Can a VISTA Security System Use 2 Wireless Receivers?

Honeywell Vista panels fall into roughly 2 categories, those that provide wired expansion via polling loop, and those that provide wired expansion via keypad bus. Generally speaking, polling loop panels can support up to 2 receivers, and all other Vista panels can support only 1.

The Vista-10P, Vista-15P, Vista-20P, and Vista-21iP can each support only one system receiver, and that receiver must be set to address 00. Any time a zone with a wireless input type is programmed, or when the RF House ID in *24 is set to anything other than 00, the panel will begin looking for a receiver, and if it doesn't see one, it will display a check 100 (1 + the device address, in this case, 00).

There are different types of receivers, the 5881EN stand alone style receiver comes in 3 capacities, Low (up to 8 RF Zones supported) Medium (Up to 16 RF zones supported) or High (as many as the panel will allow supported).

The 6150RF is a fixed English keypad containing a Medium receiver, but it can also support up to 8 4 button key fobs programmed locally into the keypad. Programmed in this way, the key fob buttons don't use any of the panel's wireless zones. The 6150RF accomplishes this by sending the key fob information to the panel as if it were keypad data. When programming key fobs into the 6150RF, you must associate each one to a 4 digit user code (not to the 2 digit user number). When arming or disarming with that key fob, it's as if you were at the 6150RF and entered the 4 digit code + Away, or 4 digit Code + Off. To the panel, the key fob in this scenario is completely transparent. For this reason, it may be advantageous to use a 6150RF, when you have the need for 16 or fewer actual RF zones, but perhaps want to use 3 or 4 4 button key fobs, rather than buy the higher capacity, more expensive receiver. Beware, though, because the key fob is tied to the 4 digit code, not to the 2 digit user number, if the 4 digit code is changed, the key fob will cease to work until it is associated to a new, working 4 digit code.

The 6160RF contains a High capacity receiver, therefore it does not support 4 button keys locally, as there is no need to do so.

Modern Honeywell polling loop panels began with the Vista-40, Vista-50, Vista-50P, and continue on through the Vista-128BPT, and Vista-250BPT. Receivers connect to the panel via the 4-wire keypad bus, and as such, each one must be properly addressed, and enabled in programming in order to function. 5881EN style receivers have dip switches with which their address is set. Keypad receivers such as the 6150RF and 6160RF set the keypad’s receiver address via programming on the device itself. In either case, in addition to setting the address on the device, you must also enable the same address within panel programming, as an RF Expander. Because receivers come in different capacities as stated above, you must be sure that when using 2 receivers on a single system, both are of the same capacity. If they do not match, the receiver with the lowest capacity will set the limit for the number of RF zones supported. A 6150RF contains a Medium receiver, and a 6160RF contains a High receiver, if you were to put both on a single panel with both receivers enabled, the system would only support up to 16 RF zones, even though the 6160RF can support many more than that. Also, when an RF House ID is used, it is also set in the panel's device programming, and if 2 receivers are used, they should both be set with the same RF House ID.