TIL old Honeywell panels beat new smart systems for reliability in rural setups

Ngl I spent last summer swapping out a 20 year old panel on a farm outside Austin for a new wifi based system and it kept dropping connection every time the wind picked up. Ended up putting the old panel back in and the customer was happier because it just worked. Anyone else find themselves going back to hardwired stuff for remote spots?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ruby5d ago

Stick a PoE powered switch in the loop and run hardwired Ethernet to the panel location. Keeps the wireless nonsense out of the critical path. Even put the panel in a basic weatherproof box with a vent if it's in a dusty barn. Did that on a place near Waco that had constant signal issues and it's been solid for three years now.

emeryfox5d ago

Honestly, I get why you went hardwired, but I see this a little different. Some of those newer barn setups I've seen, the Wi-Fi 6 mesh units with a dedicated backhaul handle the dust and metal walls way better than people give them credit for. Plus, you gotta think about the cost, a good PoE switch plus a weatherproof box plus running Cat6 can hit $200 easy, while a decent mesh node is like $80 and takes ten minutes. Ngl, I've had more trouble with corrosion on Ethernet ends in farm buildings than I've ever had with wireless in the last couple years. Tbh, it's not always a straight call, depends a lot on the barn's construction and how much interference you're actually fighting.