DS90: two sensors in one?

[Commodore White]

Having bought and played with a cuppla These, I realize the device has two sensors, the regular one that's exposed and the inbuilt tamper detection one. Both report separately. I'd have thought that in most homes, tamper detection wasn't a big deal so wires could attached to the tamper switch for other purposes. Perhaps I'm just too trusting.

Has any one any experience of someone tampering with their security sensors. There is clearly an exploitable vulnerability, I guess it depends on the value of the assets being protected (motive) and whether there is defence in depth. Is someone really going to break into a home and tamper with sensors rather than exploit the access they already have? They'd have to tamper when the alarm was off so the miscreant would have to be invited in under normal circumstances (opportunity)

--fixed typos

[b_weijenberg]

Wrong!!

the tamper switch must not be used as second switch because it is a status on the two sensors!

You have the sensor with reed contact and at the bottom you find the connection block for the second sensor.

[ebruve]

A tamper switch is designed to stop un-authorized access to the inside of the control panel. It usually takes the form of a small micro-switch which is activated when the cover is opened. Even if the alarm has been de-activated the anti-tamper circuit is still active, so long as there is power to the system. Cutting the lead to the external sounder, or the mains lead doesn't stop it either - there is usually an internal sounder, and a back-up battery.

[Commodore White]

Hmmm - true for control panels, but not so a door/window alarm. I've checked that both alarms report separately so could be used independently when used from a system such as Domotiga. However, I suspect that a security panel might well latch a tamper alarm until its been acknowledged and dealt with.