Can I Use a DSC Keypad With the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus?

Yes, the DSC WS9LCDWF9 PowerG Keypad can be used with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. It supports arm, disarm, and panic features. The panel must be at Firmware Version 2.3.2 or higher for it to work. Up to four (4) keypads can be used, but only two (2) keypads are supported per partition.

The Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus supports a variety of wireless options for controlling the system, as well as seeing the status of the panel. There's the Qolsys IQ Remote, which is a touchscreen that replicates the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 almost exactly. There are numerous wireless keyfob options, depending on which legacy daughter card is installed in the panel (319.5 MHz, 345 MHz, or 433 MHz). DSC PowerG Keyfobs can also be used with any IQ Panel 2 Plus. And then there is the DSC WS9LCDWF9.

This keypad falls somewhere between the IQ Remote and the wireless keyfob option. It doesn't have the ease-of-use, the information, or the same great features provided by the IQ Remote. But it does provide panel status, which a keyfob will not. The WS9LCDWF9 can work perfectly near a door that is seldom used for entry and exit, but you still want to have a controller nearby for those rare occasions when the door is used. This may be a basement door, an exterior garage door, or even a shed door.

Since the WS9LCDWF9 is a PowerG device, it boasts all the features that make PowerG great. It has an impressive range of about 2,000 feet from the panel, when used with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. It also offers 128-bit AES encryption between itself and the alarm panel. This means that your arming code information will stay safe and secure. Up to four (4) keypads can be used in conjunction with the Qolsys Panel, but only two (2) keypads can be used per partition. This means if you have only one (1) partition, you can use up to two (2) of these keypads.

The WS9LCDWF9 learns into the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus in the same manner as a zone. Once the panel is in auto-enroll mode, press and hold the [1] + [*] keys simultaneously until the keypad's enrollment number pops up on the panel screen. Press [OK] to accept the enrollment number. To verify the proper enrollment number, check the sticker on the back of the keypad's mounting plate prior to mounting (see image below the following paragraph).

Next, program the Sensor Type as Keypad. The Sensor Group can be 0-Fixed Intrusion, 1-Mobile Intrusion, or 2-Fixed Silent. This programming will determine whether the police panic is silent or audible, and whether or not the keypad is supervised. By default, supervision is set to 24 hours for non-life-safety devices. This can be changed in Dealer Settings within panel programming. Source should automatically show PowerG. Sensor Name can be edited to show the keypad location.

Once the keypad has been paired with the alarm system, it's ready for use. The DSC WS9LCDWF9 can be powered by 4 AA batteries (included) or by a power supply (not included, part number DSC 9VADAPTER-US). The transformer and batteries can both be used so that the keypad will still work during a power outage.

If secure arming is disabled within panel programming, pressing and holding the Stay or Away buttons on the front of the keypad for two (2) full seconds will arm the system to the corresponding mode. If secure arming is enabled, pressing the arming key will prompt the user to enter a valid 4-digit code to arm. Once armed, entering any valid 4-digit code will disarm the system.

The panic keys correspond to the keypad panics programmed into the IQ Panel 2 Plus. Both keys must be pressed and held to activate the panic. The Chime and Bypass keys serve no function when used with this panel, meaning you can not bypass from this keypad.