Is there a way to integrate SmartThings with a GE Interlogix SIMON alarm panel. I have a working Simon 3 panel that is currently not monitored. It has 5 door sensors, 4 glass break sensors, 1 motion sensor, 1 smoke detector, 1 temperature rise sensor & 2 Co sensors.
I would like to use the sensors I currently have with the SmartThings Hub.
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I have the same Simon system and would like it as a secondary controller.
As you can see, I have had no other responses.
I also emailed ST & Vera the same question. Here is what the both came back with.
ST, Thanks for reaching out! At this time, we do not have a way to integrate with proprietary, or “closed” devices from other formal alarm security systems. Vera, I’m afraid Simon XT/XTi are not compatible with Vera. These are closed systems that you will not be able to interface with Vera. You may be able to just replace only the alarm panels and choose that has and ethernet/serial port or can be interfaced with an adapter. Vera also included a list of compatible alarm panels that have plugins. On that list is GE Security / Interlogix / Caddx Networx NX-4, NX-6 NX-8 or NX-8E. Using these panels with a NX-548E wireless receiver will allow communication with wireless sensors. I have not actually done this yet, but this seams to be the best bet.
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If you search the forums, you can find plenty of suggestions how to integrate “dumb” alarm systems with smartthings, for example:
I did not try it yet but I think there is a simple way to integrate the Simon to ST as I am looking for doing the same thing.
Simon alarm panels have ports for external sirens:
HW1 I/O provides the negative and HW 1/2 OUT is the positive.
When an external siren is installed, HW I/O is connected to the neg port of a relay such as the ELK924 commonly used and the HW 1/2 OUT goes to the positive trigger port of the relay.
Using the same principle, you could use a Smartthings compatible door sensor and connect it to the relay switch port. I think a door sensor is normally closed so you would use the N/C and COM ports of the relay. Break the glass of the reed switch on the door sensor and solder wires from the switch contacts to the N/C and COM ports of the relay, or unsolder the reed switch and solder wires directly to the sensor board.
Power the relay as it should 12 volts DC (or 24) in the case of the ELK924. There should be a battery back up as per the diagram below otherwise if the house current goes out, it will trigger the relay. If your Smarthings hub and wifi is not on a battery back up then it does not matter as it won’t work but if everything is on battery backup it will work even if your house wires are cut (at least for a few hours).
Then in the alarm panel in System options configure the HW port to outside siren.
When the Simon alarm is triggered by one of its sensors, it will send a trigger signal to the relay which will switch to N/O state (if it was set as N/C) or vice versa. In turn the door sensor will tell the ST hub it’s open and from there you can trigger other smart things.
If you already have an external alarm installed and a relay with 2 switches (like the ELK924), then simply attach the door sensor to the second switch.
If your relay has only a single switch and you already use N/C and COM, you could connect the reed switch to N/O and COM I think or replace the relay. In Smartthings the “door” will then have a normal state of open. Once the relay is triggered and switches to N/O position, your siren will go off and your “door” will show closed and trigger what you want.
Just do not connect the door switch to the same N/C (or N/O) port because likely the siren is on 12 volts and the door sensor is usually 3 volts so that would fry it.
See below the wiring diagram, if the siren is not used just disregard that part but the rest should work as is.
Maybe better option than the GoControl sensor is the Aeon Labls Aeotec ZW097 available on Amazon as well because it’s purely a dry contact and does not require to remove or break the reed switch (since there isn’t one) like a regular sensor.
I just tested this design with an Aeotec ZW097 and it works very well, except that my diagram above is incorrect, the ZW097 rest position is closed when the contacts are opened so the wires should be connected to NO and COM instead of NC and COM like shown.
This only allows monitoring and triggering other actions such as triggering other alarms, turning switches on, sending pushes and SMS, not arming or disarming the Simon system but it is an interesting add-on feature to a solid alarm system that is reliable, independent and not affected by the lack of reliability of Smartthing cloud and wifi networking.
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Think I’m finally understanding the point of this… sorry that it’s taking me so long, especially after you repeated it… doing this setup (weather you have central or self monitoring) allows ST to activate automations, etc. based on your Simon detecting intrusion/alarm being triggered!?
So alarm gets activated… then ST devices will turn on(based on your preferences, lights, secondary sirens, etc). So Simon panel & ST hub talk to each other, well Simon talks to ST… am I catching on?
If so, Cool… but wish it could be done strictly via software.
Simon does not talk to ST at all, they are completely independent systems and that is a good thing.
That’s when the relay comes handy. The relay is the interface between Simon and your ST sensor.
When Simon is triggered, it will change the state of the relay from OPENED to CLOSED. That action will trigger the zwave sensor to tell ST that the alarm was triggered.
The sensor has 2 terminals (connections) called T1 and T2. If you connect a wire in each of these terminals and make the other ends of the two wires touch, that is what triggers the sensor. This is what the relay does when it’s activated and these 2 wires are connected to the NO and COM connections of the relay.
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I guess what confuses me is if Simon XTI is Z-wave enabled & so is ST hub. Where is the disconnect?
Not all z-wave devices can talk to each other. You can try to connect your Simon z-wave sensors to ST, it may or may not work (probably not) and I do not know if a single sensor can report to two different hubs. Security wise, IMO it is better to keep both systems separate anyway as ST is not that reliable.
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Ok I def follow now… I find all this extremely interesting & exciting.
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I meant the Z-wave Simon panel(not the sensors), like as a primary or secondary controller… so if a Simon sensor gets triggered, the Simon panel (not Simon sensors)will then alert the ST hub for ST automations, based on the communication between hubs (Simon panel to ST).
Anyhow, Messing with home wiring is the only area that causes me concern, any actual pics of where you plug them together at? I’d like to see at least a mock up of sorts… like where the power from breaker down to wall & what connects to what, when re-creating your project.
I know what you mean but #1 the Simon sensors (probably) won’t connect to the ST hub and #2 if they do, although I am not sure of it, I don’t think they would be read by both ST and Simon when triggered. You can try when you get it however, let me know how you make out with it.
You are not messing with your home wiring at all if you don’t want to.
You only have 2 things plugged into your home sockets, #1 your Simon alarm panel, #2 the transformer that powers the relay so all you need are two sockets. In my installation I actually pulled a wire from an existing socket, ran it through the walls, and installed an outlet hidden in an in-wall box. If I show you that installation it will be overwhelming but you don’t have to do the same.
Here’s a simplified diagram.
- the SIMON HW 1/2 OUT connection is connected as the trigger to the positive trigger port of the relay
- the SIMON HW I/O negative connection goes to the negative power connection of the relay
- the relay is powered by the LPS
- the relay NO/COM connections are connected to T1 and T2 of the sensor
- a battery is connected to the battery connections of the LPS
- a transformer is connected to the LPS and to the wall socket
The trans is converting your 120 volts AC form your home socket to 16.5 volts AC going into the LPS (this action dissipates the lost energy in heat so rather use a metal box to put your installation in).
The LPS then converts the 16.5 volts AC to 12 volts DC that the battery and the relay run on.
It recharges the battery and powers the relay. If you lose power, the LPS will pull 12 volts from the battery to automatically keep the relay powered so it does not change state and accidentally trigger the sensor (if the relay loses power it will instantly switch from NO to NC or vice versa from NC to NO if you had connected the sensor to NC).
If SIMON is triggered, it will send a voltage to the trigger + and the power - connections of the relay, which in turn will switch to closed (from NO to NC) which will trigger your ST sensor. The sensor will now show OPEN in your ST app.
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Ok so i finally made the agreement for them to install the Simon Xti5, they will re-use my wired sensors, by using a wired to wirless “translator”. The extra sensors they are “adding” will be wireless, smoke & carbon monoxide & a garage door sensor. They are replacing my wired motions for “pet friendly” ones. & I also made them throw in 2 keyfobs, and a remote panel for bedroom. Lastly i made them throw in 4 WiFi cameras: 3 outdoor & 1 indoor.
Only thing I’m wondering is… once my new contract expires, & I decide to go “self monitoring”, will my video cameras work? Only way to view cameras is thru alarm.com app… but what happenes when I cancel the service? How could I make use of the cameras then??
Does not sound like a bad deal. Then if you want to play adding ST you have that option using my wiring diagram, that will cost you about $100 in parts all together.
You should be able to use the cameras down the road as long as you have access to the camera management software or can download an unlocked software / firmware, either wired or wifi but you will need to have your own recording device. If they use locked proprietary cameras and software you won’t be able to reuse them. One option is to get a Synology NAS. You can find used ones on ebay or I even got a super deal on Amazon once for a new 216J for $80 (but then you need to add 2 HDD’s, they also have single drive models). Synology NAS’s come with 2 licences (2 cameras then), to add an extra licence they charge a 1 time $50 per camera (or a little less for multiple licenses). That comes with an app you can use to remotely stream. That’s what I use, they work with not all but most cameras on the market. These NAS’s are excellent, great OS and they also ave a great customer support.
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That’s music to my ears, when I asked them if I could use the cameras in future if I no longer have alarm.con service, they told me no! Said it would be useless without alarm.con app.
Here is the model #s of what they are adding:
The camera brand are interlogix/alarm.con & I also see they are adding a 1TB SVR? What is that part exactly for? Where does it get installed on?
The SVR is what records the video. The cameras you would have to see with the system you pick down the road but cameras are not that expensive anymore if you had to get new ones.
Ahh ok… worse case scenario, at least all the wiring will be in place, should be easy swap when that time comes.