How Many Zones Does a VISTA 21iPLTE Have?

A VISTA 21iPLTE has 64 zones. But the system will not support this many zones right out of the box. You will need some add-ons if you want to unlock all of the available system zones. These system add-ons include a wireless receiver and Honeywell 4219 Hardwired Zone Expansion Modules.

Out of the box, the VISTA 21iPLTE only has eight (8) hardwired zone terminals. Zones 2 thru 8 support zone doubling. This means that you can only use 15 hardwired zones from the start. If you want to use additional hardwired zones, then you will need one or more Honeywell 4219 Modules. Each 4219 module you add will add support for eight (8) additional hardwired zones. The total number of hardwired zones on the panel cannot exceed 48. This means you can add up to five (5) of the 4219 Expansion Modules.

Zone 1 is a somewhat special zone on the VISTA 21iPLTE System. This hardwired zone includes a built-in reset function that makes it capable of supporting 2-wire smoke detectors. This is also why the zone-doubling feature is not available on Zone 1. You can have up to 16 2-wire smoke detectors set up with this zone. No other zone on the system is capable of supporting 2-wire smoke detectors. If you are not using 2-wire smoke detectors, then Zone 1 can be used with any other compatible hardwired sensor.

The VISTA 21iPLTE cannot support wireless sensors without the addition of a wireless receiver. It is recommended that you add a wireless transceiver so that you can use both uni-directional and bi-directional wireless devices. A great option is to add a Honeywell 6160RF Keypad. This is an excellent dual-function device, as it doubles as both a keypad and as a wireless transceiver. Any system zone except for the eight (8) on-board zones can be used with wireless sensors. This means that you can have a maximum of 56 wireless zones on the VISTA 21iPLTE System.

It is important to note that Zones 49 thru 64 are wireless key fob zones. These zones are designed for use with key fob inputs. But you can technically use these key fob zones with any compatible wireless sensor. Also, if you run out of key fob zones, then you can enroll key fob inputs to other available wireless zones. These 16 key fob zones are added to the panel's 40 regular wireless zones to allow for up to 56 wireless zones in total.

The important zone totals to remember for the VISTA 21iPLTE are 64 total zones, 56 wireless zones (40 regular + 16 key fob), and 48 hardwired zones (8 built-in, plus 8 more for each 4219 Expander). If you use more than eight (8) wired zones, it will start cutting into the maximum number of hardwired zones. Also, if you use more than 16 wireless zones, then it will start cutting into the maximum number of wireless zones. The total number of zones on a VISTA 21iPLTE can never exceed 64.