CQR Double Push Panic Button, Key Resettable, White ABS, Grade 3 PADP3/WH

What a hold-up button is for

A hold-up device lets someone raise an alarm by hand rather than waiting for a detector to see movement. It is usually placed where staff can reach it quietly, such as under a counter or desk.

The range of panic and hold-up buttons on this site covers other types too. This one is a double push design in white.

How the double push design works

A double push button asks for both buttons to be used, which makes an accidental knock less likely to set it off than a single button would.

• Microswitches: a microswitch is a small sprung switch. This device uses them for both its alarm and its tamper circuits.
• Normally open or closed: this describes the contact's resting state, open or closed, before the button is used. The setting needs to match what the panel input expects.
• Latching: a latching button stays activated once pressed until it is reset, and a non-latching one does not. The activation indicator helps show which unit has been used.

Where to use it

The maker's grade suits it to installations working to Grade 3. A Grade 3 device does not by itself make a whole system Grade 3, because the grade of a system depends on every part fitted to it.

Its environmental class is II. This class is generally taken as an indoor rating, so do not plan on using it outdoors.

Installing it

• Before fixing: choose the contact type and the resistor to suit the alarm control panel input the button will connect to.
• Testing: as a rule, test the button with the panel in a safe mode, and agree the test with anyone who monitors the alarm.
• Keys: as a rule, keep the reset key where the person responsible for the alarm can find it.

Planning your system

As a rule, decide who responds when the button is used before fitting it. A silent call to a monitoring company works differently from a local sounder, and the right answer depends on the site. An alarm receiving centre is a staffed control room that handles signals for a contract.

Standards explained

EN 50131 is the European standard for intruder alarm systems, and its grades run from low to high risk. Grade 3 is usually aimed at medium to high risk premises, so check what an insurer asks for on the site.