X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: Marauder2003 on December 24, 2013, 05:09:20 PM

Title: WS16A distance
Post by: Marauder2003 on December 24, 2013, 05:09:20 PM

I just bought the SC546 chime.  I have a WS16A and a TM751.  What is the operating distance for the WS16A?  X10 is selling this 3 piece combo as a driveway alarm.

My problem is if my WS16A is more than 10 ft or so away from the TN751 nothing happens.  I would say most peoples driveways are more than that distance from the nearest AC outlet for the TN751.

Title: Re: WS16A distance
Post by: Brian H on December 24, 2013, 05:54:40 PM

Do you maybe mean a MS16A Motion Sensor?
Is the sensor mounted on metal?
Is there anything between the MS16A and the TM751? Like walls etc.
If you are using the defaults of A1 can you hear the TM751 click On and Off as motion is detected sending an On and then it times out to turn back Off?

Title: Re: WS16A distance
Post by: Marauder2003 on December 24, 2013, 06:01:16 PM

Yes, MS16A.

I have not mounted it yet because I am testing the distance.  From where it will be there is an aluminum garage door between the MS16A and the TM751.

I am using C3.  All works fine when I have the MS16A inside the house and there are 2 drywall walls between it and the TM751.

Title: Re: WS16A distance
Post by: Brian H on December 24, 2013, 06:38:05 PM

Well since the X10 wiki is now back on line. I will see if any of the old information is avilable. For things like motion sensors.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/MS16A

The new X10 sales site for the MS16A says 20 feet. That maybe a very conservative distance or the wiki entry of 100 feet is a stretch from the old management sales pitches.
I know others have gotten longer distances, but what is between the sensor and transceiver makes a difference. Also if mounted on metal the distance gets real short.
http://www.x10.com/x10-home-automation/controllers/motion-sensors/ms16a.html