How to install a magnetic door contact | Reed switch

Here I install a magnetic door contact on a PVC door and wire it to a Honeywell ADE Gen4 alarm panel. Magnetic door contacts are normally wired to the entry and exit zone of the alarm, with most alarms you can add more than one magnetic door contact as long as they are wired in series. This video also shows how a Reed switch (magnetic door contact) works. Brought to you by www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/video/

[@BeardyRebel]

I'm sure that's a much better magnetic door alarm than the battery operated Yale alarm I once had on a property. It was so temperamental I didn't like leaving home in case it went off for no reason whilst I was out. Great video as always Chez!

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks Kev, These alarms are normally very reliable. People often talk about wireless alarms but I don't like relying on batteries for something so critical. Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@retro80s22]

only spotted because I watch your videos intensely. keep them up brilliant ☺

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks ;-) I have plenty to make on my list- when I get time! Thanks for the comments

[@BMcKenna]

Thanks I didnt know about wiring the tamps in series another thing you have learnt us all

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome. The PIR video is uploading right now ;-)

[@BMcKenna]

Thanks

[@Petertronic]

Good video, I am considering installing an alarm so very helpful.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks, I'm currently editing about 5 more videos that should also help ;-)

[@Petertronic]

***** Great, look forward to those!

[@ultimatehandyman]

pag2006 Thanks, I should get them uploaded in the next couple of days ;-)

[@irishniall83]

Thanks for this. Had a new door installed and had to fit one of these as the existing wooden door one was a flush inserted in he frame and door. Little did I know cutting the wire would set of a tamper alert. One of these fitted now and alarm all working as normal again.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment 👍

[@ybenitez1978]

Thank you so much

[@neil5502]

Thanks for taking the time to make these brilliant videos!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@kwanho6394]

Thanks for reply It says power down ...dose that mean unplug fuse.. Then it says remove wiring from set out put pa terminal...? The fit shorting the ire between set and left hand pa terminal ?.. don't get that.. Then power up. Wait for alarm to start .. Power down panel and then it's restored So dose it mean I have to wire the key pay the wrong way then power up?

[@gregorye6075]

Would you recommend using resistor at end of the line in a house alarm?

[@tgpfireandsecurity8786]

Ultimate Handyman Could you do a video on your burglar alarm and how to wire P.A buttons to the panel please?

[@andyp9131]

Hi I have a recess sunk round One on a wooden door I am having a plastic wooden door what wires would need joining thanks andy

[@chrismccarthy4862]

You joined the tamper cables into one and fitted them to switch.When fitting to panel are they also fitted together before adding to the inseries block or done as separate cables, thanks Chris

[@ultimatehandyman]

They need to be joined in series (to make a large loop), if they are wired in parallel, the tamper circuit will never work. 👍

[@Skidracer21]

I've realized that in order to build a fair and balanced 'Nerf Tank' for outdoor play, this is exactly the perfect sort of switch that would be needed to ensure that players in a game can in fact disable the tank. An 'unkillable' tank isn't fair to all the other players, so some panels wired to the motor circuits of this hypothetical tank that use magnetic reed switch contacts would make the best manner with which to disable the tank with say, a foam rocket or lots of well-placed darts at close range.

[@briantonge]

Really good - any chance of doing CCTV next - Thanks Brian

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks Brian, I intend doing CCTV in future, but I'm waiting for some decent HD camera's to hit the market. Many of the current ones have problems ;-)

[@teachingyouhowtoyoutube1213]

whats the brand of the reed swith

[@beatlesboi1]

Great vid. Enjoyed mr squirrel! Question: If i want to replace a live pre existing door contact (old shabby) with the one in your vid, is it just a case of removing the old one and putting the newen on? Will the alarm buzz or fail due to the tamper feature? Cheers

[@ultimatehandyman]

No, it is best to put the alarm panel into engineering mode first if you can, or the alarm will probably go into tamper mode.

[@beatlesboi1]

Ultimate Handyman aaah i see. Thanks a lot brother. Ill dig out the manual n gerit sorted. Cheers from the toon ✌🏼🏴🏳🏴🏳

[@Lilmonkmonk]

any idea how thats done on a veritas r8 alarm? cant find anything on how to do it.

[@jakegriffiths193]

Does this DC require 2K2 and 4K7 resistors? how would you do this?

[@mmmm656]

Nice video

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@saab93contdi]

Any tips for wiring a surface mounted on French doors . Looking to try and hide as much cable as possible within the door frame !??

[@ultimatehandyman]

Not sure about in the frame, as I have never tried that. I guess you could run the cable right in the corner though and cover it with a bead of silicone, perhaps.

[@junior4246]

hi i have installed the g4 system i would like to wire two door contacts would you explain how to link them please thank you in advance , by the way great videos explained in plain language

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'll cover this in a video at some point, but basically all you need to do is wire the sensors in series. Thanks for the comment

[@michaelkleinberg269]

You can double the pulling power of the magnet by adding another magnet and putting it pole to pole in cases when you are mounting it on a metal door.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@garyd18166]

a little advice please, 12v buzzer magnet switch mounted to a gate, the buzzer goes off when the gates shut, I want it the other way round, buzzer going off when you open the gate. where am I going wrong

[@ultimatehandyman]

You can fix this by changing the reed switch to a normally closed reed switch. Once the switch is near the magnet it will open the circuit, and when the reed switch is not near the magnet it will close the circuit and energise the buzzer.

[@trevorc6793]

Hope you can help. We had some cowboys remove our old front door and rip the alarm cables out the connectors. I have a 4 core red/black/yellow/blue & a 6 core red/black/yellow/blue/green & white. The new front door is now in the porch so I need to extend the cables to reach - would I need a 4 or 6 core cable? Do I need to connect all 6 wires up & if so how or is it just the 4 that are needed? Looking in the panel yellow/blue go to Z1 & tamp. white/green go to Z2-Z6 and the red/black are in AUX. Any help would be great. TIA

[@ultimatehandyman]

It's hard to say without seeing it, but normally for door contacts you only need 4 wires. Two for the tamper circuit and two for the zone.

[@28imike]

Im just in the process of installing the very same alarm. Do you know if the panel can read resistance on the zones? I only ask because my old bosch panel did and it added a bit more security from someone joining the wires together and bypassing the pir or reed switch.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm not sure, sorry. I don't recall seeing anything in the manual about it but I was not specifically looking for it.

[@28imike]

No worries. Thanks for responding.

[@AllenGoldsmith]

what size cable do you use going into the FCU and what size Flex do you use coming from the FCU ??

[@ultimatehandyman]

I used 1.0mm twin core and earth going to the FCU and 0.75 flex going to the alarm, but you can use the twin and earth to the alarm instead of the flex.

[@arfanjhangir8465]

hi chez. are you using 4 core cable for door contacts or is it 6 core with 2 cables cut? many thanks

[@ultimatehandyman]

Hi Arfan, I used 6 core with two cores removed as I had a coil of 6 core cable. Thanks for the comment

[@joahmed8124]

Hi my magnetic door alarm has a red wire so where would that wire be installed please help

[@keelinblack6816]

Best diy channel what cordless drill would you prefer dewalt 18v or jcb 20v

[@ultimatehandyman]

Keelin Black I don't know anything about JCB tools. They are world famous from making diggers but I know nothing about their power tools. I always try and buy a cordless drill with a full metal chuck (not the plastic outer ones) as they tend to be more heavy duty. My Dewalt drills have lasted years and I am more than happy with them.

[@keelinblack6816]

Thanks anyway would you reccomend a dewalt 18v cordless drill

[@ultimatehandyman]

Keelin Black Only if it has the full metal chuck. We had a Dewalt 18v at work with a plastic outer chuck and it was rubbish- they tend to make cheap versions with plastic outer chucks, which let their brand down!

[@keelinblack6816]

Any other brand suggestions instead of dewalt

[@ultimatehandyman]

Keelin Black Most of my tools are Dewalt and I have had no problems with them. I have seen Dewalt with a plastic chick that are not good and also Bosch with a plastic chuck that were not good. There is no definitive answer to this question as all tools are different prices, it depends entirely on your budget and how much use you will get from it. It's pointless going overboard if you are only going to use it once in a while!

[@RationalCreed]

i was drilling into the door frame and suddenly heard the door chime for a second - i think i may have touched a wire linked to the door sensor that runs somewhere behind the frame i was drilling into. However, the tamper alarm didn't go off and the door sensor seems to work fine. could i have severed a wire? if everything seems ok is it likely that i just drilled too close to the cable?

[@ultimatehandyman]

Drilling close to the cable should not effect it. If a wire has been severed the circuit will not work properly. If you have the instructions you can do a walk test- or if the chime is still working- the sensor is probably ok.

[@initiald7576]

when installing the magnetic door contact do i have to remove the power source first or?

[@ultimatehandyman]

No, as long as you put the alarm panel into engineering mode it will be fine.

[@don320able]

Hi I have an accenta mini burglar alarm I have hard wired it to 4 pir and magnetic door everything woks perfect except when I enter my code it shows the number 1 being alarmed which is the door and wont set unless I omit it as a zone I have 6 7 8 zones which are not in use and I have to omit these as well every time I want to set the alarm can you help me please.

[@ultimatehandyman]

+Donald Ellingham With the 6,7,8 zones you have to latch them out in the panel with some models, or you can put a link in each zone in the panel to close each circuit. This video might help- kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnO6aK2MhpeZkJo Not sure what the problem is with zone 1, are you sure it is wired correctly?

[@stuart3744]

I bought a new contact for my micromark MM 23022 from CEF and it doesn’t work on continuity test unwired on your demo , is this possibly faulty

[@ultimatehandyman]

It sounds like it could be, if there is no continuity when it’s close to the magnet or not near the magnet!

[@c4lho888]

hi i have just installed the gen4 alarm and as i was about to change the key pad code from 0123 to say 6666 i had mucked up and not i dont know the number i have set ...hoe do i reset the whole thing so i can reprogram again..ive tryed unpluging the batt and the fuse and still no good

[@ultimatehandyman]

You might have to do a "default panel to factory settings" It's on page 17 of the engineers manual ;-)

[@dhirajjadhav9083]

Can we use it for normally open door. (double door)with spectra 2 door interlocking panel

[@ultimatehandyman]

Not sure about that 🤔

[@shivakuchana4713]

Sir, what is the name of that White cable? And how we can connect particular colour wire to reed switch?

[@ultimatehandyman]

It is just known as alarm cable in the UK. As far as I know there are no set standards as to what colour wires you use at the switch or the alarm panel.

[@guillermogalvanb]

Thank you, :D

[@ultimatehandyman]

+Guillermo Galvan You are welcome.Thanks for the comment

[@ghafoorhan6720]

what kind of cable have to use for magnetic door lock

[@ultimatehandyman]

Not sure, as I have never installed one. Thanks for the comment

[@christinemorris7578]

hi the wires on my door contact are red, black,blue and yellow could you please advise the sequence they are wired

[@ultimatehandyman]

+CHRISTINE MORRIS It's impossible to say without checking where they are wired to at the panel. There is no wiring standard for alarm cable so the installer can use what ever coulours he sees fit.

[@jeffreeonyt]

hi, can i use a UTP cat5 or cat6 cable as an alternative for the alarm cable?

[@ultimatehandyman]

Not sure, I have never tried it myself, but can't see why it would not work!

[@battytec]

On this, what should I do with the black and red wires?

[@ultimatehandyman]

Just cut them off and ensure they are not connected at the panel.

[@battytec]

Ok, thanks

[@geoffreybailey2359]

i have the same control panel as you i installed a new door contact and wired it like you did when i came to arm the alarm it wood not work what came up was tamper fault so the alarm wont set i have check everything

[@ultimatehandyman]

If there is a tamper fault the tamper circuit is open. The alarm will not work until the tamer circuit is closed!

[@geoffreybailey2359]

how do i close the tamper circuit

[@geoffreybailey2359]

thanks very much for your help it works fine and bye the way your video is simply the best camera work spot on the best on the web geff

[@ultimatehandyman]

Sorry, I forgot to reply to your earlier comment. I'm glad you got it sorted ;-)

[@decmcdonnell1895]

i have the same problem wired exactly as you said how do i close the tamper circuit?

[@neilj2327]

good day, i got a pyronix euro 46s system , that i want to use these exact contacts for ........i only have 8 input zones and need to wire 29 contacts.... most about 5 to 6 contacts per zone. is that possible ? can you send me a basic wiring diagram illustrating this, do i need to add resistors?

[@ultimatehandyman]

No idea, sorry!

[@neilj2327]

Good day can I get a basic wiring diagram showing the wiring of 2 of these door contacts

[@abvoyager333]

how would you wire a door contact and PIR in the same zone?

[@ultimatehandyman]

+B Powell If you install the PIR then run the cable from the PIR to the door contact then ensure that the tamper circuit and zone circuits are wired in series for the PIR and door contacts you can have both sensors working on the alarm at the same time. As an example imagine you just have a green wire and a blue wire and you want to wire these to the tamper circuit-The blue wire from the alarm control panel would go into the T+ terminal on the PIR, you would then connect the green wire from the alarm control panel to the blue wire going from the PIR to the door contact. The Green wire from the door contact would then be wired into the T- terminal in the PIR. This in effect makes a loop and if either the door contact of the PIR tamper circuit is broken the alarm will sound.How to wire a PIR is here- kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZOWqmBsa7Z3e80

[@abvoyager333]

+Ultimate Handyman Thanks for your response, I don't think that the above circuit works but I get the gist. With the tamper circuit the wires are daisy chained by connecting the wires together at the panel and I take it you are suggesting the same with the zone connections. The manual says where two detectors are used they should be latched using the L+ connection but doesn't explain how this works.

[@RadioReprised]

You don't!.......you never want a motion and Perimeter zone on the same circuit, nor do you want two motions in series. Entry/exit, PIR and other powered devices should be on their own zone, perimeter zones can be series but not ideal.....buy a panel with enough zones to make one opening per zone if possible.

[@rehanzahid9600]

Ho does magnetic door contact work? In normal condition the magnets are separate to doors i means there is no contact with door when fire happens the module complete the circuit & door gets magnetized & get closed , m i right?? Pls explain

[@ultimatehandyman]

These are for a burglar alarm, not a fire alarm. These sensors are normally open when the magnet is not present, but the circuit closes when the magnet is close to the reed switch. Burglar alarms work using normally closed circuits, as soon as a circuit is open, the alarm will activate.

[@ashbashbaby2]

What are the other contacts for

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm not sure. These things never come with any instructions or wiring diagrams!

[@1marktran]

Could one alarm line share two magnetic door contacts?

[@ultimatehandyman]

Yes, it is quite easy. If you want the alarm to alarm when just one contact is open you wire them in series, or you can wire them in parallel if you only want the alarm to alarm when both contacts are open simultaneously.

[@1marktran]

@@ultimatehandyman ....thx buddy

[@marcymarc3713]

Im trying to follow this but my cable doesn't have a green in it, it has 1 blue, 1 white, 1 red, 1 yellow and 3 black cable's and im really confused.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Can you see the cable at the other end, in the actual alarm panel?

[@alfiewoolard2598]

This just goes to show how little the panel has changed in the last twenty years, when it was the Accenta 6 and 8. Virtually nothing has changed!

[@ultimatehandyman]

Chem_Boffin6589 That's right, I installed one of those a long time ago and not much has changed apart from you don't get the metal links pre-installed any more for each zone as they can now be disabled via the panel- although I find it easier to just place links in the unused zones LOL. Thanks for the comment

[@aserta]

Squirrel. There's a squirrel in your video.

[@ultimatehandyman]

That's right at 3:16 There are lots where we live ;-)

[@tgpfireandsecurity8786]

I dont get what the tamper wires are for in the door contact? Wouldnt the alarm just go off anyway when they are seperated or give off a signal (chime, etc)

[@ultimatehandyman]

If the alarm is unset and someone cuts the wire going to the contact they could join them together which would prevent the door contact from working. If any tamper wires are cut with the alarm unset the alarm will go into tamper mode.

[@tgpfireandsecurity8786]

Ultimate Handyman now I'm with you, was just concerned about it when I saw you made the connection

[@stephenmcbrien736]

Hi, if the magnet is moved would this cause an issue? I'm changing a door and need to take it off... not moving the wired part. If I put the magnet back in the same place this should work Ok?

[@retro80s22]

3.14-3.18 time stealth squirrel in the tree outside .

[@ultimatehandyman]

Well spotted ;-)

[@retro80s22]

+Ultimate Handyman keep the videos coming please

[@johnlongshaw7536]

Ultimate Handyman

[@leehewitt5165]

I have yellow, red, blue and black....which goes where please

[@ultimatehandyman]

You'll have to check where the wires are terminated in the panel. 1 pair will be for the normally closed circuit, the other pair will be for the tamper 👍

[@leehewitt5165]

@@ultimatehandyman ta....when the door guy took the old contact off (imbeded into the door and frame) it was red in a silver screw terminal, blue and black in a brass terminal and yellow in the other silver terminal

[@ultimatehandyman]

@@leehewitt5165 Red and yellow will be the zone wires (normally closed circuit), one will go to each silver screw (doesn't matter which way around they are wired). Blue and black are the tamper circuit, just connect both of them to one of the brass screws 👍

[@leehewitt5165]

@@ultimatehandyman Brill thank you. I'll try again...its letting us set the alarm but not recognising there is a block (if that is what they are called)....out of curiosity will it be affected if its a composite door.

[@ultimatehandyman]

@@leehewitt5165 Did it work before the door was replaced? A composite door should not make any difference. The zone has not been modified in the panel, has it?

[@GLITCHDADA]

See you have the cable running down pvc instead of stapling use super glue neater job,

[@ultimatehandyman]

I thought about doing that but wondered if the super glue would adversely effect the insulation over time- like expanding foam does. Thanks for the comment

[@thesmartbudgetchannel2940]

Thanks for posting your review. I just conducted a review on the Window-Door Alarm device ($1) from the Dollar Tree Store. If you get a chance to check out my review I would appreciate it. Thank you.