Problems with Crows

[redozqld]

Just a quick poll, what are peoples feelings on Crows of late...

ReD

[Muviman]

I only even touch them now under protest, legacy clients. Wireless PIRs going to sleep - mid test cycle, programming locations not the same as in the manual supplied with the kit, dialler lock-ups, seized output relays.... most of these problems on new or near new panels with tech assist more than 1 week to respond in some cases.

[intelliGEORGE]

Cheap and nasty! Installed a Crow Runner, don't know what I was thinking, customer wanted wireless, ever since install I have had nothing but abuse about alarm going off in the middle of the night due to loss of supervision.

Premises is an open plan shop approx 80m2. 2 x 360 PIR and a panel w 2 remotes.

Ended up ripping it out and installing a bosch out of my own pocket. There is nothing worse than products failing after install.

[rotor138]

Does the Ultra8 count as a crow panel? They would change codes on there own (master and installer) and randomly wouldn't recommend the kiss off from the control room , resulting in the client ringing about the fault light.

Crow wireless would have to have the crappiest range of any wireless gear I've used. Things like receiver in linen press up stairs and sensors down stairs were not detected, yet bring the sensor right next to the receiver and it works. If wireless is absolutely necessary it is inovonics or the nx(reliance) stuff.

[bluebronco28]

I Have Installed a couple of Crow Panels as that's what the boss gets and as my previous posts have had a few problems, The Pir's that come with the Crow Runners in the Box and crap alway faulse alarm, The Wireless Reciever didnt work in the panel (Ground Level 15M front driveway) so moved the unit outside worked then didnt work so relocated it about 1 Meter away and now works fine, so got me why it didnt work outside when it says it has a 200m Radius of open Air, But if you get around all that the good thing about them is the Keypads and once u get used to the programming its pretty easy

But i am relative new to Security Products so dont realy know what else is out there

[c_amos88]

have installed/been involved wtih 100's of these, i agree that the wireless gear is shit, have had many dodgy keyfobs and receivers taht woudnt work straight out of the box. the PWs i found easy as, the runners are alright now but when we first got them every programming option had to be checked for stupid defaults. the boxes are pretty shit for the runners to as the battery flexes the plastic making it a **** to get the lid on

but hey auto reset fuses, lots of different options, pretty cheap, they sometimes have theyre place, you can choose practically any resistor setup with runners so good for a full 16 zone panel swap.

whats everyones view on the G10 pirs?

anyone installed the onboard permacons gprs? i dont know if its crows fault or permacons but they continually lock up

[noRbackwards]

I Have Installed a couple of Crow Panels as that's what the boss gets and as my previous posts have had a few problems, The Pir's that come with the Crow Runners in the Box and crap alway faulse alarm, The Wireless Reciever didnt work in the panel (Ground Level 15M front driveway) so moved the unit outside worked then didnt work so relocated it about 1 Meter away and now works fine, so got me why it didnt work outside when it says it has a 200m Radius of open Air, But if you get around all that the good thing about them is the Keypads and once u get used to the programming its pretty easy

But i am relative new to Security Products so dont realy know what else is out there

Please Note that all PIR's can be crap when you use them in the incorrect manner or enviroment and reading the instructions will help as well

I have installed against my own whishes quite a few so called grappy detectors yet none have false alarmed yet but then I am not relatively new to this industry and for all my own installs refuse to install Cheap and/or Inferior Equipment.

I know that there are a lot of cheap and inferior panels on the market but do not blame the installer just blame some of the suppliers that are there for profit and suck in the newcommers.

Keep it up as someone makes good money replacing crappy installs but like cancer the undercutting of alarm installs by using cheap equipment will continue to see not only alarm system ceasing to function but also a great number of the installers disappearing and so they should.

Back to Crow panels you get what you pay for.

[noRbackwards]

Cheap and nasty! Installed a Crow Runner, don't know what I was thinking, customer wanted wireless, ever since install I have had nothing but abuse about alarm going off in the middle of the night due to loss of supervision.

Premises is an open plan shop approx 80m2. 2 x 360 PIR and a panel w 2 remotes.

Ended up ripping it out and installing a bosch out of my own pocket. There is nothing worse than products failing after install.

George I thought you knew better but next time wear pants without pockets it could save you money. Then we have all been quilty at one stage or another,

[redozqld]

Interesting Results Everyone...

ReD

[balun]

the main problem with crow panels is that they always seem to be installed in the roof.

[intelliGEORGE]

the main problem with crow panels is that they always seem to be installed in the roof.

A lot of birds nest in the roofs, it's safer at night

[Security-Tech]

They are shite,
ever connected an lcd,
I hated the plastic box's, we used to subby to a mob who only used them,

easy as ness to program, but they are crap, the programming is all over the place, and you can easily take them over ! To easy to take them over and they are a security risk in my mind!

cant use v6 codepad on v5, blah blah,

[nvrenuf]

I am supprised to see so many people have trouble with the panel,

I think the panel (runner) is a great panel , A lot more custom programable than some panels on the market. Specially Networx panels.
With features like EOL Tamper monitoring on zone doubling. Other panels have to choose eith Tamper monitoring or zone doubleing where as Crow can do both.

At the end of the day electronics the nature of the business is that problems do happen regardless of brand.

[nvrenuf]

LCD keypads make the programing 10 times easier.
When your comparing Ness . the ness lcd is not a tru lcd unless u are talking about the M1

[Security-Tech]

Whats ness got to do with crow?

[mazl]

You know what i found out the other day, Crow makes Innovonics wireless detectors. When i asked them about it thay said they are using the similar technology in their 915MHz new wireless gear. I tried it, 32 wireless zones using PIR's, reeds, smokies, and remotes. All went in seemlessly on the Runner panel - very pleased!

Does the Ultra8 count as a crow panel? They would change codes on there own (master and installer) and randomly wouldn't recommend the kiss off from the control room , resulting in the client ringing about the fault light.

Crow wireless would have to have the crappiest range of any wireless gear I've used. Things like receiver in linen press up stairs and sensors down stairs were not detected, yet bring the sensor right next to the receiver and it works. If wireless is absolutely necessary it is inovonics or the nx(reliance) stuff.

[mazl]

which distributor were you dealing with? I ring Crow when i need help.

[mazl]

Interesting perception that Crow is cheap. Is that because it is factory direct instead of through multiple levels of distribution like NX, Bosch, DSC etc?

Please Note that all PIR's can be crap when you use them in the incorrect manner or enviroment and reading the instructions will help as well

I have installed against my own whishes quite a few so called grappy detectors yet none have false alarmed yet but then I am not relatively new to this industry and for all my own installs refuse to install Cheap and/or Inferior Equipment.

I know that there are a lot of cheap and inferior panels on the market but do not blame the installer just blame some of the suppliers that are there for profit and suck in the newcommers.

Keep it up as someone makes good money replacing crappy installs but like cancer the undercutting of alarm installs by using cheap equipment will continue to see not only alarm system ceasing to function but also a great number of the installers disappearing and so they should.

Back to Crow panels you get what you pay for.