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[jpcool]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has figured out how to add a much louder siren to the system?

I tried using a macro and some other things but have had no luck. The code "lights on/units off" that the console sends when the alarm is triggered makes it difficult to add an external siren.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

[HA Dave]

I assume your using a universal module and a transform for the siren.... or the siren transformer plugged into a appliance module. Whichever lets say you give it a House/Unit code of B1.

Say your flashing lights code is "A" ... create a macro triggered by A1 ON (not that the unit code matters just as long as your not already using it).

The "A1" ON macro will turn B1 ON. Macro B1 ON will delay for 4 minutes and then turn B1 OFF.

Should work.... let us know.

[jpcool]

Works as described but when you arm the system the light flashes and therefore turns on the alarm.

[Puck]

Have you tried these: PowerHorn

[jpcool]

The DS7000 doesn't flash ALL the lights when armed does it? Just a single House/unit code? But when it flashes.... it flashes every unit on the house code.

Sorry as I can't test that... I don't own the DS7000. But if your ARM-ed signal UNIT code is 1 the you would change the ON macro trigger to 2

Your suggestion makes sense but the macro does not start when A2 flashes... must be something to do with the lights on/off command. If i simply just turn on A2 then the macro triggers. When the alarm is armed and tripped , the "dummy" module flashes on and off but does not activate the macro to sound the external alarm.

Any other suggestions would be fantastic....

Thanks in advance

[Puck]

...must be something to do with the lights on/off command.

That's correct; a macro will not trigger with All Lights On or All Units OFF commands even thought their modules will show the current (correct) state.

The only other alternative I can think of with AHP is to get the OnAlert Plug-In. That will allow you to trigger a macro with the activation of a security module.

[jpcool]

I have the on-alert plugin... not sure what it ads to AHP but, i do notice some security "conditions" added to the macro designer... Is that the difference?

How would i structure the macro to sound alarm?

Thanks.

[Puck]

I have the on-alert plugin... not sure what it ads to AHP but, i do notice some security "conditions" added to the macro designer... Is that the difference?

How would i structure the macro to sound alarm?

Thanks.

Make a dummy module with a macro for turning ON your extra Siren.

Then make a macro for each security sensor to turn that dummy module ON if your system is ARMED. That's the only downfall... you need a bunch of identical macros; one for each possible security trigger. But you do have the means for doing it. 

[Puck]

Make a dummy module with a macro for turning ON your extra Siren.

I should add that if you are using a Universal Module (UM) to trigger the extra siren, then you don't need a dummy module because you can call the UM directly with the security macros.

[jpcool]

I am using an appliance module.

Is the reason for the dummy mod to have a trigger in the same house code? since the siren would be in a different house code?

[Puck]

I am using an appliance module.

Is the reason for the dummy mod to have a trigger in the same house code? since the siren would be in a different house code?

As long as the siren is connected to a real module (like the appliance module) you just need to call that module (X10 address) in the security macro.

Without originally knowing what you had for the extra siren and how you were planning on activating it, a dummy module was the first suggestion to come to mind. Knowing now that it is connected to an appliance module, then just turn that on in the security macros.

[spam4us]

Do at your own risk.


Cut the end off of a 9 volt wall wart (NOT PLUGGED IN) leaving just the wire.
Connect the wire to the contacts on a PF284.
Plug the wall wart into a lamp module set to A2.
Set your DS7000 to A2.
Set the PF284 House/unit code to C1
Set the PF284 to Mode3
Plug the PF284 in
Create a macro triggered by C1 On


Here's what happens...........
The alarm turns on the lamp module (housecode A All Lights ON) which activates your wall wart.  The wall wart now sends low voltage to the PF284 which sends out a C1 ON.  Your macro is triggered by C1 On. The macro will then turn on appliance module D1 which you have your siren plugged into and then turn it off after some delay.

[Charles Sullivan]

Do at your own risk.


Cut the end off of a 9 volt wall wart (NOT PLUGGED IN) leaving just the wire.
Connect the wire to the contacts on a PF284.
Plug the wall wart into a lamp module set to A2.
Set your DS7000 to A2.
Set the PF284 House/unit code to C1
Set the PF284 to Mode3
Plug the PF284 in
Create a macro triggered by C1 On


Here's what happens...........
The alarm turns on the lamp module (housecode A All Lights ON) which activates your wall wart.  The wall wart now sends low voltage to the PF284 which sends out a C1 ON.  Your macro is triggered by C1 On. The macro will then turn on appliance module D1 which you have your siren plugged into and then turn it off after some delay.

A couple of things to consider:
It's not clear what might happen to the wall wart if the lamp module were to be inadvertently dimmed.

The PF284 has a high enough impedance and many DC wall warts have enough filtering that it can take a minute or more for the PF284 to turn off when the wall wart is powered down.    Use an AC wall wart if this would be a problem.

[jpcool]

Make a dummy module with a macro for turning ON your extra Siren.

Then make a macro for each security sensor to turn that dummy module ON if your system is ARMED. That's the only downfall... you need a bunch of identical macros; one for each possible security trigger. But you do have the means for doing it. 

OK it seems to work...... but my alarm buzzer triggers every once and awhile all on it's own.  I suppose this would be an issue with signal interfearence from something.

[Puck edit: fixed quote end placement.]

[Puck]

OK it seems to work...... but my alarm buzzer triggers every once and awhile all on it's own.  I suppose this would be an issue with signal interfearence from something.

It could be a noise issue. Also check all your security macros that are activating the alarm; make sure you don't have any that accidentally have the trigger set to "Sensor Closed", and make sure you have an "Armed State" condition in your security macros to only execute when ARMed.