Just bought a new house. Has a "Moose Products, Inc" alarm system, has the receipt taped inside the panel door, August 1983. This thing looks like it's from Apollo 11. No clue if it works, but it's getting 86'd. I can't think of any negative side effects, but I'm just going to unplug the power, and start hacking wires... Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

I wonder if your alarm system is to protect your home from moose invasions?

Seriously though, if you were thinking about upgrading the alarm system, I'd leave the wiring alone. A new installation can probably use the existing wiring.

Otherwise, I can't think of any reason not to remove some of the hardware.

- Jack

 

Lol.

Find the connection to the phone line first , if applicable.

Then disconnect the horn, if applicable.

Then, located and disconnect the battery backup - again if applicable. ( Dispose of in an environmentally safe manner )

After that, unplug from the Mains, & have at it.

I concur wif Sir Jack - unless you are going to install a fully wireless, supervised, cellular-based, monitored system ( e.g. Honeywell Lynx - good chit, btw), leave the wirin' in place.

Moose, lol ... made my day, ye did!


MGD

 

I thought about utilizing some of the wiring/contacts, there is literally a glass break sensor on every picture frame window, a contact on all operable windows (including 2nd floor, door contacts on every door, and finally a panic switch at the front door that's wired to a light switch that's been painted red and obviously I found out the hard way wtf that did...

MGD,
I've fallen in love with Z-wave and the products that work with it. I had my eye on a 2Gig system, but I'm not sold. You have the Honey Lynx? I'm looking at the 5100, looks like it'll do everything I need. Is it monitored? By who? You have the "Honeywell Total Connect" plan?

 

Yessir.

LYNX Touch L5200CN.

Monitored by a local 24/7/365 security company's call response centre, via cellular radio. Great system. Motion, perimeter, flood, freeze, smoke, CO. Remote FOB's.

I'm in Canuckistan - plans are different than in 'Murrica.

MGD

 

I'm assuming the control panel requires a transformer/permanent power source?

How much your monitoring run? even a Canuckistan number I would think could ball park it (never heard that before ) One of the main reasons I want to DIY is to avoid the large chain monitoring company's lifetime and first born son contract + $40/month.

 

From personal use, I can recommend ADT. We've had it in our home for about 10 years. It is monitored in Colorado (we live in Arizona) and if that monitoring station is off line, it switches to San Francisco. So, a local power failure doesn't effect us.

We've NEVER had a false alarm, but have, a couple of times failed to latch the door into the garage properly. If it's windy and that door is not latched, it will open slightly and will trigger the alarm. In both cases, ADT notified me (via cell) that there was an alarm at that point and asked if I wanted the police to be notified.

The other time it alarmed was when we were out of town (overseas, actually) and Janet's Daughter came over to water plants. She had forgotten the disarm code, so the police WERE notified and they came.

It includes a fire detector too, so there is that additional protection.

- Jack

 

Howdy.

~$40/month - no contract. Pay by the month. ( Aboot the price of a two-fer o' brewskies fer me ).

Try and find a good local 'Mom& Pop' outfit that'll play ball with you. I paid fer the hardware, they installed it ( good fer warranty work ).

And yep - runs on house power, but has full batt backups - and even that event gets logged with notifications.

Forgot to add- remote access.

Fer Sir Jack - yer lucky - our local ADT fellers are a bunch o' pushy, arrogant a-holes. Folks across the street had 'em - contract and all - I fergit how many times I saw the po-leece pull up and respond to false alarms.

Thanks to me, the Cougar now has a LYNX.


MGD

 

Our monthly bill is $28. Control panel plugs into house power and has a rechargeable battery backup. It has a wireless phone option, which we did not have installed, so that monitoring would continue even if the phone line was cut.

- Jack