KERUI Home Security System Review. Alarm Panel

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KERUI Home Security System Review: Alarm Panel

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I was already sold on the features of the KERUI Home Security System based on the features I presented earlier. But the space age alarm panel sealed the deal (see photo below).

I don't know if the photo above is an artist render or a very good photographic trick. Because after getting the alarm panel, I have found that I been had. Seeing the panel in person (see photo below), it doesn't look as space age as the photo on Amazon. But its aesthetics is a minor draw back in the system as a whole. From a distance, your mind can still make you think it's quite futuristic

The buttons are actually touch sensitive. You use it like a modern age tablet. Just an assertive touch on the button activates it without having to push with any force at all.

The default volume is quite loud on the alarm panel. Every input produces a loud response that you can hear though out your home. And it has build in siren when activated.

Although you can probably figure the system out by trial-and-error, you should definitely read the instruction manual. The instruction manual is not very well written and is missing some vital information. But it is readable and will help you figure the system out faster.

Based on the instruction manual, you can associate up to 150 sensors and 150 remotes to each alarm panel.

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Basic Operation

To arm the system, you simply touch the up arrow on the panel. It also have a lock symbol next to it.

To disarm, press the down arrow, which also have an unlock symbol next to it.

Now, it gets tricky. To arm the 'stay armed' mode, you first arm the system, then you touch the up arrow again. I have had to read the instruction manual to figure this out.

Touching the "OK" button sounds the siren immediately.

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Passcode

So far, I have not figured out if it is possible to require entering a security code before arming and disarming the system. The instruction manual only talks about a security code when you dial into the system, but not when you are using it at the panel.

I would hate to think that an intruder can just walk up to the panel and push the disarm button. But would an intruder do that in the first place, before running, is also questionable. I suppose if the intruder knows that you use this KERUI system, then they can just turn it off after entering and triggering the alarm.

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Zones

The KERUI alarm panel uses the concept of zones. You can program multiple sensors to a zone. When a sensor within the zone activates, the alarm panel announces the triggering zone and sounds the siren.

When the system arrived, each sensor was pre-programmed to a zone.

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Types of Zone

The KERUI alarm panel allows you to set the type for each zone. There are seven different types. The alarm panel is pre-programmed with the following default zone type for the indicated zones. But you can change the type of each zone individually.

01-59 Normal
60-79 Stay
80-89 Intelligent
   90 Help Senior
   91 Chime
   92 Welcome
93-99 Emergency

Normal - This is the simplest zone type. When the alarm is armed, any sensor in this zone type will trigger the siren. When the alarm is disarmed, no sensor will trigger the siren.

Stay - Sensors in this zone type will only trigger the siren if the alarm is armed. When the alarm is in 'stay armed' mode, sensors in this type will not trigger the siren. When alarm is disarmed, no sensor will tirgger the siren. This type is generally used with motion sensors when you are inside your home. It allows you to trigger the siren when intruder breaks in, but will not trigger while you move around inside.

Intelligent - I have not figured out what this zone type does. If you know, please post a comment.

Help Senior - This type allows you to tie panic buttons or other activation into the KERUI alarm system. The intention is for someone to trigger this zone, which the KERUI alarm system can be programmed to call for help.

Chime - I have not tried this zone type, but I believe it's used to sound a chime, rather than the siren, whenever a sensor has triggered. For example, you can use this trigger type to let you know if someone walks into your store.

Welcome - I have not tried this zone type, but I believe it's used to sound a welcome message, rather than the siren, whenever a sensor has triggered. For example, you can use this trigger type to welcome a guest that walks into your store.

Emergency - This type pretty much triggers the siren immediately. The emergency button, on the alarm panel and the remote, triggers this zone. In addition, the alarm panel mounting security switch also triggers a zone in this type.

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Connectivity

The back of the panel provides a number of connectivity to the outside world (see photo below). It's recessed so that you can mount the alarm panel flush to the wall.

Photo below shows a number of ports toward the top of the alarm panel. From the left to the right: 1) telephone port; 2) telephone company port; 3) wired siren; 4) power. The GSM sim slot is toward the left center of the panel. You can plug an activated GSM sim card into it so that it can call the outside world through the mobile network. More importantly, it can send you text messages.

The following photo shows the connectivity ports toward the bottom of the alarm panel. First of all, a switch toward the top left of the photo is the on/off switch. Then there are a number of electrical connectors for traditional security system connections.

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Notification

The KERUI alarm panel has the capability to contact you in the event that a sensor has triggered the siren. It could do this through traditional telephone lines or using today's wireless mobile phone technology. In the former method, you simply plug the alarm panel to the telephone jack with the included telephone cable. In the latter method, you insert an activated GSM sim card into the alarm panel.

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Voice Call

You can configure the KERUI alarm system to call you whenever any of the alarm is activated. I think that is a nice feature, because it will automatically notify you when something is wrong.

I didn't have a telephone wall socket nearby, so I had to get a telephone power-line adapter. It is basically two wireless communication devices. One devices plugs in close to your telephone wall jack. The other device plugs into the AC power close to the alarm system and provides a remote telephone socket.

The remote telephone power-line adapter was a bit tricky to get right. But once I got it to work, the KERUI security system was able to call my cellphone through the telephone line.

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Text Message (SMS)

You can also insert a GSM wireless SIM card into the KERUI security system. By doing so, it can contact you via the wireless cellphone service. One of its features is the ability to send you text messages, which may be less intrusive than a voice phone call.

Currently, I don't have an activated GSM sim card for the KERUI, so I haven't had a chance to try this feature yet.

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Power Adapter

The alarm panel comes with a two-prong power adapter (see photo below).

The specification for the power adapter is as follows:

Model: KR-1210A
Input: 100-240VAC
Output: DC 12V 1A
Positive center

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Mount

The alarm panel comes with two mounting panels. The first mount panel (see photo below) covers the connectivity ports. The thin plastic that sticks out of the panel toward the right-side of the photo activates a switch inside the alarm panel. When the alarm panel and the mounting panel separates, an alarm is triggered.