Konnected.io on Bosch Alarm with Home Assistant

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#2302078 20-Aug-2019 07:16

dfnt:

Looking at his video it seems the interface is capable of doing what you want? Provided your alarm system is capable of having outputs programmed and key switch capability for arming/disarming

I'm quite interested in this too now, as I got an IP Module for my AAP Elite alarm recently so I could self monitor the alarm. But it seems fragile at best with it becoming unresponsive to any of the iOS commands after a few days, and quite possibly the worst iOS app I've ever used. They haven't updated the resolution for the newer phones, can't even configure what push notifications you do/dont want and to add insult to injury the app is $15 on top of the IP module cost.

I should have read reviews of the application before getting the module, but oh well

Hi,

Yeah, I knowe the Konnected Interface will do all 3 things but as you mentioned, the question is whether my Alarm system will be able to make that work.

Sorry to hear about your IP Module issue. I'm happy to keep updated this thread if I everr get anywhere..

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gcorgnet

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#2302079 20-Aug-2019 07:17

tieke:

I've got an unused Konnected Alarm Panel 12 Zone kit that I preordered which you could buy if you wanted to. Turns out my alarm system and sensors aren't particularly compatible - installing the kit would essentially only give me access to the smoke alarm sensor and siren, so I didn't proceed any further.

"Comes with everything you need to connect any wired alarm system with up to 12 sensors/zones and a siren to your smart home hub.

INCLUDES
• Konnected Alarm Panel (x2)
• Wi-Fi module pre-loaded with Konnected software (x2)
• piezo buzzer for door chime
• 12V power supply
• Konnected logo sticker and window sticker."

You can have it for $100 + shipping/Wellington pickup if you want.

Thanks for that but I'm currently hoping to be able to use the Konnected Interface instead. Besides, I would only need a 6-zone set up as I only effectively have 2x PIRs. Cheers

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#2302093 20-Aug-2019 07:55

Why are you trying to interface with the existing alarm? It really adds a whole lot of complexity and two-way interfacing issues into the mix.

gcorgnet

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#2302096 20-Aug-2019 08:01

Fair question. I gues the main motivation is WAF and also not messing breaking an alarm system that works perfectly (In case I sell the house...not everyone wants a Konnected Smart Alarm)

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#2302099 20-Aug-2019 08:08

gcorgnet:
Fair question. I gues the main motivation is WAF and also not messing breaking an alarm system that works perfectly (In case I sell the house...not everyone wants a Konnected Smart Alarm)

My WAF was converted the minute I said it would automatically disarm and turn on the lights when we arrive home at night. Pretty easy sell. Having two options is only going to embed her further into the old way of doing things. I fully intend to rewire the alarm if we sell. The PIRs and Siren/Screamer/Strobe are the bits you need from the panel. Also, be extremely careful as we wire 240v mains into our security panels.

Your Bosch PIRs are probably wired for tamper detection - you definitely want to remove those.

gcorgnet

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#2302103 20-Aug-2019 08:15

premiumtouring:
gcorgnet:

Fair question. I gues the main motivation is WAF and also not messing breaking an alarm system that works perfectly (In case I sell the house...not everyone wants a Konnected Smart Alarm)

My WAF was converted the minute I said it would automatically disarm and turn on the lights when we arrive home at night. Pretty easy sell. Having two options is only going to embed her further into the old way of doing things. I fully intend to rewire the alarm if we sell. The PIRs and Siren/Screamer/Strobe are the bits you need from the panel. Also, be extremely careful as we wire 240v mains into our security panels.

Your Bosch PIRs are probably wired for tamper detection - you definitely want to remove those.

Yeah, I guess you have a point there. It would be great if the whole thing was seemless. I guess it's also the fact that being an alarm system, you need it to be 100% reliable.

How do you handle power cuts? My Bosch Alarm has a battery (and will warn me once the battery is worn out). Have you done something similar with your Konnected converted alarm?

Regarding the Tamper detection, what do you mean? The metal box that houses my alarm panel does have tamper detection and the alarm statrs screaming as soon as I open it. Is that what you are referring to?

Are you in Auckland? If I decided to go with regular Konnected, how much would you charge to come and help with the wiring?

Cheers

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Ultimate Geek

#2302231 20-Aug-2019 09:57

gcorgnet:

Yeah, I guess you have a point there. It would be great if the whole thing was seemless. I guess it's also the fact that being an alarm system, you need it to be 100% reliable.

How do you handle power cuts? My Bosch Alarm has a battery (and will warn me once the battery is worn out). Have you done something similar with your Konnected converted alarm?

Regarding the Tamper detection, what do you mean? The metal box that houses my alarm panel does have tamper detection and the alarm statrs screaming as soon as I open it. Is that what you are referring to?

Are you in Auckland? If I decided to go with regular Konnected, how much would you charge to come and help with the wiring?

Cheers

A standard UPS will keep Konnected, your Home Assistant instance (assuming, RPi), Router and WiFi online during a power cut for many hours. I prefer Eaton power boards..

Glad to see your installer set up the tamper alarm on yours - they didn't set mine up. Easily bypassed if you know what fuse to pull.

The most important question is where the panel is located. Is it easily accessible out in the open or is it in a cupboard somewhere in the house? Do you get wifi reception in that cupboard? Is there power (besides what is supplied to the security panel). If there isn't, the first issue is determining how to get power into the alarm panel box - which you may need a licensed electrician to help with.

gcorgnet

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#2302254 20-Aug-2019 10:14

The Alarm Panel is in a cupboard but easily accesible. There is power nearby and Wifi coverage. Things should be pretty easy. The only thing I might struggle with is the re-wiring of PIR and horn, etc.. And since there is 240V involved (although shouldn't be too much of an issue though since I should'd have to mess with that, right?) and a loud-ass siren, I feel like there is little opportunity for trial and error...

gcorgnet

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#2302679 21-Aug-2019 06:23

Random question regarding a Konnected Alarm. Since you have no longer access to the num pad to enable/disable the alarm. What happens if Home Assistant or your internet is down?

Does the alarm go off with no way of stopping it? Would it not go off? Any tips and tricks to cater for this scenario?

davidcole

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#2302681 21-Aug-2019 06:54

gcorgnet:
Random question regarding a Konnected Alarm. Since you have no longer access to the num pad to enable/disable the alarm. What happens if Home Assistant or your internet is down?

Does the alarm go off with no way of stopping it? Would it not go off? Any tips and tricks to cater for this scenario?

Theoretically you should still have local lan access. Just not external.

I always prefer a physical manual control for primary and the ability to override via software. For both alarms and light switches. This is why for my alarm I went software. Remotes and keypad still works but I can arm disarm via software when needed.

Is there a way of getting a physical control to the Konnected panel? Or compatible keypad?

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Ultimate Geek

#2302682 21-Aug-2019 06:55

gcorgnet:

Random question regarding a Konnected Alarm. Since you have no longer access to the num pad to enable/disable the alarm. What happens if Home Assistant or your internet is down?

Does the alarm go off with no way of stopping it? Would it not go off? Any tips and tricks to cater for this scenario?

As mentioned in my last post, you move from having the alarm panel being backed up by a single 12v battery, to putting your [ Konnected Boards, Home Assistant (eg. Raspberry Pi), WiFi, Router etc ] on a small UPS that keeps everything running normally for a few hours (at least) if the power goes out. This ensures when you arrive home the alarm disarms normally.. your current alarm won't trigger because the power is out and neither does Konnected.

If you come home to a completely dead house eg. the power has been completely off for the whole day, your Konnected system comes back online when your power does. Some of the modern UPS's can be set up to email you and let you know power has been lost so that you can take appropriate steps.

gcorgnet

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#2302683 21-Aug-2019 06:56

It doesn't look like there is a way to have a (physical) keypad working with Konnected.

You're meant to arm/disarm it via software integration (SmartThings, Home Assistant, etc..)

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Ultimate Geek

#2302684 21-Aug-2019 07:02

davidcole:
gcorgnet:

Random question regarding a Konnected Alarm. Since you have no longer access to the num pad to enable/disable the alarm. What happens if Home Assistant or your internet is down?

Does the alarm go off with no way of stopping it? Would it not go off? Any tips and tricks to cater for this scenario?

Theoretically you should still have local lan access. Just not external.

I always prefer a physical manual control for primary and the ability to override via software. For both alarms and light switches. This is why for my alarm I went software. Remotes and keypad still works but I can arm disarm via software when needed.

Is there a way of getting a physical control to the Konnected panel? Or compatible keypad?

Plenty of ways to physically control Konnected. The first one is putting something like a Wemo, Sonoff, 433Mhz radio controlled switch or wiring up your own relay to control the flow of power to the Konnected Boards. I have something similar using Z-Wave (which is more secure than 433mhz) that acts as an emergency override. Everyone knows where in the house this button can be located and it is a direct on/off switch for Konnected's power (and thus the sirens) should our mobile devices / the HASS app / or the like stop working or bug out for some reason.

Keeping the old security keypad is going to confuse the crap out of burglars and that's exactly what you want to be doing.

gcorgnet

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#2302685 21-Aug-2019 07:09

premiumtouring:

Plenty of ways to physically control Konnected. The first one is putting something like a Wemo, Sonoff, 433Mhz radio controlled switch or wiring up your own relay to control the flow of power to the Konnected Boards. I have something similar using Z-Wave (which is more secure than 433mhz) that acts as an emergency override. Everyone knows where in the house this button can be located and it is a direct on/off switch for Konnected's power (and thus the sirens) should our mobile devices / the HASS app / or the like stop working or bug out for some reason.

Keeping the old security keypad is going to confuse the crap out of burglars and that's exactly what you want to be doing.

Oh yeah, I saw something in the Konnected KB about wiring in a kill switch to cut off the siren. That would be a way to do it as well...

But regarding your zwave switch. THat alos relies on your ZWave network being operational (ie Power going to the zwave controller, etc..)

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Ultimate Geek

#2302686 21-Aug-2019 07:10

Just to be clear, Konnected is just a simple sensor and control board (that works REALLY well with Alarm components). It has no "native" software.. so it cannot "natively" control your Bosch Keypad. In the case of Home Assistant you are using Konnected's sensor integration to detect movements and then you're using Konnected's switch control mechanisms to turn on or off the sirens/strobes/open your garage door. So, it is completely possible to use a physical keypad - just find a WiFi, USB, Bluetooth keypad that works with Home Assistant and then simply use it to arm / disarm the alarm when a code is entered correctly.

I've designed a Node-Red dashboard that looks and functions like an advanced Alarm keypad which you can use on any wifi enabled tablet with a web browser.

As a backup to keypad control - have a physical override option, like I mentioned, where you can remotely kill power to the Konnected Boards should they stop working properly.

Konnected's biggest limitation is lack of Ethernet and it is something that Nate is working on. I'll be upgrading immediately when those are released.

Honestly, presence detection has been so well implemented in the native Home Assistant app for iOS I have only ever had to override my Konnected alarm once, and it turns out it was because I installed an AdBlock VPN which was stopping my location / connection to HASS from being reported.

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