There are two different product manufacturers that we use for burglar and fire alarm installations. The size and construction of the house or building generally determines which product will be used.
Our primary product line is manufactured by Honeywell, (formerly Ademco.) For homes and businesses that require more than one security console, we generally use the Vista 20P control, in conjunction with several different security consoles. For homes or small businesses that only require one security console, we now install the Honeywell Lynx Touch L5210 control. It is an all in one security system. In this small housing, there is the control panel, a wireless receiver, a GSM 4G cellular communicator and in most applications, a WiFi adapter that allows the unit to communicate with the central monitoring station via the customers internet connection. In the event of a power failure or if service is interrupted for some reason, the Lynx Touch L5210 will communicate with the central monitoring station via GSM radio.
Both the Vista 20P and the Lynx Touch L5210 communicate via the AlarmNet radio network. There is also an add on application called Total Connect that allows the customer to Arm, Disarm, and Bypass zones right from his or her smartphone. The customer can also receive text messages when the system is armed or disarmed, if certain zones are bypassed, and if there is an alarm activation.
There has been a migration in the alarm industry to using wireless equipment almost exclusively. For a new installation, while you may pay a bit more for the equipment, the labor costs are almost nil. Jobs that ten years ago could take two or three installer two to three days are now usually completed in a day by a single installer. The wireless parts use Lithium Ion batteries, and the average battery life is 5 years. Both the Vista 20P and the Lynx Touch L5210 can monitor up to 48 wireless zones.
