Texecom Premier Elite LCDLP LCD Alarm Keypad, Prox Reader, Large Blue Display, White DBD-0168

Overview

A keypad is where people set and unset an alarm and read what it is telling them. This one belongs to the Texecom keypads range, and it is the model with a blue screen rather than a green one.

Installers also use it for setting up, because these LCD keypads are used to programme all features.

How it works

• Proximity reader: the reader inside picks up a small tag held near it. As a rule, this lets a user set or unset without typing, if the panel is programmed that way.
• Keypad zones: a zone is one monitored circuit. Connecting a nearby contact at the keypad can save a cable run back to the panel.
• Double pole and end of line: these are two wiring methods. As a rule, end of line wiring adds a resistor so the panel can tell a tamper from an alarm.

Where to use it

A keypad usually goes near the main entry, inside the protected area, where the entry time gives enough time to reach it. Class II is generally read as an indoor environment, so keep it out of the weather.

Read the guide to burglar alarms for more about how keypads fit with apps and fobs.

What the figures mean in practice

• 32 characters: this is the amount of text the screen shows at one time, enough for a zone name and its status.
• Keypad limit: each panel has its own maximum, so count existing keypads before adding one. A Premier Elite 24 takes 4, for example.
• Output: the single output can be programmed for a local job. Check what load it can take in the manual.

Installing it

The 4 wire connection links the keypad back to the alarm control panel. Follow the panel's manual for terminals, addressing and maximum cable length.

As a rule, fit it at a comfortable height, away from metal surfaces that could affect the tag reader, then test the tags and any zones before handing over.

Planning your system

Users need something for the reader to read. Texecom's proximity tag is for use with LCDP and LCDLP keypads, so add enough tags for everyone who will use one.

If your panel is a recent model, check its own documents for keypad compatibility.

Standards explained

EN 50131 is the European standard for intruder alarm systems, and PD6662 is the UK document that applies it. A Grade 3 keypad does not raise the grade of the system, because that depends on every device fitted.