Electronic Alarms and Home Security Devices - Vista-20P Questions on RF - please help

Hi all - Trying this forum again - I'm trying to get my equipment list finalized, so please share your insights!
1. I am installing the equipment in an outbuilding housing my Solar stuff, as it's the most secure on the property. I will install either a 5883 transciever or a 6160RF along side the Vista-20P. I assume either will give me wireless to my nearby home or barn. I've read everything I can get my hands on, but nowhere can I find the RF range of either choice. :wall: Generally speaking, which would be the better choice?

2. Also I need to include a slave relay to drive (2) Amseco 1.3a sirens. I see a lot of complex relays, but nothing for a simple contact closure. Any recomendations?

3. I'm looking at the Optex VX-402 for outdoors, but I have small but sparse trees. Anyone have any experiance with the VX-402 discriminating between trees swaying in the wind and the mass of an adult male?

4. Last question is probably dumb, but I can use my solar battery string as the 12V source for alerting devices, as well as a system back-up. Should I use any kind of current/voltage limiter (besides a line fuse) on this. I don't think so, but would like a sanity check before I do something stupid and fry something expensive.

Thanks in advance!!!

Relay: just use a good siren driver

Outdoor motions: they will false--and they will false alot.

RF receiver: depends on where the panel and the keypad are going. If the panel is going in the basement and the keypad will be closer to the barn then use the RF keypad. If the panel is closer to the barn and the panel is mounted well above grade, then the 5883H may be a better choice. There are repeaters as well, if needed

Go with something basic, like one of the ELK relay models:

http://www.elkproducts.com/relays_timers.htm

If your solar bank is just a 12vdc source, you should be able to treat it like any other external 12v power source. Just remember to bond the grounds. For using it as a replacement for the battery backup itself, you are better off just using the regular battery, and plugging the system into an outlet fed by the output of the solar system's inverter.

Thanks guys!!!

The link to Elk is great. I downloaded additional info associated with each relay type, which provides many ideas as to how to use these relays to control lots of add-ons.

KCXJ - looks like outdoor motions are gonna be a problem

Follow-on question - Can I have two RF transeivers in my system, such as one in the 6160RF in the casa, and a 5883 in the outbuilding. Will this cause a problem?

An option is the 5800RP. I assume this would require a 12v power feed. I guess it just repeats every signal it receives both ways.

Thanks again!

Thanks again!

No, on Ademco systems, multiple wireless receivers cannot co-exist. The repeater can help.

In the real world, take what ever wireless range the manufacturer quotes, and figure on 2/3 of that number. They test these things in a low electronic noise environment.

No, on Ademco systems, multiple wireless receivers cannot co-exist. The repeater can help.

In the real world, take what ever wireless range the manufacturer quotes, and figure on 2/3 of that number. They test these things in a low electronic noise environment.
Thanks again MrRonFL,

One more question (for today anyway). The 5800RP is getting added in, as I can see it will fit the bill. I hope to mount this on my Solar Panel pole, about 11 feet above ground. I already ran the extra conductors for a bright LED so I could see if the system is armed from the yard. Is the 5800RP weather proof? If not is there an enclosure you'd recomment. I could make one but need to save time where I can. Can't find anything on the 5800RP on the net other than sales stuff.

One more - I need to mount a 4229 in my attic crawl space for wired contacts, smokes etc. Do you have any idea where I can find a "can" similar to what the Vista-20P mounts in to mount the remote 4229, Elk relays, terminal strips etc?

Thanks again!!

No, the case for the 5800rp is not weather resistant. You will need to come up with something that keeps it out of the weather. Simply mounting it on the inside of an exterior wall should do the trick.

For an equipment can poke around the ELK site. They sell several sizes.