ELK-M1EZ8 Cross Platform Control Installation and Programming Manual

Installation and programming manual for the ELK-M1EZ8 Cross Platform™ Control — covering the ELK-M1EZ8KB kit (board, 12x12" enclosure, transformer, M1KP keypad, 5Ah battery, speaker, and phone jack) and its wiring, data bus setup, and programming menu structure.

Overview

The M1EZ8 is a compact member of the ELK-M1 Cross Platform Control family, combining security and home automation in a single control. It supports 8 on-board zones (expandable to 200), up to 8 partitioned areas, 99 user codes, and a powerful "Whenever/And/Then" rules engine (528 rules supported) for lighting, HVAC, and automation control via the ELK-RP PC software.

Kit Contents & Part Numbers

Compatible accessories: ELK-M1KP keypad (16x2 LCD), ELK-M1XIN 16-zone input expander, ELK-M1XOVR/M1XOV 16-output expanders, ELK-M1RB 8-relay board, ELK-M1DBH data bus wiring hub, ELK-M1XEP Ethernet port, ELK-M1XSP lighting/thermostat/serial expander, ELK-M1PR mini prox reader, ELK-M1EZ8TWI two-way listen-in interface, ELK-M1ZTS zone temperature sensor, and ELK-RP PC programming software.

Planning the Installation

1. Read the entire manual, including UL/NFPA requirements, before beginning.
2. Survey the installation site.
3. Discuss installation requirements and applications with the customer.
4. Compare requirements against factory defaults to determine what custom programming is needed.
5. Bench test the system before installing.

Per NFPA guidance referenced in the manual: perimeter openings below 18" should be protected; a smoke detector should be located in each sleeping area and between sleeping areas and the main living area; homes with basements or multiple levels should have at least one smoke detector per level.

Mounting & Wiring

Control Mounting

Mount in a secure, dry location with ambient temperature between 32° and 120°F (0° to 49°C), near an unswitched power outlet and grounding conductor. A central location simplifies system wiring.

Keypad Mounting

Ideal height: 50–58 inches above the floor, avoiding direct sunlight, ambient temperature 32–120°F. CAT5/CAT6 cable is recommended for the 4-wire data bus (Black, Red, White, Green). Each keypad has an optional programmable output and zone input.

Zone Wiring

Zones 1–8 are on the main board (17+ via expanders, in groups of 16). Each pair of zones shares a common negative terminal. Zones can be programmed with EOL (end-of-line) resistor supervision (default, 2200 Ohm), or as normally closed/open without a resistor. Firmware 4.3.5+ supports a "Four State Zone" (2 series resistors) that distinguishes tamper vs. alarm conditions. A non-violated EOL zone reads ~7.0 VDC; open ~13.8 VDC; shorted ~0 VDC (viewable via keypad Menu 8 > System Diagnostics).

Two-Wire Smoke Detectors (Zone 8 only)

Move jumper JP1 to the 2-wire smoke position, program Zone 8 as a Fire zone (Def=10) with Wire Type 6, and use a 680 Ohm EOL resistor (furnished) instead of 2200 Ohm. Only use detectors compatible per the label on the control; don't mix brands; max wire resistance 60 Ohms.

Power Connections

• +VSMK: switched 12VDC power for 4-wire smoke detectors and other devices needing a power interruption to reset/unlatch.
• +VAUX: unswitched 24-hour auxiliary power for motion detectors, glass breaks, etc.
• Transformer: 16.5VAC, 40VA min., UL Listed Class II (e.g. ELK-TRG1640) on a 24-hour, non-switched 120VAC outlet; max 50 ft. from the control using 16–18 gauge wire.
• Battery: 12V sealed lead-acid, 5Ah minimum (ELK-1250), up to 18Ah — connect BLACK to negative, RED to positive. Never reverse the leads (a reverse-battery warning LED indicates a wiring error). Float charge is 13.8VDC at 100mA in addition to a continuous 1.5A power supply output.

PTC protection: +VAUX and J16 outputs are protected by a 1.25A PTC; +VSMK by a 1.1A PTC; +12VKP keypad power by a 1.25A PTC; alarm output by a 1.25A PTC. After a short, it may take ~20 seconds unplugged for the PTC to reset.

AC Failure & Low Battery

On AC failure, the battery takes over and an "AC Fail" trouble displays (reportable to the central station after a delay). Below 11.2VDC, a Low Battery Trouble occurs; the control shuts down at 10.5VDC to protect the battery. An automatic battery load test runs every 24 hours; Low Battery Trouble requires a passed load test to clear.

Telephone Line Connection

Connects via an approved RJ-31X jack (using an RJSET cord) so the subscriber can disconnect the control/communicator from the network if it malfunctions. The control seizes the line during a report to the central station.

Outputs

12 outputs on the main board: Output 2 (alarm siren driver, 8 Ohm speaker default, or 12VDC voltage-only mode), Output 3 (Form C relay, 5A @ 12–28VDC), and Outputs 7–16 (low-current +12V switched, 10mA max, for LEDs/relays). Outputs 4, 5, 6 require a data bus output expander at address 1.

Earth Grounding

Do NOT connect control terminals (especially negatives) to earth ground — isolation from ground gives better lightning/transient protection. Ancillary surge protectors (e.g. ELK-950 on the phone line) are still recommended.

Data Bus (RS-485) Termination — Critical

The RS-485 differential data bus runs at 38,400 bps and requires EOL terminating resistors to prevent reflection errors. Every device (keypad, expander, control board) has a built-in 120 Ohm terminating resistor activated by a 2-pin jumper (JP2 on keypads, JP1 on expanders, JP3 on the main board). Never install more than 2 terminating jumpers on the bus. With 2 home-run cables, terminate only the last device on each run (plus the control board if using a single cable). Maximum bus device wiring length is 4,000 ft.

Powering Up

After all wiring is checked, connect the transformer and battery. The control performs self-diagnostics and auto-enrolls the first keypad (address 1); additional keypads/expanders must be manually enrolled via Menu 01 – Bus Module Enrollment, each needing a unique data bus address within its type.

Security note: change the installer code from its factory default via Menu 07, Option 42, to prevent unauthorized programming access.

Programming the Control

Security functionality can be programmed from the keypad (menu-driven, text-based) or via the ELK-RP PC software; automation "Whenever/And/Then" rules require ELK-RP. Two programming levels exist locally: User level (add/change/delete user codes and names, requires a Master code) and Installer level (full customization, requires the installer code — if lost, the control cannot be programmed locally). "Lockout Local Prog" can prevent a competing installer from taking over local programming without affecting remote ELK-RP access.

Entering Installer Programming

1. Press ELK, then DOWN arrow until "9-Installation Programming" displays.
2. Enter the Installer Program Code when prompted, then press the RIGHT arrow to select.
3. A 4-minute inactivity timer starts; use UP/DOWN to navigate menus, RIGHT to enter a menu/option.

Area Partitioning

The control can be divided into 1–8 independent areas (partitions), each a full-featured system sharing one control — useful for a single building with multiple departments/tenants. Output 2 (Alarm) fires on any area's alarm regardless of partition. A "Common Area" (vestibule) feature lets Area 1 require all common areas to be armed before it can arm, and disarms Area 1 automatically if any common area disarms.

Communicator (Dialer) Setup Checklist

Supports up to 8 phone numbers plus the RP computer, in Contact ID, SIA, Pulse 4+2, or Pager formats. For each number: set the reporting format and priority (Menu 08), dial attempts (8 suggested for digital), the account number, and which report categories to send (zone alarms/restores/bypasses/troubles, user open/close reports, system events like AC Fail/Low Battery). Area-level (Menu 09) and zone-level (Menu 10) report codes, plus F-Key panic codes (Menu 11) and system-wide options (Menu 12), round out the setup.

Programming Menu Map

Keypad Menu Reference (Basic User Menus 1–9)

Press ELK, then UP/DOWN to select a menu (or type its number directly). Menus 1–5 may require a code if User Code Option 8 is set; Menus 6–8 require a Master or Installer code; Menu 9 requires the Installer code.

• 1 – View/Control Automation Functions: Tasks (1-button macros, activate with #), Lighting (toggle with #), Outputs (toggle with #), Temperature Sensors, Keypad Temperature, and Thermostats. All must first be assigned/named in ELK-RP.
• 2 – Reset Smoke Detectors
• 3 – Walk Test Area (Zones)
• 4 – View History Log
• 5 – View (Zone) Status
• 6 – Change User Codes (Master code required)
• 7 – Automation Custom Settings (Master code required)
• 8 – System Settings (Master code required) — includes Set System Clock, Keypad Adjustments, Battery/LCD/Communicator Tests, Connect RP Remote Program, and System Diagnostics.
• 9 – Installation Programming (Installer code required)

For general day-to-day operation — arming modes, bypassing zones, chime mode, disarming, and alarm response — see the companion ELK M1/M1EZ8 User Guide.

Support

Elk Products, Inc., 3266 Hwy 70 W., Hildebran, NC 28637. Phone: 828-397-4200. www.elkproducts.com