae
Nov 29, 2015
Inaxsys Security Systems

Hi Jason,

Any security sensor is compatible (except for proprietary adressable detectors). The WX supports a large number of end-of-line resistor formats as well as supporting 2-state (alarm/restore) and 4-state (alarm/restore/tamper/short) zone monitoring, configurable per zone.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 02, 2015

You got my attention but now Tri-Ed in Atlanta says you're on vacation! Who can I talk to asap to help with a system design? I need to do access control with delayed egress maglock and panic alarms. Will be integrating with Hikvision NVR and also a fire panel. Sorry to bother you on vacation but I need help quick on this. Can you forward my info to your stand-in?

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Mark McRae
Dec 02, 2015
Inaxsys Security Systems

It's not really a vacation, I'm at our annual ICT dealer network conference in New Zealand (although NZ looks a lot like a vacation spot...). You can send your contact details to sales@inaxsys.com and one of our technical sales persons will contact you first thing tomorrow morning - they'll give you all the information you need

jo
jason oneal
Nov 29, 2015

Will TC handle partitions? I just recently did 2 jobs with partitions and i have been under the understanding that partitions are not supported yet on TC.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Nov 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

jason,

I am not sure if TC is supported. To be honest I am about 5 years removed from installing any Honeywell product, I threw it out there as a possible alternative to installing 6150's or 6160's in each storage unit.

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jo
jason oneal
Nov 29, 2015

Do the products you currently install fit this application?

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Nov 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

jason,

unfortunately not or I would have recommended something... as of now for small systems we use 2gig but they currently don't offer partitioning, it is coming but it will be two partitions... plus a 2gig system would be more costly than doing a standard beige box system with keypads partitioned out... i do believe that the OP may want to look into more that one CO/Cellular line though if break ins are common...

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