That talk with a commercial electrician about automation systems has me rethinking everything

I was on a job last Friday in Omaha wiring up a DSC panel when this old electrician walked by and said 'you guys are just putting bandaids on buildings, not real brains.' He started explaining how modern PLCs can handle alarm, lighting, and HVAC all in one setup and honestly it made me wonder if alarm panels are becoming obsolete for larger commercial sites. Do you think sticking with dedicated alarm hardware is still the way to go, or should we be pushing clients toward full building automation systems?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thea1mo ago

Wow, that old timer has a point. Full automation can do way more than a standalone alarm panel ever could for those big commercial sites. But I still think dedicated hardware is simpler and more reliable for smaller jobs where complexity is just overkill.

the_anthony1mo ago

Ran a job once where the client insisted on a full automation setup for their three room office. Spent more time troubleshooting the tablet interface than the actual alarm system. Sometimes simple hardware just works better for the little stuff.