Can All Lyric Sensors be Used on a PROA7 or a PROA7PLUS?

The Lyric can support both Honeywell 5800 sensors and 2GIG non-encrypted sensors. As long as it is on version MR3+. In order to support any legacy sensors, the PROA7 and PROA7PLUS must have the PROTAKEOVER added. Unfortunately, the PROTAKEOVER can support one or the other platform, not both.

When we talk about the Honeywell Home PROA7 and PROA7PLUS, the information provided also applies to the Resideo PROA7C and PROA7PLUSC. The PROA7 and PROA7C are basically the same panel, just with different branding on the front. The PROA7PLUS and PROA7PLUSC are also the same, except for the branding. You can read more about that here, and here's a comparison between the panel features and capabilities.

A couple of clarifications right off the bat. First, the PROTAKEOVER cannot support any of the 5800 Series bi-directional devices. This includes items like the 5828 and 5828V wireless keypads and the 5804BDV bi-directional key fob. If it requires a House ID in order to operate, the PROTAKEOVER does not support it. For purposes of this FAQ, that's not a big deal because the Lyric Controller does not support those devices either.

The same is true of the 2GIG encrypted sensors. Neither the Lyric nor the PRO Series panels can support them. If it's a 2GIG wireless sensor and it has a lowercase e in the model number, like this 2GIG DW10e, it isn't supported. This FAQ is specifically geared toward users who want to replace a Lyric with a PRO Series panel and who want to know about any sensor compatibility issues.

From the beginning, all 2GIG panels could support nearly all Honeywell 5800 Series wireless sensors. Again, the bi-directional devices were an exception. The same cannot be said of the Honeywell panels that support 5800 Series wireless. The Lyric was the first, and for a long time the only Honeywell or Resideo panel that supported 2GIG 345 MHz sensors. We don't know precisely what the difference is between the sensors and the way they communicate, but we know a difference exists.

If you happen to have a Lyric panel that has both 2GIG and 5800 Series wireless sensors programmed, and you want to replace that panel with one of the PRO Series panels, you'll need to decide which legacy wireless technology you want to keep, if any. Then, you'll need to add the PROTAKEOVER module to the PRO Series panel and set the frequency selector dial to either Honeywell or 2GIG. Setting the dial to 0 selects Honeywell 5800 Series. Setting the dial to 1 selects 2GIG 345 MHz.

As for any of the Lyric SIX Sensors, those can be brought over to the PRO Series panel with ease. First, they must be deleted properly from the Lyric panel. Be sure that the sensor's internal LED is flashing rapidly after you delete the sensor from the Lyric. This indicates it is no longer paired and can be learned into a new system. Once the sensors are programmed to the PRO Series panel, they will receive a firmware update that changes them to PROSIX Series sensors. This is a one-way upgrade. Once they have been upgraded, they can't be downgraded, which means they will no longer work with any Lyric panel.

At Alarm Grid, we tested a PROA7PLUS panel with a PROTAKEOVER installed. We set the dial to support Honeywell 5800 Series sensors and verified it was working by adding a 5800 Series wireless device. We then attempted to add a 2GIG unencrypted wireless sensor to the panel. The procedure failed, even manually programming the sensor did not work. We then switched the PROTAKEOVER to support 2GIG 345 MHz sensors, learned in a 2GIG device to verify it was working then attempted to add a Honeywell 5800 Series wireless sensor. Again, the process failed. So, we determined that the PROTAKEOVER module can only support one or the other manufacturer's sensors, but not both.

One curiosity is the Encore Firefighter FF345 listening device. This is a module that you mount close to a smoke detector with a sounder built in. The FF345 listens for the sound of the smoke detector in alarm, then transmits a signal to the alarm panel, which then signals a fire alarm. This module allows a user to indirectly tie high-voltage, interconnected smoke detectors, which are usually present in any newer home, to their alarm system.

The FF345 was introduced by Encore several years ago and was eventually purchased by 2GIG. The oddity is that although this product is produced by 2GIG, it operates as a Honeywell 5800 Series device. That means, in order for the FF345 to work with a PRO Series panel, the PROTAKEOVER must be set to use Honeywell, not 2GIG. We have tested and verified this.