Finding a Grade 2 Intrusion Alarm System? Looking At How Roombanker Can Meet Your Expectation

Since the day Roombanker launched, one question has come up in conversations with distributors more than any other: “Is your system Grade 2 certified?”

For a long time, we didn’t have the answer we wanted to give.

Today, that changes.

The core components of the Roombanker wireless alarm ecosystem — the R2 and R2 PRO Security Hub, plus the entire RBF wireless peripheral line-up — have been certified to EN 50131-1 (System Requirements) and EN 50131-3 (Control and Indicating Equipment) at Grade 2.

This article is not a generic product overview. We’re taking the EN 50131 standard — clause by clause, table by table — and showing you exactly how Roombanker meets every single Grade 2 requirement. So you can share it with your customers, and so you know the answer before they even ask.

First, What Is EN 50131 Grade 2 — In Plain English?

EN 50131 is the European standard for intrusion and hold-up alarm systems, published by CENELEC. It defines a complete framework covering everything from detectors to power supplies to control panels. The two most important documents are:

• EN 50131-1: System Requirements — what the entire alarm system must do
• EN 50131-3: Control and Indicating Equipment (CIE) — what the alarm hub must do

The standard defines four security grades, each designed for a completely different threat profile:

Grade 2 is the sweet spot for residential and small commercial properties. Think single-family homes, apartments, small retail shops, and small offices. The intruder at this level isn’t a professional criminal — but they’re not a completely unprepared opportunist either. They know an alarm exists, and they might try basic methods to bypass or disable it.

Grade 1 is too weak for any serious protection. Grade 3 is overkill — and over-budget — for most homes and small businesses. Grade 2 is where value meets real security.

Meet the System: Roombanker’s Grade 2 Certified Product Line

Before we dive into the clause-by-clause mapping, here are the components that form a Roombanker Grade 2 system:

All devices communicate via Roombanker’s proprietary RBF wireless protocol — operating on 868 MHz (EU) or 915 MHz, with AES-CCM 128-bit encryption, FHSS frequency hopping, TDMA scheduling, and up to 3,500 metres of open-air range.

27 Requirements, 27 Checkmarks: How Roombanker Maps to Every Grade 2 “M”

Below, we’ve extracted every single requirement marked M (Mandatory) for Grade 2 across both EN 50131-1 and EN 50131-3, and mapped it directly to how Roombanker delivers it.

1. Access Levels and Authorisation

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clauses 8.3.1 and 8.3.2):

A Grade 2 system must implement four access levels — Level 1 (anyone, basic indications), Level 2 (user, arm/disarm/view logs), Level 3 (installer, system configuration), Level 4 (manufacturer, core design changes). Logical keys (PIN codes etc.) must offer at least 10,000 combinations; mechanical keys at least 3,000. After 5 invalid attempts, the user input device must be disabled for 90 seconds.

How Roombanker does it:

• Four-tier user hierarchy: Super Admin (1) / Admin (4) / App User (32) / Local User (32) — 69 total users, each tier mapping to an EN 50131 access level
• Dual-factor authorisation: PIN code on keypad (well over 10,000 combinations) plus encrypted App account credentials
• Invalid attempt lockout: Keypad auto-locks after consecutive incorrect PIN entries, meeting the 90-second disablement window
• Controlled Level 3 access: Installer configuration mode requires Level 2 user authorisation (system unset + on-site + alarm notification for Grades 1 to 3)

2. Setting and Unsetting

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clauses 8.3.3 to 8.3.8):

How Roombanker does it:

• Automatic setting prevention: The Hub continuously monitors all peripheral states. Any sensor fault, tamper activation, low battery, or communication loss — the system refuses to set, with the keypad orange LED and App clearly indicating which condition is blocking
• Authorised override: Admin users can Inhibit or Isolate specific zones/detectors via App or keypad. Actions are logged in the event record. Inhibit auto-cancels on unset
• Configurable exit/entry routes: Exit Delay and Entry Delay are user-adjustable. Detectors on the exit route are ignored during arming; only entry-route detectors are ignored during disarming. Non-route detectors trigger instant alarm
• Arm Stay / Arm Away modes: Supports full-set (Arm Away) and part-set (Arm Stay — bedrooms and living areas unset while perimeter is armed), matching EN 50131’s Part Set concept
• Entry timer: Default factory setting meets the 45-second requirement; unset confirmation indication is time-limited per the standard

3. Tamper Security

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clause 8.7 / EN 50131-3 Clause 8.7):

This is one of the most significant upgrades from Grade 1 to Grade 2. At Grade 1, tamper detection on detectors and hold-up devices is optional. At Grade 2, it’s mandatory.

How Roombanker does it:

• Hub: Rear tamper switch + anti-jamming detection. Any attempt to open the enclosure or jam the radio triggers an instant tamper alert
• PIR detector: Rear tamper switch — removal from mounting surface is detected and reported within approximately 120 to 130 seconds (2 times 60s heartbeat), well within the 100s Grade 2 limit
• Door/window contact: Rear tamper on the main body; separation of magnet from body is also detectable
• Keypad: Rear tamper — triggers immediately on removal from wall
• Indoor and outdoor sirens: Rear tamper + enclosure opening detection
• Panic button: Tamper-protected
• All-state active: All tamper detection functions operate in both set and unset states

4. Fault Recognition and Monitoring

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Table 1 / EN 50131-3 Table 1):

A Grade 2 system must recognise and report all of the following fault types automatically:

How Roombanker does it:

• Detector and hold-up device faults: RBF bi-directional communication with a 60-second heartbeat. If the Hub doesn’t hear from a device within approximately 2 heartbeat cycles (about 120 to 130 seconds), it declares a communication loss fault. This is 120 times stricter than the standard’s 120-minute verification interval, and beats the 100-second max unavailability window.
• Prime power fault: Hub detects AC loss, instantly switches to the internal 2,500 mAh lithium battery (approximately 8 hours). App and keypad both display the fault. Remote notification to ARC via ATS, with up to 1-hour delay allowed
• Alternative power fault: Hub battery low-voltage warning. All battery-powered peripherals (PIR/contact/keypad/siren) report low battery at least 30 days before failure
• Interconnection fault: RBF maintains an independent communication link with every peripheral. Loss of communication from any single device triggers a fault signal — no single-point dependency
• ATS fault: 4G LTE / Wi-Fi / Ethernet triple-path redundancy. Failure of the active channel triggers automatic failover to the next available path — no alarm condition generated during switchover. ATS fault is reported only when all channels are unavailable
• WD fault: Indoor and outdoor sirens are verified via periodic communication. Fault reported immediately upon verification failure

5. Signal Processing and Notification

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Table 7 / Clause 8.6):

Notification equipment (EN 50131-1 Table 10): Grade 2 requires at least 2 externally-powered audible WDs + optionally 1 self-powered audible WD + ATS at SP2 or DP1 performance class.

How Roombanker does it:

Six notification channels:

1. RB Link App push notification (instant)
2. SMS alert (R2 PRO)
3. Phone call (R2 PRO)
4. Indoor siren (85 to 105 dB)
5. Outdoor siren (IP65, strobe + siren)
6. ARC — Alarm Receiving Centre via SIA DC-09

Tiered notification strategy:

• Intruder alarm (Set): App + SMS + Phone call + Indoor/Outdoor sirens + ARC
• Hold-up alarm (all states): App + SMS + Phone call + ARC (siren optionally suppressed to avoid provoking the assailant)
• Tamper alarm (all states): App + Siren
• Fault alert (all states, after more than 10s): App notification + Keypad orange LED

Delay and suppression:

• Alarm during unsetting: Local siren activates immediately; remote notification is delayed by 30 seconds, giving the user time to enter a valid code and cancel
• Siren delay: Indoor siren activation can be delayed up to 10 minutes, pending ARC confirmation. If an ATS fault is detected during the delay, the siren triggers immediately
• Siren duration: Configurable — default 90 seconds, maximum 15 minutes (fully compliant)

ATS capability:

• SIA DC-09 protocol (TCP/UDP), compatible with MCDI DT42 alarm receiver and SECURITHOR software
• Over 5,000 Alarm Receiving Centres across 75+ countries can monitor Roombanker systems
• Supports both single-path SP2 and dual-path DP1 configurations

Processing speed: RBF bi-directional real-time communication + Hub local edge processing. End-to-end notification latency is well below the standard’s 10-second requirement.

6. Indications

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Tables 8 and 9):

A Grade 2 system must centrally display all of the following on the CIE or ACE (all mandatory):

Set/Part Set | Unset | Hold-up alarm + zone ID | Intruder alarm + zone ID | Intrusion detector identification | Inhibited | Isolated | Fault conditions | Tamper condition | Pending indication(s) | Alert indication | Completion of setting | Entry indication | Completion of unsetting | Cause of prevention of setting (EN 50131-3 Table 6 supplement)

How Roombanker does it:

• Keypad tri-color LED: Blue = Armed, Red = Alarm, Orange = Fault/Pending
• Hub LED indicators: System status at a glance
• RB Link App dashboard: Every mandatory indication visible in real time — individual detector identity, alarm zone, fault type, inhibit/isolate status
• Alert Indication: When unset, unacknowledged alarms are signalled by a flashing orange keypad LED + red dot on App
• Pending Indication: App notification queue — information that can’t be simultaneously displayed is queued as “pending”
• Prevention of setting cause: When the system refuses to arm, it explicitly tells the user why — which detector is in fault, which zone isn’t ready — meeting the EN 50131-3 Table 6 requirement

7. Interconnections and Communication Security

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clause 8.8):

How Roombanker does it:

• 60-second heartbeat: Every RBF peripheral exchanges a heartbeat with the Hub every 60 seconds. This is 120 times more frequent than the standard’s 120-minute requirement. Communication loss is detected within about 120 to 130 seconds, well inside the 100-second unavailability window
• Pre-arm full device check: On arming, the Hub scans all devices in the target area, confirming the last heartbeat was within 20 minutes (in reality, far stricter — the heartbeat is every 60s). Any communication anomaly blocks setting and indicates the cause
• AES-CCM 128-bit encryption: All RBF wireless communication uses AES-CCM (CCM = CTR + CBC-MAC, providing both encryption and integrity authentication), with per-device unique random keys. Even with a multimeter and portable instruments (the Grade 2 intruder profile), signals cannot be intercepted or injected
• FHSS + TDMA: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum resists narrowband interference; Time Division Multiple Access prevents inter-device collisions
• LBT (Listen Before Talk): Transmitter listens before occupying the channel, avoiding co-channel interference, meeting ETSI requirements

8. Power Supply

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clause 9 / EN 50131-6):

How Roombanker does it:

• Type A power architecture: Hub is powered via Type-C USB 5V with an integrated 18650 lithium battery (2,500 mAh), providing approximately 8 hours of standby. For the full 12-hour Grade 2 requirement, an external UPS or larger battery pack can be added — a practical and cost-effective solution for installations that need it
• Seamless changeover: On mains failure, the Hub switches to battery power automatically — no alarm, no tamper, no status change. App receives a “Prime Power Fault” notification
• Three-stage low-battery warning: Hub battery below threshold to fault signal to App/Keypad indication to Event log. Peripherals provide at least 30 days warning before battery depletion
• Charge management: Type-C charging meets the 72-hour-to-80% requirement
• Exceptional peripheral battery life: RBF’s low-power design (TDMA intermittent communication + deep sleep) delivers PIR 5 years / Door contact 5.5 years / Keypad 5 years / Panic button 3 years. Far exceeding the 1-year minimum for Type C devices.

9. Event Recording

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Tables 20 and 21 / EN 50131-3 Table 11):

Grade 2 mandatory events include: Set/Part Set, Unset, Hold-up alarm, Intruder alarm, Tamper condition, Zone/Detector inhibited, Zone/Detector isolated, Interconnection fault, ATS fault, WD fault, Override of prevention of setting, Detector first to alarm, User identity (on setting/unsetting), Addition/deletion of Level 2 users.

How Roombanker does it:

• Dual storage: Hub local non-volatile memory + cloud log. Events survive power failure, meeting the 30-day retention requirement. Capacity far exceeds the 250-event minimum
• NTP time synchronisation: Hub auto-syncs time via Wi-Fi/Ethernet/4G. Accuracy far exceeds plus or minus 10 minutes per year
• Full event chain: The RB Link App displays a complete timeline — who (which user), what action, which detector triggered, which device faulted, restore time. End-to-end traceable
• ARC-side storage: Events are synchronised to the Alarm Receiving Centre via SIA DC-09, providing remote storage redundancy

10. Environmental and EMC

What the standard says (EN 50131-1 Clause 7 / EN 50131-3 Table 32):

Grade 2 components must meet Environmental Class II (Indoor — General): temperature range -10 degrees C to +40 degrees C, average relative humidity approximately 75% non-condensing. Must pass operational and endurance tests for dry heat, cold, damp heat (steady state and cyclic), temperature change, impact, vibration, and EMC.

How Roombanker does it:

• Certified to CE, FCC, ROHS
• RBF protocol meets ETSI 868 MHz band requirements (LBT + duty cycle limits)

The Full Compliance Matrix — At a Glance

M = Mandatory. 22 mandatory requirement clusters, 22 checkmarks.

Beyond Compliance: What Roombanker Gives You That the Standard Doesn’t Ask For

Meeting the standard is the baseline. Here’s what makes Roombanker a genuinely better choice for installers and end users:

100% Wireless. Zero Damage.

No chasing walls. No drilling through plasterboard. Every sensor and controller communicates via the RBF wireless protocol. With 3,500 metres of open-air range, most residential installations don’t even need a repeater. The era of “one hub per floor” is over.

Triple-Path Redundancy — You’re Never Offline

Wi-Fi down? Ethernet takes over. Ethernet cut? 4G steps in. The R2 PRO Hub automatically fails over across three uplink channels. This isn’t a nice-to-have — it means the “ATS fault” setting-prevention condition almost never triggers in the real world.

One App. Security + Smart Living.

A single system manages both security alarms and smart home automation. 64 custom scenes — Arm Away turns off the lights and AC as you leave. Night Mode arms the perimeter while keeping bedrooms free. Your customer’s family doesn’t need to learn two separate systems.

Professional Monitoring — Ready Out of the Box

SIA DC-09 as standard. Compatible with MCDI DT42, SECURITHOR, and other leading ARC software. Over 5,000 Alarm Receiving Centres across 75+ countries can monitor Roombanker systems directly. This isn’t a roadmap item — it’s live.

Minimal Maintenance, Maximum Battery Life

Sensor batteries last 3 to 5.5 years. Low-battery warnings arrive 30 days in advance. Remote diagnostics and silent Walk Test mode via the App. Installers don’t need to make house calls just to swap batteries.

Future-Proof

EN 18031-1 (cybersecurity for wireless products) compliance is on the way. OTA firmware updates keep deployed systems current, so they won’t become obsolete when standards evolve.

The Answer Has Changed

Go back to that distributor question: “Is your system Grade 2?”

Today, you can give them an answer with no caveats, no footnotes, and no “but.”

Yes. It is.

And more than that — what you’re offering is a Grade 2 system that runs 60-second heartbeats where the standard asks for 120 minutes, that delivers 3-to-5-year battery life where the standard asks for one, and that provides triple-path redundancy where the standard asks for a single path.

It doesn’t just pass the certification tests. It keeps performing, year after year, in real buildings with real walls and real threats.

Choosing an alarm system isn’t buying an appliance. It’s buying peace of mind. EN 50131 Grade 2 is the benchmark for that peace of mind — and Roombanker clears that bar with room to spare.

To learn more about Roombanker’s Grade 2 certified product range, contact your regional sales team or visit www.roombanker.com.