NEW Alarm System that uses C4 T3 Touch Panels and existing sensors/motions/smoke, etc.?

[outmotoring]

I have a older GE Interlogix Concord4 (PRE C4 integration serial number) panel, 3 wired door sensors, 2 wired motions, 2 smoke detectors, 2 wireless door sensors and a siren along with 2 GE interlogix Key Pads. I would like to pull the panel and keypads and replace the whole alarm system as I have C4 along with 6 T3 In wall touch panels around the house (C4 is running on 3.1 as I recall). I would prefer to have some integration and events triggered as well as notifications as we do with the garage doors. If there was a way to be alerted via C4 (we also have C4 / 4Site) IF a door is open for more than 5 minutes that would be ideal. 

I do NOT have my system monitored and would likely never need it but would be nice to have some integration with C4 to use the panels for the interface so we can know what is happening with the house when we are out (or on vacation). We live in a VERY safe and remote place with limited access so we don't necessarily need an alarm system at all but it would be nice to have some triggers for lighting, garage door closing, motion detection, etc. Ideally I would like to add a few water leak detection sensors as well as we have had the freezer left open a few times over the last 5 years which ended in many hundreds of $$$ of wasted food (one time it was while we were at the beach for the full week and we lost 250lbs of beef that we had just put in the garage freezer). Coming home that after a week at the beach was a smell that I never want to smell again. 

So, the simplest option may be to plug the existing (and new water / leak sensors) sensors into the C4 IO we have rack mounted and take the time to create events or whatever to trigger various messages or alerts but that may be a bit too complex- but doable. 

Ideally I could replace that old GE panel with something newer and use ONLY (or ideally only) the C4 touch panels for the interface and from there do some tweaking to the programming to get certain events or messages about doors being open or even water leak detection with the fridge/freezer/bathrooms, etc. 

So, does anyone have any ideal options here such as Clare from SnapOne, DSC Neo, or anything else?  Do all of these REQUIRE using their proprietary key pads/touch panels? I don't mind having 1 installed but ideally I want to use the T3 touch panels as there is less wall clutter that way. I'm open to ideas and would also prefer to do the physical install myself and pay a remote programmer as needed to do the integration with C4.

[chopedogg88]

Qolsys works well, has IP-based integration driver, just requires the one (wifi) head unit which you can stick in a closet or wherever.  They have a board that you can connect all the wired sensors too as well, and that communicates wirelessly to the head unit.  Check out AlarmGrid.com

[outmotoring]

Thanks Ari! I will research that. I wonder if I could use the wireless sensors to put on the freezer door and have it trigger a warning if the door was left open after a fixed amount of time. Also, I need to research a bit more what the Verizon connection/feature would offer (we use Verizon phones). I think this mean I would get / pay for another Verizon account just for the alarm to use to communicate with me? Ideally I would use to the linked connection with C4 to send alerts via 4site, etc? 

 

https://www.alarmgrid.com/products/qolsys-iqp2pk10-vz

 

 

[Nick Wanerka]

I would recommend the clareone panel by Clare controls!  You can self monitor,  or in the future have it professionally monitored.  You can use all your old sensors and equipment when you use the clareone panel and the wireless to wireless translator/communicator. Or if you have wired sensors then the wireed to wireless translator/communicator.

Once the clareone is installed and has an ip addresses,  then all you do in composer is double click on it on the left side where it is automatically discovered and that is it. 

That's a it takes to integrate clareone into c4.  It is sold on snap one's website (formaly known as snapav) and is also owner of c4 

[Nick Wanerka]

https://www.snapav.com/shop/en/snapav/clare

[Cyknight]

I'll second Qolsys for a GE replacement - can handle all the wireless (and of course wired though it requires a 'translator' as the main unit it wireless only) and is dreadfully easy to set up and integrate.

[outmotoring]

Thank you all for the great info. I will research both and see how it goes.

 

[nxr]

Both of these seem centered around a touchscreen and their own wireless devices. I have an exiting Honeywell vista wired system that integrates poorly with C4 (no energy buttons) and is out of zones. Is there a better panel to switch to that interfaces directly with Control4. 

[Cyknight]

1 hour ago, nxr said:

Both of these seem centered around a touchscreen and their own wireless devices.

Don't know about Clare specifically, but that is UNTRUE about Qolsys - yes it has a touch interface, but you can simply hide that if you don't want to use it - and Qolsys specifically is VERY easy to NOT use their own devices. They have them, but:

The standard kit work out of box with all 319.5 Mhz devices from GE/interlogix and Ecolink (and their own branded devices)

There's a separate version that is compatible with Honeywell's and 2Gig's 345 Mhz wireless devices

And a third version that works with legacy 433 Mhz DSC wireless devices

EACH of these comes with built in DSCPowerG (915 Mhz) card. Oh and technically ANY device operating at the mentioned frequencies would work with the card, but the named brands are tested.

Wireless translators are available for each of the mentioned frequencies, so you could technically mix up to 4 frequencies ... not that I'd recommend that as such.

 

I'd say the big exception are the Honeywell SiX sensors (which operate on the 2.4 Ghz frequency, so interfering with WiFi...)

 

Qolsys' biggest drawback would be that more than one hardwire translator isn't advised by them, limiting you to 15 zones plus 2-wire smokes hardwired. So in that sense, yes they are 'wireless' centric.

 

I'm not preaching Qolsys is the end-all of security systems, but they are super easy to use to take over the now 'dead' GE/Interlogix panels.

 

As for your current hardwired system - any wired panel should be able to be used to replace the honeywell panel. I certainly don't like them at all myself, and we've swapped out several of them for DSC (both powerPC and Neo) without issues. Both of those panels integrate well into Control4 with their free drivers, the PowerPC in particular has a good 3rd party driver that has expanded option - see drivercentral.io for details on those.

 

[ekohn00]

I went through this a few months back. Same issue, my house was on GE Interlogix and I was replacing it. Most every window and door in our house was hardwired back to 16 zones or so, had a bunch of wireless smoke detectors, etc too.

I looked into clare, as it "looked cool" especially with C4. However, my alarm is DIY and in the US i could not find inexpensive options for monitoring the clare system. Like C4, it seemed to be dealer installed and a defined monitoring subscription (I could be wrong on this).

Based on a lot of recommendations here, on the ease of Qolsys - I went that direction.

The bigest change from GE is the physical connections.   GE basically had a board that connects the alarms, you wire a keypad that is used to program, and another wired modem. In Q world, they have a small  stand alone screen that is the "brain" of the system. From this you do all the programing. The screen has both wifi, and if using the GE compatible system, goes wireless to GE devices. (in my case the GE smoke detectors). Now for all the wired windows and dooors, there is a board that replaces the GE system. If memory serves, you need to change out the resistors, but other than that you move all the wiring over.

Next is the driver for C4. it worked perfectly and simple. It sees all the devices, etc, etc. Very simple.

If you're using the C4 screens to arm and disarm, just go and hide the main Q screen. We actually have the main Q screen next to the garage and front door (remote q screen) as there was no justification or use for a C4 screens in those locations.

You can also set up a 2nd zone with different status (armed when the rest isn't, ie a pool house). you can also have a mix of wireless sensors - both q sensors or GE.

I also set up a status screen in C4 that gets Door, windows, garage, etc open/close info based on what the Q system sees.

have fun.

ps....for real craziness, i use apple home for status too since i don't have a C4 subscription. this requires homebridge integration but allows me to see status on doors when away from the house, and open/close the garages. My favorite is now using the summary screen in CarPlay and having a garage door pop up when i'm near the house.

 

[Bmwbball88]

I have the qualsys alarm from suretyhome.com (monitored, uses alarm.com $20/month).  Works great. Able to do motion and door drivers from the alarm sensors so all the sensors act as c4 endpoints for programming.   Very convenient and it connects over WiFi.  

[dinom]

Same here, love Surety.