The Components Of An Alarm System
Posted By Connie on November 27, 2010
Everyone is very enthusiastic about installing alarm systems for added security, but what actually goes into one of these popular devices? Never mind the actual electrical complexity of its circuits, but just the actual components that are linked together to form the alarm system.
As far as most people are concerned, an alarm system is the thing that makes a racket when someone breaks into your house and sends a signal to the security company that you have a contract with to come and investigate. It is not quite that simple. Each alarm system is made up of a lot of different components, each with their own function.
To start with, there are the detectors that are placed in doorways and windows. These inconspicuous little items are one of the ways that an intrusion is detected. Should the alarm be activated, these detectors form a magnetic connection which breaks if the door or window is opened. Breaking this connection will cause the alarm to sound and notice sent to the security company that a potential problem has occurred.
Motion detectors are generally also placed in strategic locations to detect movement in these areas. Strategic areas are usually in corridors and covering doorways or valuable items and other areas on the house that are unavoidable when moving about the house. Turning the alarm system on activates these motion detectors which will send a signal to the central component when they detect movement in the areas they cover.
Of course, this is pretty useless if you are unable to turn the alarm system on and off. There are two main methods employed by alarm system companies for turning the alarm system on and off. Some alarm systems use a keypad. This keypad is mounted on a wall near the door and a code is saved into its database which will either activate or deactivate the alarm system. Another method is the use of a remote. These remotes are similar to the remote you may have for your garage or motorised gate. The alarm system is tuned into a certain frequency which matches that of the remote. When the button on the remote is pressed whilst in range of the alarm system, the alarm will either be activated or deactivated.
In addition to all this, it is also possible to link panic buttons to the alarm system. These are placed around the house, out of the way of accidental activation in case of an intrusion whilst the alarm is deactivated. It is also possible to tune a button on a remote to the panic button frequency. When the panic button is pressed, it sends a signal to the central component that there is a problem which in turn communicates this signal to the security company.
The door magnets, motion detectors and panic buttons are all linked to a single central “brain” which keeps track of what state the alarm system is in (on or off) and what the status is of each peripheral component (correct or tripped). It is also this central component that sends the signal to the security company when an error occurs whether by intrusion or system fault.
So, you see, an alarm system is not just a gadget that makes a racket when there is an intrusion into your house, but a sophisticated piece of technology.
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