X10 Community Forum
🛡Home Security => Problems and Troubleshooting => Topic started by: SammE on December 17, 2011, 01:45:11 PM
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Hi,I have a window unit magnets mounted on a sliding door....I registered it with the Control Center.I then proceeded to mount more window units to areas of my utility shed. I have decorative blocks on the upper portion of the walls.Through the decorative blocks I threaded a single wire to make a loop instead of the magnets.I registered each one of these with the unit. Then I have a loop that encompasses the ceiling running under each skylight (4' transparent) roofing.....it is also registered with the Control Unit.It gets quite warm through the day and then at about 2:00pm in the afternoon when I set the alarm it refuses to arm.
My question is this: does the temperature induce a current flow in the loop that disallows the arming?? I had a motion sensor inside there too and it would sound alarm about 11:00am in the morning. I couldn't figure this problem out until I read the X-10 manual and it said all motion sensors are heat sensitive. So I disconnected it ( took batteries out) and installed the loop system using a door or window sensor and have the same problem when it gets warm with running a wire under the skylights; in a loop.
( For you information the location of my installation is Central America)....thus the heat issue. Any electronic experts outthere have any suggestions on solving this problem.
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You are using the DS7000 Kit with the PS561 Console, the newer SC1200 Console or one designed for Central America ?
Which Model Door/Window Sensor. DS10A or DS12A?
Heat may effect the DS10A or DS12A Door Window Sensors.
The MS10A or MS18A Security Motion Sensors use changes in detected heat to trigger. So they would be more prone to temperature extremes.
When you try and arm the console. Can you describe what happens. Like the sounder beeps or an LED flashes?
Sensors have to check in periodically or the console detects an error and will not arm.
By using the bypass function you maybe able to determine which zone is the problem to narrow your troubleshooting tests.
If you set the PS561 console to Run2 or SC1200 Chime enabled. When you open and close each zone the sounder should chime. That would test the zones range back to the console.
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Thanks for the thoughtful reply. This is a PS561 unit. I bought this unit and took it with me to Central America. What I have done is run about 120' total of stranded speaker wire in a loop back and forth under the roof panels and skylights so that cutting through the roof would place an "open" condition in the wire. I checked for "continuity" before making the loop complete to the window unit; I too, have ruled the motion sensors in this utility shed as unreliable because of the heat. The window units are; DS10A. I am currently in the States now for the Holidays and will return down there on the 6th of January. I will be in contact as it sounds like you have had some experience with these units!
Thanks,
Sam
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Is it possible that the wire has a break somewhere, and the temperature change is causing the conductors to shift enough to make or break contact?
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It is probably the length and type of wire. Speaker wire was never really made for alarm systems. U should be using solid strand wire like networking on phone cable. Less issues. I had the same issue using speaker wire as a line for door sensors. took it out and went to some solid strand cured problem.. you may want to try a glass break sensor or possibly a outdoor motion sensor that is not quite so heat sensitive? the motion sensor should work in the shed yes they do read heat signatures but they look for extream heat changes and im sure your shed does not spike all at once it would be a gradual heat change.