Ademco 20 install guide

Click or tap on image to enlarge. Also, I highly recommend that you download a free copy of the complete Ademco manual, which will include a full-size image of the wiring diagram. It also gives detailed specs and ratings for the system and all its terminals. Check out my alarm system manual sources page to find free installation and programming manuals for the Ademco Vista 20P as well as other brands of alarm panel. See this page for help finding my Ademco model number.

Connect each lead of a 2-conductor wire to these terminals. Be careful not to allow the leads from the transformer touch each other while the unit is plugged in! Shorting out the transformer can easily blow its internal fuse, turning it into a paperweight. While making connections, either leave the transformer unplugged, or keep the wires separated. This can be used for sirens, bells, strobes, or other devices up to the rated output. These terminals supply volt power to operate keypads, zone expanders, motion detectors, and other devices.

Terminal 5 is positive, terminal 4 is negative. The maximum current available for all keypads and detection devices is mA. If you need more than this, you can add a supplemental power supply. Preferably, this extra power supply would have its own battery backup, so it will continue to work during a power outage. If this isn't possible, make sure at least one keypad is connected to the Vista 20P's own power terminals.

To fix this issue, connect a single short pigtail of gauge wire to each terminal, preferably using red for positive and black for negative.

Then, connect the necessary wiring to the appropriate pigtails using wire nuts. Connect data leads from keypads, zone expanders, or other data devices. Include at least one Ademco keypad to make advanced programming easier.

The typical wiring used for any devices requiring data, such as keypads, is 4-conductor jacketed cable. This cable is usually manufactured with the colors red, black, green, and yellow or white for the individual wire insulation.

This makes it easy to keep track of the power and data pairs, as well as the polarity of each. A minor point, but I welcome anything that saves time and confusion!

To make fast programming changes, you can temporarily connect a keypad to a panel using this Alarm Programming Quick Keypad Connector. The Ademco Vista 20P has the capacity for 8 on-board zones using basic connections. Each zone uses a 2,ohm 2K ohm end-of-line resistor, which can be located at the alarm contact or inside the panel. Zone doubling is an optional connection scheme that this panel supports; it adds 7 more hardwired zones to panel with no additional hardware.

This allows the addition of fire protection to the panel without any extra modules or equipment, other than the smoke detectors themselves. This provides a supervision alert from the keypads in case of a damaged fire wire. The Ademco Vista 20P also supports 4-wire smoke alarms, but a relay will need to be added. This is done mainly to simplify the layout of the control board, as well as to save space.

Note that the Ademco Vista 20P, like many other panels, can be programmed to not use end-of-line resistors on burglary zones. This option simplifies wiring, and cleans up the panel a bit. Here is what to look for:. These Ademco manuals will usually contain "Install" in the title or file name.

This is everything an alarm technician or do-it-yourselfer would need to install the panel, connect it to power, a phone line, and other alarm devices.

Wiring information for keypads, zone expanders, and optional modules is also included. The "Install" file may also contain programming information see below. Technical specifications are also listed, along with a wiring diagram of the panel.

A Vista 20P schematic diagram is shown below, as an example. Look for "User" in the file name or title.

User manuals provide instructions on how to arm, disarm, bypass zones, etc. Keypads that come out later may have an addendum to the user manual, explaining their operation.

Look for "Program" in the file name. This includes entering zone definitions, account number, dialer information, master codes, etc. Even after a system is installed, programmed, and working, the programming guide is necessary when making any future changes to the system.

The center section of many Ademco manuals contains sheets intended to be filled out by the installer, with every programming item listed.

The factory default values are shown, along with boxes to record any changes. In that case, download the "Install" file; programming information should be included there.

Click on the "Panelguides" link below. Don't bother to log in, just click on the "Panel Guides" link in the upper-right-hand corner. Click on the "Ademco" link in the list, and choose "Control Panels". Scroll down the list to find your Ademco model number. When you find your panel model number, select the link, choose which manual you want, and select "Download". For other brands of alarm, see my alarm system manual sources page.

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