Next step in securing your home!

[Camit]

How many entry points are you trying to protect? Are you willing to pay a small fee for the text messages to your phone or are you trying to get that feature without a monthly fee?

I can pay money for a 3G service she has front door, side door,sliding door, two windows in the master bedroom and two other rooms with one window each . I was just going to put a motion sensor in each room to start and build out. She really wants ADT but I hate ADT I won't let her do it lol...

 

[Camit]

That's just sad. An alarm system with a 3.5mm jack for the siren, exposed sim eject slot no tools required, and a power button to turn off the entire system. Same junk is < $100 on aliexpress.

Stick with what you know? Why not just use a honeywell or maybe a 2gig.

Size of house is highly relevant.

The main unit has a backup battery and you first need to type the pin to turn off the system. So if the system is arm or not you need your pin to turn it off. So support told me if someone breaks in the unplugs the system it won't turn off cause of the backup battery and you also need your pin.. also the siren is wireless one is 140db and the other is 120db both sirens also have batteries in case there unplugged. And the sim slot has a lock on it and when it's removed the alarm sounds. But support told me to set the entry delay to 15 seconds that way the texts is already set by the time they find the main unit and try to break it. Simplisafe is the same way as the fortress system.

 

[tangent]

I can pay money for a 3G service she has front door, side door,sliding door, two windows in the master bedroom and two other rooms with one window each . I was just going to put a motion sensor in each room to start and build out. She really wants ADT but I hate ADT I won't let her do it lol...

You need a contact on your entry and exit doors for most alarms to function properly. It would be more useful to know rough the size (sq ft) and type of dwelling (house, town home, mobile home)

The main unit has a backup battery and you first need to type the pin to turn off the system. So if the system is arm or not you need your pin to turn it off. So support told me if someone breaks in the unplugs the system it won't turn off cause of the backup battery and you also need your pin.. also the siren is wireless one is 140db and the other is 120db both sirens also have batteries in case there unplugged. And the sim slot has a lock on it and when it's removed the alarm sounds. But support told me to set the entry delay to 15 seconds that way the texts is already set by the time they find the main unit and try to break it. Simplisafe is the same way as the fortress system.

I'm sorry but that fortress system is not worth anywhere close to $250. It just looks like somebody tried to turn a cell phone into an alarm system and did a bad job at that. There's a version on aliexpress where the siren is a 3.5mm jack.

Get a Honeywell Vista 20p, 15p, Lynx 5200, 2Gig, or GE Simon XT and skip this crap.

 

[nayr]

Dont forget to harden your house a bit with some good ole steel

Prime-Line Products U 10827 Door Reinforcement Lock, 3 in. Stop, Aluminum Construction, Satin Nickel Anodized Finish - Screen Door Hardware - Amazon.com
Door Security Kit - 48" ID Door, Hinge & Door Jamb Reinforcement Kit for Interior Doors - - Amazon.com

And if you want some electronic GizMo's these things are highly recommended:
Amazon.com: Garage Butler Automatic Garage Door Closer: Home Improvement
you can also get smart locks tha'll ensure you dont forget to lock the front door.

 

[Camit]

Dont forget to harden your house a bit with some good ole steel

Prime-Line Products U 10827 Door Reinforcement Lock, 3 in. Stop, Aluminum Construction, Satin Nickel Anodized Finish - Screen Door Hardware - Amazon.com
Door Security Kit - 48" ID Door, Hinge & Door Jamb Reinforcement Kit for Interior Doors - - Amazon.com

And if you want some electronic GizMo's these things are highly recommended:
Amazon.com: Garage Butler Automatic Garage Door Closer: Home Improvement
you can also get smart locks tha'll ensure you dont forget to lock the front door.

Already done to my house and my moms all our doors have these with 4 inch wood screws. So you would have to literally tear down the wall or just break a window to get in,but I also have reinforcements for a broken window.. two of these bars in each window.. trust me I made sure you need to break a window to get in unwanted but I have glass break sensors each are a pain the the ass..

 

[nayr]

glass break sensors are unessicary; if someone is home the'll hear it.. and if nobody is home an internal motion sensor should quickly alert you to an intruder..

Ive had vibration ones set off by hail/rain and the acoustic ones you really dont have any way to test, just hope they work or go start throwing dishes across the house heh.

Most homes have far too many windows, you can put contact switches on a few lower windows that may be likely targets and you never leave open for venting.. just put good locks on em and a motion sensor in the room, its alot cheaper and you can secure windows partially open in the summer.

 

[Camit]

glass break sensors are unessicary; if someone is home the'll hear it.. and if nobody is home an internal motion sensor should quickly alert you to an intruder..

Ive had vibration ones set off by hail/rain and the acoustic ones you really dont have any way to test, just hope they work or go start throwing dishes across the house heh

Mine aren't by vibration it's the sound.. it works out okay

 

[tangent]

They sell testers for the acoustic ones you can also get a tuning fork most ppl don't bother. The newer DSP models work better than the old analog filters. The old analog ones are easy to set off by jingling keys or bogs barking.

 

[nayr]

how do you know? you breaking windows to test or did you buy one of the testers that sound at the proper frequencies?

 

[Camit]

how do you know? you breaking windows to test or did you buy one of the testers that sound at the proper frequencies?

I broke a glass cup it's the sound of the glass being broken... but I agree motion sensors in each room is all you need

 

[tangent]

how do you know? you breaking windows to test or did you buy one of the testers that sound at the proper frequencies?

I don't have a tester, but I've seen the testers used. Previous owners of my sisters house put about 6 acoustic glass breaks in the house and I've been over there when kids are screaming, dogs are barking, keys or toys are jingling, and dishes have been broken. So I've seen how a few different models perform and had to make a few changes to her alarm as a result. Window blinds/curtains are probably the biggest unknown. Performance with double and triple pane windows is also variable from things I've seen.

 

[spencnor]

how do you know? you breaking windows to test or did you buy one of the testers that sound at the proper frequencies?

I installed Honeywell dual tech glass break sensors. The dual tech is supposed to minimize false alarms. It listens for the "thump" and then the shattering of glass before it alarms. To test you use this tester.

When I was updating my alarm system I pulled an 2 cables, one for a motion and one for a glass break sensor. The glass breaks are supposed to cover up to 20 feet, but best if located right next to the window. The reasoning for glass breaks is it's supposed to activate the alarm before the intruder is inside. Motion sensors alarm when the intruder is already inside. I agree that the glass break function may be suspect, but there needs to be some trust that the manufacturers have done their homework. So far I haven't had any false alarms.

 

[Camit]

I installed Honeywell dual tech glass break sensors. The dual tech is supposed to minimize false alarms. It listens for the "thump" and then the shattering of glass before it alarms. To test you use this tester.

When I was updating my alarm system I pulled an 2 cables, one for a motion and one for a glass break sensor. The glass breaks are supposed to cover up to 20 feet, but best if located right next to the window. The reasoning for glass breaks is it's supposed to activate the alarm before the intruder is inside. Motion sensors alarm when the intruder is already inside. I agree that the glass break function may be suspect, but there needs to be some trust that the manufacturers have done their homework. So far I haven't had any false alarms.

I have that same Honeywell..

 

[tangent]

I've found the newer FG-1625T to be more reliable and aesthetically pleasing than the old FG-730.
FG-1625/T

 

[spencnor]

@tangent
Thanks for the heads up! I also have a previous version, the FG-1525. Technology marches on, I may have to think about updating... again, lol

 

[smiticans]

glass break sensors are unessicary; if someone is home the'll hear it.. and if nobody is home an internal motion sensor should quickly alert you to an intruder..

Ive had vibration ones set off by hail/rain and the acoustic ones you really dont have any way to test, just hope they work or go start throwing dishes across the house heh.

Most homes have far too many windows, you can put contact switches on a few lower windows that may be likely targets and you never leave open for venting.. just put good locks on em and a motion sensor in the room, its alot cheaper and you can secure windows partially open in the summer.

I disagree, having full perimeter detection is imperative to a good alarm installation. I would rather have the alarm activate while the intruder is on the outside, not after their roaming around inside my house. Motion detectors are a last line of defense.

Most modern glass break detectors are pretty reliable when it comes to false alarms. I have a couple of the Honeywell FG-1625 glass breaks and I haven't had a problem with them. I also test them with the Honeywell FG701 glass break simulator. The simulator produces the sound of breaking glass to verify the glass break detector is within the proper range of the protected window.

I also have a decent amount of Terminus SP3237 shock sensors that were installed back in 1998. So far to this day I haven't had 1 false alarm from them. They do work, I've tested them.

 

[spencnor]

Most modern glass break detectors are pretty reliable when it comes to false alarms. I have a couple of the Honeywell FG-1625 glass breaks and I haven't had a problem with them.

Glass breaks are an additional layer in a security system. Just watch this interesting Honeywell video regarding the Honeywell FG-1625 that @tangent cited. Click on the Video tab. It appears Honeywell did their homework.

 

[Camit]

I'm looking into going with a 2gig go system they can use Honeywell sensors. But these unit are really the same as the other I listed where the main control panel is the brains in the system. Anyone use a 2gig system ? Where is the best place to buy?

 

[tangent]

@tangent
Thanks for the heads up! I also have a previous version, the FG-1525. Technology marches on, I may have to think about updating... again, lol

I wouldn't bother

 

[smiticans]

I'm looking into going with a 2gig go system they can use Honeywell sensors. But these unit are really the same as the other I listed where the main control panel is the brains in the system. Anyone use a 2gig system ? Where is the best place to buy?

If you're going to go with an all in one wireless system why not check out the Honeywell Lyric. It has two way encrypted wireless sensors, Keypads and sirens. It'll also accept all of the regular Honeywell 5800 series wireless sensors.

The best place to buy depends on what you need. If you need good support, I would buy it from AlarmGrid. If you're trying to save money check out eBay. Just make sure the seller is reputable.