Is a 5881ENHC Compatible with a Honeywell VISTA-20P?

Yes, a 5881ENHC is compatible with a Honeywell VISTA-20P. Adding a Honeywell 5881ENHC to your system will allow you to use wireless 345 MHz sensors with your system. All of the system zones can technically be used with wireless sensors, with the exception of the on-board hardwired zones.

The Honeywell 5881ENHC is a wireless receiver that is used with Honeywell VISTA Systems. It is a commercial grade wireless receiver, meaning that it has been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for use in commercial fire and/or burglary protection installations. While it is designed for use with commercial systems like the Honeywell VISTA-128BPT or VISTA-250BPT, it can still be used with the low-P VISTA Systems, such as the VISTA-20P. It is basically the same device as the Honeywell 5881ENH, except that the 5881ENHC is specifically certified for use in commercial installations. One major difference between the two, is that the 5881ENHC features both a cover and a base tamper, while the 5881ENH has no tamper. You will want to choose a 5881ENHC over a 5881ENH if you are using the system in a commercial location, and the building code specifically mandates the use of a commercial grade wireless receiver for adding wireless sensors.

When setting up the Honeywell 5881ENHC, you will wire it directly to the VISTA-20P, much in the same manner that you would wire in a new keypad. Once it has been configured, you will be able to start pairing compatible 345 MHz wireless sensors with the system. On a VISTA-20P, you will be able to program up to 56 wireless zones on your system. Keep in mind that the system has 64 zones total. Zones 1 - 8 are always hardwired. Zones 9 - 48 can be wired or wireless. Zones 49 - 64 are wireless only zones, which are designated as key fob zones. If you perform zone doubling or add additional wired sensors by using a wired expansion module, then you will cut into the number of wireless zones you have available. The key fob zones are set aside for key fob devices, but they can be used for standard security or life-safety sensors as well. If necessary, any of the zones 9 - 40 can also be used as key fob zones.