Best Way to Wire an Alarm System is w/ an LT-Cable or 18-2 Wire

6 years ago
11

In this video, Joe talks about what type of wire is best for providing power to an alarm system. Most systems can receive power from an 18-gauge, 2-conductor wire. Additionally, Honeywell manufactures a special cable called the Honeywell LT-Cable that makes it even easier to power a security system.

An alarm system will receive power from two sources. The primary source is from a plug-in transformer. The transformer will plug into a wall outlet, and a cable will transfer power from the transformer to the power. The secondary source is the backup battery. If the electricity is ever out or if the transformer is unplugged, then the backup battery will keep the system powered on.

If the system uses DC power, then polarity will be an issue. That is, the wires must be connected correctly to the corresponding positive and negative terminals. Failing to wire correctly could seriously damage the system. However, if the system uses AC power, then this is a non-issue. For most systems, an 18-gauge, 2-conductor wire is perfect for the job. But if a user wants to make wiring even easier, then an LT-Cable can be used.

The Honeywell LT-Cable features a long end and a short end. These ends will meet with a male-female barrel connection. The other ends have spade connectors that can be easily secured to wire terminals. By using an LT-Cable, a user will not need to strip any wires, as the LT-Cable comes already prepared.

Although 18-gauge, 2-conductor wire is the recommended type of wire, other wire types can be used as well. For example, 16-gauge or 22-gauge wires should have no problem adequately powering an alarm system. Also, if the system has more than two inner wires (conductors), simply leaving the other inner wires unconnected will also work just fine.

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