Security Disarmed Verse Alarm Cleared

[ajd123]

If an alarm is triggered (security system is in an "alarm" state), and a code is entered to disarm the security system, would this activate the programming for both "disarmed" and "alarm cleared"?

 

[msgreenf]

Reference your alarm panel guide for the difference 

[ajd123]

20 minutes ago, msgreenf said:

Reference your alarm panel guide for the difference 

It does not matter what my alarm panel or manufacturer says.  I need to know how Control4 interprets it for Control4 programming.

If the system is in an alarm state (system armed away, and alarm triggered because window opened) I need to know when I enter the code to disarm does Control4 interpret this as "alarm cleared" AND "disarmed" or just as "disarmed"?

[msgreenf]

It's not about c4 it's about your alarm. You have to know what the alarm does to know what c4 does

[Cyknight]

In other words whether the disarm AND the alarm cleared events are triggered will depend on what the alarm system does: ie if the alarm system will trigger the status update 'disarm' as well as 'alarm cleared' upon entering the code will determine if programming associated with that both events are triggered. This is not a C4 system interpretation as such: it's if the panel in question will send both status updates or not.

 

Small note, I suppose it could somewhat depend on how the driver was implemented, though I would expect whomever wrote it to not link 'disarm' status with 'alarm cleared' variable or the other way around.

[ajd123]

1 hour ago, Cyknight said:

In other words whether the disarm AND the alarm cleared events are triggered will depend on what the alarm system does: ie if the alarm system will trigger the status update 'disarm' as well as 'alarm cleared' upon entering the code will determine if programming associated with that both events are triggered. This is not a C4 system interpretation as such: it's if the panel in question will send both status updates or not.

 

Small note, I suppose it could somewhat depend on how the driver was implemented, though I would expect whomever wrote it to not link 'disarm' status with 'alarm cleared' variable or the other way around.

For me it was/is confusing because if the system is in an alarm state, I need to enter the code which disarms the system AND turns off the siren (alarm). 

So entering the code definitely "disarms" the system.  The question is does entering the code also result in an "alarm cleared".

I will test tomorrow when nobody is home to get a definitive answer.

[booch]

I swear that all alarm speak is descended from one pioneering system where, ironically -- the actual definitions have been lost to time for terms the original author constructed with tremendous precision/nuance...

[ajd123]

13 minutes ago, booch said:

I swear that all alarm speak is descended from one pioneering system where, ironically -- the actual definitions have been lost to time for terms the original author constructed with tremendous precision/nuance...

I searched the 130 page DSC manual and there was no reference anywhere to "alarm cleared".  The word cleared only showed up 12 times in the entire manual, and nothing was relating to the clearing of an alarm.

[booch]

5 hours ago, ajd123 said:

I searched the 130 page DSC manual and there was no reference anywhere to "alarm cleared".  The word cleared only showed up 12 times in the entire manual, and nothing was relating to the clearing of an alarm.

It's seriously all of them...

I have a Qolsys IQ Panel 2+ (which thankfully is a great product though, honestly) and searched -- including contacting the company -- to understand the alarm code/variable definitions, e.g., when a tornado warning trips the alarm vs. a contact sensor, how does that 'map'? Still waiting for the details, ha.

[Cyknight]

Yeah generally security panel manufacturers aren't the greatest manual writers.

[Cyknight]

'course for OP, you could just do a simple test:

Program on alarm cleared to turn light a on and on disarmed turn light b on. Set alarm, open window to trigger alarm and disarm.  Based on which lights are on you'll know .....

[neil12011]

48 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

'course for OP, you could just do a simple test:

Program on alarm cleared to turn light a on and on disarmed turn light b on. Set alarm, open window to trigger alarm and disarm.  Based on which lights are on you'll know .....

This is literally what I did early on to figure out which was which. 

[ajd123]

52 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

'course for OP, you could just do a simple test:

Program on alarm cleared to turn light a on and on disarmed turn light b on. Set alarm, open window to trigger alarm and disarm.  Based on which lights are on you'll know .....

I did this earlier today and here is the results: if the alarm is armed, and then it is triggered, and then the user code is entered to turn off the alarm, Control4 considers this a ALARM CLEARED event.

I forgot to check to see if entering the code also triggers any programming associated with "disarmed".  Will post results tomorrow when family is not home.

[ajd123]

On 5/25/2023 at 7:43 PM, ajd123 said:

I did this earlier today and here is the results: if the alarm is armed, and then it is triggered, and then the user code is entered to turn off the alarm, Control4 considers this a ALARM CLEARED event.

I forgot to check to see if entering the code also triggers any programming associated with "disarmed".  Will post results tomorrow when family is not home.

Entering the code to clear the alarm will also trigger any programming you have for a regular "Disarm" (turning off the system when not in an alarm state e.g. disarming an alarm armed to stay mode).