ELK-M1G Cross Platform Control — Installation and Programming Manual

Installation and programming manual for the ELK-M1G "Cross Platform Control" security/automation panel — a professional-grade control supporting 16 on-board zones (expandable to 208), area partitioning, extensive automation rules, and multiple communication options. Complies with the SIA CP-01 Standard for False Alarm Reduction.

Important Limitations

The ELK-M1G is designed to warn against unauthorized entry and other emergencies, but it is not a guarantee against burglary, fire, or other emergency. Any alarm system can be compromised or fail to warn due to factors including: unauthorized access through unprotected/bypassed points; loss of power to sensing devices; phone line disruption; insufficient occupant reaction time; smoke detector sensing limitations (may not activate in as many as 35% of fires per FEMA data — improper placement, fires starting behind walls/closed doors, or on other floors); wireless signal blockage by metal objects; battery depletion (4-7 years typical lifespan, shortened by environmental extremes); and general component failure over the unit's ~20-year design life. The system should be tested weekly — inadequate maintenance is the most common cause of a system failing when needed.

Specifications, Features & Benefits

• 16 on-board zones, expandable to 208; wireless capability up to 144 zones
• Two-way listen-in interface; flash memory for field firmware updates; RS-232 serial port
• 512-event time/date-stamped history log; menu-driven text keypad programming (no manual needed for basic use)
• Voice announcement with 500+ word/phrase vocabulary, up to 6 words linked per announcement, 10 custom recordable words/phrases
• 13 on-board outputs: 1 voice driver/siren, 1 siren driver/voltage, 1 Form C relay, 10 low-current (50mA) voltage outputs
• Supports 4-wire smoke detectors (any zone) and 2-wire smoke detectors (Zone 16 only), with fire alarm verification routine
• Partitionable into 8 areas/account numbers; 99 (4- or 6-digit) user codes with assignable authority levels
• Arm levels: Away, Stay, Stay Instant, Nite, Nite Instant, Vacation
• Plug-in terminal blocks; hardware watchdog and nonvolatile EEPROM memory
• Supervised phone line, alarm output, and auxiliary overcurrent protection
• Communications: True V.22bis modem for upload/download; optional M1XEP Ethernet interface; built-in phone remote control (any phone becomes a keypad); integrated voice dialer; communicator formats SIA, Contact ID, 4+2, and Pager; Elk-RP PC programming software with conflict resolution (dial-up, ethernet, RS-232, or local phone jack)
• Keypad: backlit 16x2 line LCD, built-in temperature sensor, optional plug-in prox access reader (26-bit Wiegand), 6 programmable function keys, only 4 wires to the control, 1 zone input + 1 output programmable per keypad, max 16 keypads
• Automation: powerful "Whenever/And/Then" rules engine — any single trigger can have multiple AND conditions and THEN commands without chaining rules; text-based references; RS-232/2-way Power Line Control (PLC) lighting commands (On/Off/Dim/All On/All Off); custom serial ASCII string transmit/receive; temperature sensor reading and thermostat communication; built-in sunrise/sunset calculation
• Power supply: 2.5A heavy duty, dynamic battery test, master power switch, low battery disconnect, PTC (fuseless) resettable overload protection, multiple auxiliary power terminals
• M1G (Gold) specific: 528 automation rules capacity, 8 serial ports (w/ expanders), 8 phone numbers, 16 HVAC thermostats supported, 205 total outputs, advanced lighting options (pre-set dim, extended, levels, scenes), analog zone definitions supported

Part Numbers & Accessories

Note: Two-Way Listen-in use may be regulated by local/state law — verify before enabling.

Installation Planning

1. Read the entire manual before beginning, including all UL/NFPA requirements.
2. Perform a physical site survey using the manual's layout diagrams as a guide.
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 installation.

Typical layout guidance: All perimeter openings below 18" should have protection. 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 need at least one smoke detector per level.

Mounting & Wiring Preparation

Control mounting: Do NOT mount outdoors, in a damp location, or in an unconditioned attic. Choose a secure, dry indoor location with ambient temperature 32°-120°F (0°-49°C), near an unswitched power outlet and grounding conductor. Mount using the upper center slotted hole to level.

Keypad mounting: Ideal height 50-58 inches, same temperature range, avoid direct sunlight. Fasten the backplate with flat-head screws to avoid shorting the circuit board. Splice the keypad's Black/Red/White/Green harness wires to the M1 Data Bus field cabling. Minimum field wire gauge is 24 AWG (18-22 AWG recommended for long runs); CAT5 cable works well, with spare conductors usable as a return path for Data A/B lines.

Zone Wiring

Zones 1-16 are on the main board (17-208 via expanders), arranged in groups of 16 with each pair of zones sharing a common negative terminal. Zones can use EOL (end-of-line) resistor supervision (default), or normally closed/open wiring without a resistor. Burglar and keyswitch zones also support 4-state EOL wiring (Security Alert on Short, or Security Alert on Open/Short — firmware 4.3.5+).

• 3-state zone (1 resistor): non-violated ≈7.0VDC, open circuit ≈13.8VDC, shorted ≈0VDC. Menu 8 (System Diagnostics) shows live zone voltage.
• 4-state zone (2 resistors, N.C. contacts): distinguishes Short (~0-3.9V), 2.2k Ohm reading (4.0-7.3V), 4.4k Ohm reading (7.4-11V), and Open (11.1-13.8V) — giving separate alarm vs. security-alert/tamper states when armed or disarmed. Requires firmware 2.3.5+ (Note: manual text shows a typo referencing 2.3.5/4.3.5 in different places — verify against your firmware).
• Two-wire smoke on Zone 16: position jumper JP1 to cover the two right-hand pins, then in Installer Programming Menu 05 set Zone 16 as Fire (Def=10) and Wire Type=6. Use only compatible 2-wire detectors listed on the control's front label; use an 820 Ohm EOL resistor (part ER820) instead of 2,200 Ohm. Use 18AWG fire-rated wire, max 1000 ft, max resistance 13 Ohms.

Power terminals: +SAUX (switched 12VDC, for 4-wire smoke detectors needing a reset power interruption, 1.1A PTC protected); +VAUX (unswitched 24-hour auxiliary power for motion detectors/glass breaks, 1.25A PTC protected); +VKP (keypad power, 1.25A PTC protected). All negative terminals share a common reference (circuit ground) — but this is distinct from earth ground and Relay Output 3's common terminal, which must not be electrically connected to negative.

Earth grounding: Do NOT connect any control terminal (especially Neg) to earth ground — isolating the control from ground gives the best protection against lightning/transients. An external device like the ELK-950 Surge Protector is still recommended on the incoming telephone line.

RS-485 Data Bus (Keypads & Expanders)

Conforms to EIA RS-485 standards, operating at 38,400 bps. No more than 2 home-run data bus cables may attach to the M1 Main Data terminals, and each cable end must be terminated with a 120 Ohm resistor (via the 2-pin gold jumper — JP2 on keypads, JP1 on expanders; no terminators are installed from the factory). The bus must never have more than 2 terminating jumpers installed, and must never be spliced using telephone-type 66/110 punch-down blocks. Max total wire length is 4000 ft. Options for wiring multiple home runs include the ELK-M1DBH Data Bus Hub (CAT5, daisy-chained via RJ45) or 6-conductor cable with series splices (out-and-back A1/B1 wiring). An auxiliary power supply is required if combined aux load exceeds 1A (450mA for UL Commercial) — always tie its negative terminal to the control's Data Bus NEG.

Powering Up & Basic Operation

After connections are verified, connect the AC transformer and battery, then turn the Master Power Switch (lower left corner) on. The control self-diagnoses and auto-enrolls the first keypad (Address #1); additional keypads/expanders must be manually enrolled via Installer Menu 01. Every data bus device needs a unique address within its type.

To start on battery only (no AC available, e.g. new construction), short the two silver pads in the lower-left corner with a small screwdriver — the power switch must be in the ON position.

Factory default Master user code: 3456 (or 123456 if six-digit codes are enabled). Factory default Installer code: 172839. Warning: never set the Installer code to 000000 — this locks out Keypad Installer Level Programming entirely.

The system supports 199 user codes plus one installer code, each with individually assignable authority levels (set via Installer Programming; PIN digits and names are set via Keypad User Menu 6, accessible only with a Master or Installer code).

Keypad Overview

• Ready Light: ON when all burglar zones are secure. OFF = one or more zones violated. FLASHING = one or more force-armable violated zones (temporarily excluded when armed; auto-restores to service once secured — handy for a garage door left open).
• Armed Light: ON when armed (mode shown on LCD and Exit/Stay buttons); OFF when disarmed.
• Exit Key: Arms to AWAY mode (all perimeter + interior zones active). Pressing during exit delay converts to Away Vacation mode (used for long-term energy-saving automation rules).
• Stay Key: Arms to STAY mode (interior zones excluded, only perimeter active). Can also cycle to Stay Instant, Stay Night, Stay Night Instant. Interior-zone violations don't block Stay arming if those zones are force-armable; Stay Night re-activates interior night zones (and won't allow arming if a night zone is violated unless force-armable).
• Chime Key: Lit = Chime mode on (tone/announcement when a zone opens). Modes: Tone only, Voice, Tone/Voice, Off. Also used as a text-insert key during programming.
• Bypass Key: Press, then a zone number, then Bypass again to exclude that zone. Lit = one or more zones bypassed. Also used as a delete key during text programming.
• * Key: Clear/reset key (3 presses = master clear). # Key: duplicates the Bypass key function.
• ELK and Arrow Keys: ELK key opens context-relevant menus; arrow keys scroll options; right arrow selects. May prompt for a passcode. Press * to return to the status screen.

Available Keypad Models

Keypad Menu System

Press the ELK key, then use UP/DOWN arrows to select a menu, entering a code when prompted. Menus 1-5 can be restricted to users with "User Code Option 8" enabled; Menus 6 and 8 require a Master or Installer code; Menu 9 requires the Installer code.

• Menu 1 — View/Control Automation Functions: Tasks (1-button macros triggering multiple actions — e.g. a "Water the Lawn" task tied to a rule that opens a valve for 5 minutes), Lighting (toggle lights/appliances assigned via Elk-RP), Outputs, Temperature Sensor, Thermostats. Automation functions must first be assigned/named in Elk-RP and generally require a Whenever/And/Then rule to do anything.

Installer-Level Programming Menus

Entered via Installer code from the keypad. Key menus include:

• Menu 01 — Bus Module Enrollment (assign unique addresses to keypads/expanders)
• Menu 02 — User Code Options / Authorities
• Menu 03 — Area Definitions
• Menu 04 — Keypad Definitions
• Menu 05 — Zone Definitions
• Menu 06 — Alarm Duration/Cutoff Timers
• Menu 07 — Global System Definitions (includes Daylight Saving Time, Wrong Code Lockout, output delays, etc.)
• Menu 08 — Telephone Account Setup
• Menu 09 — Area Reporting Codes
• Menu 10 — Zone Reporting Codes
• Menu 11 — Keypad F-Key Reporting Codes
• Menu 12 — System Report Code Options & Codes
• Menu 13 — User Report Codes
• Menu 14 — Wireless Definitions

See Section 4 of the full manual for Elk-RP PC programming software, firmware update/verify procedures, and detailed Automation Rules/Attributes configuration ("Whenever/And/Then" rule builder).

Optional Prox Card Reader (ELK-M1KP)

1. Press ELK, then 6 (Change User Codes) — requires a Master code.
2. Select the target 3-digit user code location (001-099), then CHG.
3. Present the new prox card/fob near the keypad's right speaker grille (read range ~1/8"-3/8"). The keypad beeps 3 times and displays the 12-digit card ID.
4. If rejected: the card may already be enrolled (duplicates aren't allowed), or its facility code doesn't match the reader.
5. Set the card's authority (Arm, Disarm, or Access Event) via Installer Menu 02.

A keypad Access Event (valid card read) does nothing on its own until referenced in a Whenever/And/Then rule — e.g. "WHENEVER Keypad 01 Access is Activated, THEN Turn On Output 003 for 10 seconds" to momentarily break power to a door strike.

M1KP On-Board Temperature Sensor

Only the ELK-M1KP (not the M1KP2 or M1KPAS) has a built-in temperature sensor, usable in Elk-RP rules (e.g. turning on a fan/pump when temperature exceeds a threshold). To recalibrate: hold "*" and F5 for 5-10 seconds (or hold any key while powering on) to enter keypad setup mode, press F2 to view the current reading, use UP/DOWN to adjust (~0.3°F per press), then press Exit twice to return to normal operation.

UL/Regulatory Notes

The manual includes detailed UL Household and Commercial Burglar/Fire listing requirements, UL Canada (ULC S304/S303) requirements, and a list of approved enclosures (ELK-SWB14/UB14/SWB28/TB14, or OnQ Legrand 14"/28"/42" enclosures with the required Universal Mounting Plate — note several OnQ Legrand enclosures are NOT listed for Canada). A supplementary UL-listed, battery-backed power supply diagram is provided for installations exceeding the control's allowable current draw. UL985 requires 1/4" minimum separation between power-limited and non-power-limited (battery) conductors.

Warranty

ELK Products, Inc. warrants the M1 and associated components against defects in material/workmanship for 2 years from the date of manufacture. If a defect is found within the first 180 days, an over-the-counter exchange may be allowed (subject to inspection). During the warranty period, Elk will repair or replace defective products free of charge (freight prepaid by customer); after expiration, repairs are billed at a fixed per-device charge. Warranty is void if the product was damaged by negligence, accident, mishandling, lightning, flood, or other Acts of God; not operated per instructions; altered/repaired outside authorized facilities; or modified with accessories that adversely affect performance/safety/reliability. Contact ELK or an authorized distributor for an RMA number before returning any product. This is the exclusive warranty — no other express or implied warranties (including merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose) apply, and ELK's total liability is limited to the product's purchase price; no liability for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. Some states prohibit these limitations, in which case additional rights may apply.

Manufacturer: Elk Products, Inc. — www.elkproducts.com