Paradox PGM outputs and zone expansion for panel builders
PGM outputs on Paradox SP, MG and EVO panels give you relay-level triggers for gates, lighting or signalling driven by alarm events — arm, disarm, zone alarm or trouble conditions. Zone expander modules add wired zone capacity where a project outgrows the base panel.
How the integration works
Define the trigger
Decide which alarm events — arm/disarm, zone alarm, trouble — should fire each PGM output, and what it should switch: a gate relay, a lighting circuit, a signalling device.
Wire the output as its own circuit
PGM output wiring is kept physically separate from alarm input loops, on its own relay circuit, so a fault on one side never compromises the other.
Size the zone expansion
Where the project needs more wired zones than the base panel provides, zone expander modules add capacity without redesigning the panel.
Document per output
Every PGM output gets a function label at the panel and in the as-built documentation, so a service technician years later knows exactly what it drives and why.
What this covers — and what it doesn't
Relay-level, not protocol-level
A PGM output switches a relay when an alarm condition occurs. It is not a data bridge into a building automation protocol — if a project needs that, a third-party relay/IO layer or gateway sits on top, scoped separately.
Gate, lighting and signalling triggers
PGM outputs on SP, MG and EVO panels drive relays for gate release, lighting circuits or external signalling on arm, disarm, zone alarm or trouble events.
Separated wiring practice
Output circuits are routed and terminated apart from alarm input wiring, reducing the risk of a wiring fault propagating between the two.
Wired zone expansion
Zone expander modules extend wired input capacity for installations that need more zones than the panel ships with.
Honest integration scope
PGM outputs are simple relay triggers. Deeper integration with a BMS or automation platform typically needs a third-party relay/IO layer or gateway, scoped per project — we won't oversell this as a native bridge.
Enclosure work alongside it
Where the project calls for it, we build the surrounding enclosure to IEC 61439 so the security wiring sits in a panel that meets the same standard as the rest of the installation.
What you get
A wiring and scoping package for PGM outputs and zone expansion, prepared by engineers who work across alarm and panel-building standards.
- PGM output wiring plan
- Zone expander sizing
- Separated circuit routing notes
- Per-output function labelling
- Scoping note for third-party BMS/gateway integration
Frequently asked questions
Can a Paradox PGM output control a building automation system directly?
No — a PGM output is a relay-level trigger. Feeding that into a BMS or automation platform needs a third-party relay/IO layer or gateway added on top, scoped per project.
Can I add wired zones to an existing Paradox panel?
Yes, within the panel's supported capacity — zone expander modules extend wired zone inputs where a project needs more than the base panel provides.
Who programs the PGM outputs and zone assignments?
A certified installer, through the keypad or Paradox's BabyWare software. Full reprogramming access isn't typically handed to the end user.
Does this work across SP, MG and EVO panels?
PGM outputs and zone expanders are available across the SP, MG and EVO series; exact capacity depends on the specific panel model in the project.
How do you keep PGM output wiring safe alongside alarm inputs?
By routing and terminating output relay circuits separately from input loops, and labelling each PGM function at the panel — standard panel-building discipline applied to alarm wiring.
Scoping a Paradox integration?
Send us the panel model and what you need the outputs to trigger, and our engineers will give you an honest read on what's achievable.