If you have an older home that has a wired alarm system that is in good condition but you would like to upgrade to a new Wireless Alarm System with better features then you do have a variety of methods to complete the conversion.
The first option is to simply start over. Remove your old contacts and motion detectors and other devices and just upgrade to a new system that is wireless. This is not always a bad idea if you want to convert to a system that does not allow for upgrades and use of existing wired contacts.If your new alarm system is more concerned with home automation this might be your only option.
The benefits of simply installing all new contacts and devices is that they are optimized for use with your new system. However this is not the case if you are moving from a system that is primarily an Alarm System.
Alarm Systems Vs Home Automation Systems
In the opinion of many professionals having a home automation product in your home may be worth the purchase but professionals will tell you that keeping security and automation separate and unique systems is really the way to go for best performance.
The basic premise is that you do not want anything interfering with your Security and by adding additional non security related options to your system or by starting off with an automation system that offers as an add on the ability of monitoring your home you are really doing yourself a disservice.
We will cover this in more detail in another howto but for now the upgrade of a wired alarm system will be done by using a new alarm system and not an automation system.
Parts Required To Convert A Wired Alarm System To A Wireless System
If you know the manufacturer of your old system then the first step is to review their offerings for conversion. If you find that you like their new systems then they will normally have an upgrade path for you which will make things easy.
If you don’t know the old system’s manufacturer or you purchased a home where the alarm panel was removed but all of the contacts remained then you are still in very good condition if the old contacts work well.
The first thing you need to do is find a new system that you would like to install. There are a number of Alarm System Manufacturers so that choice will take some research. See Our Other Howtos on How To Pick An Alarm System for your home.
In our example we will upgrade from a wired system to a Honeywell Wireless Alarm System.
When you inspect your old system you will see that each of the contacts will have a single positive and negative wire. They are hardwired to your old control panel.
If your old system wires were marked or there was a layout of the contacts you want to preserve this while moving the wires to the new device. Normally the terminals are numbered and there might be a layout sheet explaining which wire contact was wired to which terminal.
The device that we will be using to convert from a wired alarm system to a wireless system is a Honeywell 5800 Wireless Converter however there are many similar units by other manufacturers.
The setup is relatively easy but you should follow manufacturer’s directions at all times. This is only an overview to inform you of the options you have to convert your old system it is not instructions as to the exact method you should use.
The first thing you want to do is take your old wired system offline.
Next follow the instructions of your new wireless panel to install it and configure it for use.
Finally you will begin the conversion process by taking the old contact leads off of your wired connector and install them on the conversion device. Do not connect power to the conversion device until all of your wires are installed and double checked.
If you have more wired contacts / devices connected to your old system than you have new terminals to connect them to then you have two options. You can install a second or third conversion device or you can pair similar contacts and install them on the same terminal. The method to pair the contacts should be followed closely.
When selecting contacts to pair you want to use similar contacts such as if you have 5 windows in your living room it would be ok to pair these contacts because they are all in the same similar location and of the same type. Do not pair a door with a window or windows of different rooms with each other.
Once your layout is complete you can install your DC Power supply to the converter box and power up the system.
You will then move to your New Wireless System and follow the manufacturer’s directions on how to enroll the converter box into your wireless system. The process is pretty simple but it can take some time to do.
Once you have completed the enrollment of your wired converter to your wireless system you want to put your wireless system into test or walk mode.
You will then walk your entire home and open every window and door and trip any wired motion sensor or other device. The Wireless System will announce each window and door or other device as it is tripped with an audible voice command to let you know each contact is working correctly.
If you have any problems with specific contacts you should track down the problem by inspecting the wiring or by reviewing the instructions that came with your system.
Final Note
This HowTo is not to be considered direct instructions on how to set up or control your system. It is just information to help you understand that there are options when you have an old wired system and want to upgrade it to your new wireless system.
Additionally with your wired contacts, Motion Detectors and other devices like Glass Break Sensors you can also make use of your alarm’s Siren. Most alarm panels will come with an internal siren however older alarm system may have required a separate wired siren. If you have one then look at the device and find its voltage and amperage requirements. Then on your new wireless system there should be a connector for an external siren. This is a good option for many homes as the wired siren is often placed away from the panel.
Another problem you might have is when your wired system is placed in your basement and the converter device can not send good signal to your new wireless alarm panel. If this is the case then you will have to move your converter device to a place where it can connect to your alarm panel and this may limit the use of some of your wired contacts or it may mean changing wires or extending them. This problem is beyond the scope of this how to and if you find yourself in this situation you should contact a professional installer or the manufacture for help.