DIY Security Alarm Installation (Tips for Wiring the Door Contacts): Step-by-Step Instructions

The placement of the alarm control must be determined before the layout of the alarm system can begin. If your basement is unfinished, you must drill into the rafters and route the cables to your new panel’s location. This is typically the boiler room or mechanical room.

You must access an unfinished attic in a single-story structure before bringing your cables down to the control room below.

Wires in a commercial setting will typically be routed along beams, on top of drop ceilings, or through the exposed conduit.

A wireless system is a good option if you don’t have room to run and conceal wires for a wired one.

A motion detector or door contact should be installed near the location of the alarm control panel for additional security. If the control panel is left in an unguarded area, a burglar could easily access it. You might try to snake the wires into the basement and then into a secure cupboard. If you’re thinking, “But what about all those frayed wires down in the cellar?” Don’t.” If the system is armed, cutting the cables would trigger an alarm like opening the device they’re connected to would.

If you want your chosen system to be wireless, you should install receivers in a central place that gets a good radio signal from all entry and exit points. Remember that even with a wireless system, some wiring will be required. The usual suspects are the keypad, the siren, the power cord, and the phone line. Think about these connections before deciding where to set up shop.

Give the area where you’ll complete the bulk of the installation some light. Spread out a tarp and arrange all of the materials and equipment, along with a garbage can, on it. Over the years, I’ve learned to make a beeline for my centralized place whenever I need anything and to bring back anything I’m done with, especially equipment. Half of your time on an installation job will be taken up by time spent looking for a missing tool, part, spool of wire, etc. if you don’t keep things neat. Everything from spare drill bits and tape to wire cutters, screwdrivers, B-connects, a trim bubble level, a stud finder, a clean rag, and more can be kept in one convenient location by wearing a tool belt.

It’s also a good idea to tidy up as you go. Take the time to clean up and carry all rubbish to the bag at your control zone as you run each wire and install the device that will go there. When you’re installing something correctly, it’s beneficial to be analytic.

Before cutting each wire with the diagonal cutters, measure where it will enter the control panel hole and add about a foot of wire. Wrap the wire in yellow electrical tape, leaving about 5 inches uncovered at the end; label the video with an indelible marker to indicate its destination.

Pre-wiring for security systems is an option for newly constructed homes and businesses. Having every appliance installed precisely where you want it is made more accessible by pre-wiring. Reading the architect’s blueprints and knowing exactly where cabinets, appliances, and electrical devices will be put before construction is complete is essential. Use your drill bits to make holes in the studs and rafters if you pre-wire. Many careless alarm technicians would think they have gotten away easily by sneaking through the electrical and plumbing holes. If an electrician or plumber fails inspection, they must remove wire and pipe and reposition them according to the inspector’s guidelines. They will most likely not give your wire any thought at all.

After the electricians leave and before the insulators come is the ideal time to run your wires for a pre-wire.

Let’s begin wiring the entrance if you’re ready to get started. Working low on the side of the opening door is a need if you’re going into the basement. Wires must be run up, so you’ll work at the top of the door. Let’s use it as an illustration. How will you make contact? How about a flush or surface mount? Why not install recessed contacts to hide the wires when the door is closed if you have to run them anyway? Prepare your drill with a standard-length 3/8-inch drill bit.

Drill an angled hole down into the door jam, about four inches from the floor. Continue drilling towards the basement with a 3/8-inch by 12-to-18-inch long bit, then transfer to a bell hangers bit that’s 5 feet long and shoot until you reach the basement. Take the long bit and yank it out of the hole. Try inserting the pointy end of the long bit first.

Gather some tools and supplies before venturing into the cellar. You’ll need a flashlight, diagonal wire cutters, tape, a marker, staples, and a gun. Remove roughly 2 inches of plastic covering from the wire’s end. Wrap the skinny end of the long piece around itself, then thread the two wires through the hole at the end. Take the wire back up the steps and insert it into the hole. After the wire is in place, secure it to prevent it from falling back into the hole by tying a large, temporary knot. Upstairs, use a minimum of 12 inches to work with the wire.

Resuming your work from the basement, start laying out enough cable to reach your control panel. From the drop hole to the control panel, neatly and orderly staple the wires along the beams using an industrial stapler, such as a T22. Ensure each nail is not going through the wire; if it is, pull it out and try again. After you’ve left, it’s challenging to track down these errors. Please leave at least a foot of wire hanging off the spool once you’ve reached the point on the wall stud where you intend to insert it into the back of the control panel (at around chest height). Use the tape and marker a few inches from the end to make a mark on your wire.

Congratulations! Your first attempt at running was successful. If you want to know where something is located when needed, you should collect and return all tools to their original location.

Obtain a magnet and a contact with a 3/8-inch recess. You will also need electrical tape, a wire cutter, and a drill (unless you have a cordless drill). Cut the wire in half and remove a tiny bit of plastic from each end. If your contact doesn’t have little screws to clamp the cables under, repeat the process with them. Wrap each end of your wire tightly around the contact wire and twist. When you’re finished, you can secure everything with a few turns of tape. (There is no positive or negative side to this circuit wire. Therefore, it doesn’t matter which wire goes where.) Gently insert the wire and contact into the hole. The point where the magnet and the contact meet when the door is closed should now be marked on the door. To install the appeal, secure the door and drill a hole about 3/8″ deep. Do this for each desired entry. Always make sure to knock on every door on the outside perimeter.

Additional device wiring instructions will be available on The Experts Know! Alarms website.

Keep an Eye Out! as we frequently add Do-It-Yourself guides for setting up various devices.

[email protected], Matthew Francis

In the alarm business, Matthew has worked for 22 years. At one of the leading security dealers in the world, he has held positions as an installer, salesperson, licensed alarm company owner, monitoring station designer, and director of promotions and marketing. Now he advises people on how to get systems for cheap or free (without being scammed) in his role as a consumer advocate. He is determined to maintain objectivity.

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