What is the best system to replace a Minder with?

We started to build a new home in 1998 (completed in 2004, don't ask) and had C-Bus and a Minder installed.
The system was fitted between 1999 and 2001.
The Minder consists of
1 Minder Central Controller with battery backup
1 Minder tekephone access interface
4 Smoke detectors hard wired
5 PIRs
4 Reed switches for doors
1 Internal siren
1 External siren
1 LCD keypad

Lately, the Minder turns on the Alarm saying that a Smoke Detector went off.
This happens any time of the day, gets annoying at 4 in the morning when we are asleep.
The battery is a new battery, it was replaced a few weeks ago. The old battery was 4 years old, that battery replaced the original battery as the Minder back then went off saying smoke alarm. Replacing the battery 4 years ago fixed that problem.

I would like to replace the Minder with a new up to date system which connects to C-Bus and hopefully connects to the other devices as well.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.
If someone out there could supply and instal it, that would be even better.
We are in Essendon, Melbourne.
The C-Bus also has a PACA installed.

Martin

 

Minder Pro

No seriously, I've had nothing but good service from my Comfort II Ultra and it works really well with Cbus. I have a 64-Zone system as well as a Remote IO board for even more inputs.

Ingo.

 

Hi Martin

Is there an expansion card too? There may be a doubling of zones (using both 'A' and 'B' inputs) which may be causing half of the problems (the threshold on the smoke alarms maybe set too fine).

It would be a lot quicker (and cheaper) to investigate this to get yourself 'back on the air'.

As a replacement, depends on what you use the system for. Quite a few products integrate well into C-Bus. The closest direct replacement in Australia would be the M1 from Ness.

 

Thanks Ingo, looks promising.
Will investigate further on this product.

 

Options that come to mind
- Ness M1. An alarm and automation panel in one that has a C-Bus interface
- HAI Omni Pro. An alarm and automation panel. Supposed to be more featured that M1 and has C-Bus interface as well.

Both can connect to other devices, but youwill need to determine how well it will connect when you identify the device you want to connect.

HAI has been around for a long time. The M1 is a rebranded ElkM1 panel from the states, but Ness have a lot of input into its deveoplment in Australia.

Mick

 

Hi,
Not sure of expansion card, but I think there is.
With regard to thresholds, would this be adjustable? if so, how?

Currently it is used for Alarm and also has some logic coded for lights etc.

Am now looking at the Comfort system and also the Ness product range.
Not in urgent rush so I can take time researching those 2 brands.

Which ever system may replace it, it needs to be easily programmed by user with preferably an ethernet connection to monitor, program etc through.

Martin

 

Thanks, another vote for Ness M1, seems to be popular.
Martin

 

With Comfort there is a Freeware ComfortClient management package developed that connects to the panel using Ethernet/USB or RS232. It can manage all the Alarm parts as well as Cbus and ZWave at the moment. Have a look at www.futurehomesoftware.co.uk.

Oh, and it has a Modbus Plugin to manage any Modbus/TCP connected device. I use a PM9C to get Energy readings and display it graphically on a custom Floorplan of my house.

Ingo

 

I just had a quick look, it seems the only expansion card is the Telephone card.

 

I'll PM you

 

Hi, I cannot reply to you as your stored private message quota has been exceeded.

 

Finally got the old Minder replaced with a Ness M1 Gold last week.

So far so good.

Nearly have it to where I want it (CBus - Ness - CBus) communications.
ONly one problem still to resolve.

So, I now have a spare Minder with telephone card that can be used whole or for spare parts if anyone is interested.

 

m1 Help

Hi,

Could you let me know if you've connected the systems via the lighting application or the security application?

Thanks!

-philip

 

Not sure what you mean.

The M1 and CBus communicate thru the CBUS card in the M1.
All commands are sent via the Lighting group.