i know this would pry be better suited in the tech. and elec. forum but i've had it there all day and no replies.

i just bought an alarm and the i'm getting it installed tomorrow. they said that they put the brain in the dash.....isnt that typical though. making it easy for a thief to find? i dont know a whole lot about alarms. so could you guys tell me where i should have them put the brain and siren....and any other parts that need to be hidden if broken into. its a viper 500esp.

also i was going to do a back up battery but then they told me that its only a 9 volt batter, it'll only last like an extra minute, and the siren will be quieter when running off the back up. is this back up the same as for all other alarms? is this worth the extra $50? i thought i read that a back up lasts 5 minutes? thanks guys.

 

I'm not sure about the backup batteries, but I think it's typical to have the brain under the dash. The siren will go in your engine bay, which makes it plenty loud outside the car.

 

wouldnt it be bad to have it in the dash though since its typical? couldht the thief just find the wires, knowing they're most likely in the dash and snip in a matter of 10 seconds? or is this thing going to be so high up in the dash they wont be able to find them?

 

umm... im not gonna tell u where my alarm brain is, but its waaaaaay up in the dash board, with all the all the wires concealed to match the factory wiring. its too bad u bought a viper

 

I had an alarm on my pickup and the brain was up under the dash a little ways...I don't have the truck now, so I can't tell you for sure how far up it was. You could still get to it, but by the time someone broke in, laid down on the floor to find the brain, found something to cut the wires with and then cut them, the alarm would have gone off for a little while. Also, I think the wires were pretty hard to reach...I'm not sure though. But anyway, you could put the brain on the other side of the dash or something, but I don't think you need to be too concerned about that as long as it's not plainly visible. When someone breaks into a car, they want the stereo or whatever and probably won't take the time trying to turn off the alarm...they'll want to be in and out as soon as possible.

 

whats wrong with the viper? i read up on alarms and dei (?) products seemed to be consistently talked well of as being the leader. i was thinking clifford but i read that its been going downhill since the buy out. what would you have recommended getting and why?

 

i install alarms where i work, and when i do them, i remove most of the dash, and tuck the brain WAY up behind everything - sometimes as far up as behind the instrument cluster if it will fit. the only thing i leave down below is the shock sensor for easy adjustments later (if it's a separate unit). all the alarm wires are taped to look like oem, and if possible, i run the alarm wires inside the existing oem wire loom. an alarm is only as good as the installation. you could buy the most expensive alarm you can find, and have some hack install it, and you'd be better off without an alarm. also, battery backups are a waste of money. just a way for retail outlets to make accessory sales.

 

so i need to tell the installer i want the brain as far up as he can get it and to try to blend the wires in with the stock wires. what about the siren. should that be hidden in the engine bay or just the wiring going to it?

 

there are two wires going to the siren - positive and negative. the siren will mount in the engine bay, and it is also a good idea to have the installer put in a mini-piezo siren in the cabin, so if somebody DOES get in your car, the high pitched siren will force them out. they will not be able to stand the sound of the siren for more than a few seconds before moving on to their next target.

 

i got the backup siren...if someone cuts anything thats power it will set off and you need a key to shut it off...put it somewhere were it isnt for them to just rip it off and throw it away....its alot louder too. lasts 12 hours. dont worry i got the new viper too...its a good alarm.