General Cable Question

Er, doesn't the fire alarm system need connecting to the fire brigade, rather than the police (just checking)?

CAT-6 is actually high speed phone line and can be used for most all communication needs. Conduit size is rated for how many cables are going to be used in your overall feeds. If this is going in a home, all you actually need to use is the blue smurf flex pipe. Smoke alarms and security system are actually used as a system being controlled by a micro-processor designed for this function. You can find systems at most major home supply outlets. Home-Depot, Lowe's, Ace, these all have systems ready to go for the self doers. Good luck.

RAJ,

Use telephone wire for your telephone connection....period.

As far as connecting your alarm system to "Police", most municipalities that I am aware of prohibit direct connection (direct dialing).

As far as a "centralized system", yes, you can subscribe to one of these.

Commonly known as a "Central Alarm Center", you can subscribe to one of the many company's out there for monitoring service.

Contact one such as ADT, FBI, ect. After verification that your "dialer" is compatible with their system and upon acceptance of your application, they will send out a technician to program your dialer.

You can also request the programming input parameters to program yourself but most larger company's will dissuade you from programming yourself.

Once set up, when your alarm triggers a breach, the system will send a signal to the central alarm center and they in turn will notify the applicable authority (police/fire).

Hope this alleviates some confusion for you.

Your home security/fire alarm panel should have a built in DACT (digital alarm communicator transmitter). This is all you need to connect your system to a phone line. You then select a local central monitoring station who will set up your system (unless you are somewhat technical minded and can program it yourself). You (or they) will program the phone number of the central station into your panel.

Do not select a central station company who requires a contract. Month to month only.

Consider a cellular DACT add-on. They eliminate the possibility that a thief will cut the phone line before breaking in, which happens frequently.

If you are using a phone line for your connection, install the outside portion of the phone line in 1/2" rigid steel conduit for vandal protection.