Wireless panels were a hard sell for me until a restaurant job changed my mind

I used to swear by hardwired systems only. Thought wireless was just a gimmick for lazy installers or cheap homeowners. Then I got a call to retrofit a 1950s diner in Cleveland with brick walls everywhere. Running conduit would have taken three days minimum. That Honeywell 5800 series took me maybe four hours total and the connection has been solid for 8 months now. Any other die-hard wired guys come around to wireless after a specific job?

3 comments

3 Comments

smith.elliot13d ago

Yeah that Cleveland diner sounds like a nightmare. Wireless saved your butt for sure.

the_claire13d ago

Gotta laugh at myself here cause honestly my "wireless saved the day" moment was just me desperately googling "how to fake a phone call" while hiding in the bathroom. The diner was so bad the waitress actually yelled at me for ordering a well done burger. My phone battery was at 3% and I was praying it'd last through my escape plan. Almost had to ask someone to borrow their charger which would've been peak embarrassment.

emma_baker6113d ago

Jumped into a 1920s apartment building last year with original plaster walls in Chicago, and yeah, wireless saved me too. I had to patch two spots where I drilled through a hidden steel beam and a pipe, total disaster. @smith.elliot you get it, some of those old buildings just fight back on every single wire run. That 5800 series has been solid for me on a few retrofits actually. I still prefer hardwire for new construction, but wireless definitely has its place now.