Indigo Domotics

Anyone have a way to desensitize a x10 motion sensor? I have one going off too easily. I tried aiming, but still trips (think its from the wind)

Just a few layers of tape over the 'window'?

As I understand it, PIR sensors use a lens to split their sensitivity pattern into a series of beams. The motion detection works by looking for a sequence of pulses as the IR source moves across the beams.

So depending on what you need to accomplish you might try

- applying tape in vertical sections, starting from the outside and working your way towards the middle. This should narrow the field of view to the area immediately ahead of the sensor.

- apply tape horizontally, starting from the top and/or bottom. This should reduce sensitivity across the entire field while keeping a wide angle.

By the way, for security systems, "dual technology" sensors are great because they don't give false alarms - the moving object has to trip both a PIR and a microwave sensor, and between the two of those sensors, they do not get tripped by ambient heat and light sources. But the problem with these for automation / occupancy sensing is that they do not trip nearly as fast as a PIR.

I required multiple triggers before the software would accept a motion as legitimate. I found 3 motion sensor "on"s before an "off" to be a reasonable method to desensitize the detector.

ken_jacobs wrote:

I required multiple triggers before the software would accept a motion as legitimate. I found 3 motion sensor "on"s before an "off" to be a reasonable method to desensitize the detector.

I would do this, but I often get 10+ in a row from a motion sensor I have outside, when no one is out there to trigger it. They come back-to-back too, like within 1 second or less of each other. When a real person triggers it, I get one X10 ON. I guess I could do the inverse of what you did to solve the problem, but it's still kind of odd.. something wrong with my sensor maybe?

Does wind really trip these things?

I have 6 other sensors indoors that all behave pretty much as I'd expect. Some are oddly more sensitive than others, even though they're all at the same height and aimed pretty much the same way toward foot traffic. But it's reasonable.

-j

oops, sorry meant to revisit this thread.

Its ds10a for spme reason tripping it too on the phone home.

jingai wrote:

Does wind really trip these things?j

A change in temperature does. The X10 motion detector don't work well outdoors for this reason.

I would replace the sensor. You can get them on eBay at 3 for $25. I would also consider changing the address of the sensor.

gregjsmith wrote:

jingai wrote:

Does wind really trip these things?j

A change in temperature does. The X10 motion detector don't work well outdoors for this reason.

Well, what kind of a change are we talking about? We're in Florida, so the temperature ranges from 85-95 pretty much this time of year. Is this enough to trip it 30+ times/day?

If so, what sensor should I be using outside? Are the INSTEON sensors better with this?

-j