subject: Four Ways 4-Conductor Wiring Will Rescue Your Project [print this page] Four Ways 4-Conductor Wiring Will Rescue Your Project
When writing about alarm wiring I always distinguish between security alarms as opposed to home automation systems which likewise have a UL approved security controller. Regardless of the electrical components involved, alarm wire will always have a function. Many security installers will say that alarm wire will generally be a 22-gauge, two-conductor cable. And most installers will go on to encourage the use of stranded cable rather than 22-gauge solid copper wire as installed in a Cat-5 cable.Be Vigilant For Drywall Screws The trim-out phase doesn't usually come along for months after the initial rough-in pulling of the cable to each safety zone. In the meantime, the drywall crew will come along installing their drywall and at the same time pound thousands of screws or nails into the framing studs. The reason for the advice to use stranded cable is that should a drywall screw somehow come in contact with the solid copper wire, the screw will probably break the wire leading to a loss of all conductivity. Whereas when a screw touches a stranded wire, with any luck at all some of the strands of wire will survive thus retaining conductivity between the zone contact and the security regulating device.Endorsement Will Save Your BaconAll that is needed for normally open or closed contacts used in doors and windows is a two conductor wire. However, I have a testimonial to all would-be installers. It is a method which has saved my bacon many times over the years. Iregularly run a four-conductor wire connecting each door, window, motion detector, glass break sensor, photoelectric beam, and any other device being installed as part of an overall home automation or burglar alarm system. All motion sensors, smoke detectors, glass breaks, etc., constantly use two wires for 12Vdc power as well as two wires for normally open or closed contacts. Why not just acquire one type of cable to sustain both the devices requiring power and common door and window contacts? The contrast between the cost of a box of 2-condcutor vs. a box of 4-conductor is negligible. In addition, the fact that one only needs to acquire and stock one type of cable pays off a big profit. Yet the savings in labor is measureless, especially when one thinks of the effort it takes to correct a damaged 2-conductor wire. Do the Smart Thing Do the astute thing, use the green and white wires for window and door contacts, leaving the extra red and black pair in reserve at each spot. That way when it turns out that conductivity has been lost on the green and white pair, one or both of the red and black wires can be used to execute the zone connection. That beats the alternatives of having to acquire and install a wireless device at the lost door or window or losing the zone all together from your burglar alarm system.Four Conductor Security Alarm Wire is the ClueYour choice of alarm wire is the clue to any victorius installation whether you are installing a UL approved burglar system or a home automation system, which also provides a UL approved security regulating device. The champion course of action is to install a stranded, 4-conductor cable. You will only have to procure one type of wire if you constantly install a 4-conductor wire. By doing as I propose there will be conductors for backup at each of your doors and windows as well as power conductors for all your powered devices. On the day you discover that one of your green or white conductors has been damaged you'll be very happy you ran the extra conductors.
