Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jbbcd]

Thinking about buying one.
I'd like to set up an auto on off motion sensor to pc X10 on my front porch to detect people walking by my Arbor 20 feet away.
Will any of these systems work for this???
jbbcd@hotmail.com

[hawk1]

My motion sensors detect motion at least from 20 feet away.  But it all depends on variables. New batteries, location, position.  The problem is not normally with the detection range but the range between the motion sensor and the transceiver or receiver.  Most users have modified their receiver or transceiver with a different type of antenna to get the range they need.

Others acquire a different receiver.  Like the VA572 from WGL designs.  I have one of these and it works fantastic!  The farthest I've been able to receive with the VA572 is 200 feet and that is only because that was the end to my driveway. 

You can get most of these packages to work but....  be advised there could be some extra ingredients that you might have to buy to get it to work.  (noise filters, phase coupler, etc...)  If you tell us exactly what you want to do then I'm sure someone can point you to what you need. 

Like I want to turn on a camera or light on when motion is sensed and then turn off.

[HA Dave]

I agree completely with what hawk1 posted (although I don't own a VA572 from WGL designs myself).

I use the X10 [hardwired] floodlights (PR511) for motion detection around the house perimeter. I get rock-solid motion detection at a range of 20 feet... and no RF range issues as the X10 signal is sent over the powerline.

For driveway detection I use a driveway alert. It chimes an "alert signal" to let me know when a car pulls in my driveway. To get an X10 signal from that... with the unit I selected (a cheapie $19 detector) I had to hack the receiver and add a powerflash module. There are other [better] detectors on the market that have terminals ready for the powerflash module (if you require that). The advantage of these "other brand" detectors.. of course.. is RF range. Many broadcast the RF signal 400 feet or more.

[PajamaGuy]

If you only want 20' of range, you'll probably have to use scotch (magic) tape on the lens.  Not the clear, and not the solid, but the translucent tape.  Put a couple of layers on and check the range, then add or remove layers until you get the range you want.

You can also use a combination of solid tape and positioning to establish "focus" to a specific area.