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[jkirchoff]

I am trying to install my last DS12A sensor (on a sliding door) on the SC1200 panel. This sensor is the farthest from the control panel. The other two work great and are consistent. This one chimes when I open the door however does not recognize when I shut the door. When I go to arm the system, it says that Zone 1 Open. If I remove the SC1200 batteries and unplug the power to the unit, it resets. I open the door and the system chimes but again does not recognize when the door closes. Attached are some pictures off how I mounted the sensor. I am not sure if the metal bracket is causing the issue. I have tried 3 or 4 different arrangements with and without the metal bracket; none of them work. The weird thing is that when I test the placement of the sensor by holding the magnet and the sensor with my hands it works. Opens, closes just fine. Is my arm acting as an extension to the sensor antenna??? Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

https://backup.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8c69668c59657076ae6d

Thank you!

[Brian H]

Does the LED on the front of the DS12A Flash when you open and again when you close the door?
My thoughts are.
Since you get a chime when you open the door. It is sending the sensor open command and the console is receiving it.

When you close it. If the LED does not flash again. The sensor never sent the Sensor Closed command.
The bracket the magnet is mounted on. Maybe attracted to magnets and weakening the field enough to not allow the internal switch to again close.

Do you get any Trouble Zone Messages on the console, for that DS12A, if it not activated for around four hours?

[jkirchoff]

Yes, the LED flashes both when the door opens and closes. I question if the metal bracket is the problem or not. When I first mounted the sensor, I didn't use the metal bracket and still had the problem.

I haven't seen any Trouble Zone Messages on the console. What should I be looking for?

Do you think it is a range issue?

Thanks!

[Brian H]

I looked at the photos again.
Zone 1 is the problem zone from what I see.
When you opened the door you hear the chime and the console shows the #1 Zone open.
When you close the door and the LED on the DS12A flashes again. Does the console still show Zone 1 Open?
Can you have a assistant help do a test? Open the door and you get the chime. Watch the zone on the console and see as you slowly close the door if it goes closed and then back open on the display.

The Trouble Zone message would be if the console didn't receive a message in about four hours. The sensors check in around every sixty minutes. That would indicate a possible missed command. Possible from a range issue.

[jkirchoff]

Yes the console says zone 1 is still open. When an assistant helped, they opened the door (chime & console shows zone 1 is open). When they closed the door slowly, Zone 1 didn't disappear (close nor chime) from the console display.

No Trouble Zone messages yet.

Thanks

[jkirchoff]

I just tried something. I put my hand on the sensor (see the new pictures in the link posted earlier in this thread) and opened the door. The console chimed, and I shut the door with my hand still on the sensor. The console showed that the zone was closed. It works fine over and over as long my hand is on the sensor like the pictures show. Why would this be and what can I do to fix the problem?

Thanks!

[Brian H]

If the signal back to the console was not getting there with the closed action. Your hand maybe just enough to get it there. Or the DS12A is screwed up and always sending a Zone Open or delayed Zone Open command and the hand effects it.

Trouble zone takes around four hours of no reports back from a sensor.

If you did the Open and Close of the door and the console still shows open.
Then wait a few hours and see if it changed back to closed. We know the first closed message was missed but the check in closed message was received.
If it shows open but never triggers a Trouble message. The DS12A is still sending open check in mesages.

[jkirchoff]

I am not sure how long after, but the console received the closed signal. So the sensor is checking in at some point.

[Brian H]

It does look like it maybe a spotty reception when being closed and eventually one of the check in messages then sets it to closed.
The DS12A sends it present state in the check in message. So if the original zone closed message was missed. One of the check in messages did reach the console.

If you have the SC1200A sitting on a table. Try a quick test. Set it up on its edge so it is vertical and then do the door open and closed test. See if the message is then received the first time.

I will see if I can find some tips to extend the range. I know some other users have had distance problems with them.

[jkirchoff]

I currently have the console mounted on the wall. I added 3 new pictures to the link earlier posted in this thread.

The first position is how I currently have the console mounted. As we know, reception is fine for receiving the open signal but not for the close signal. The following 2 pictures show the position while performing the test you requested.

Trial Position 1. Again only works consistently when a hand is placed on the sensor when closing the door.

Trial Position 2. This worked consistently WITHOUT a hand is placed on the sensor when closing the door. So this corrects the issue.

Does that narrow it down to the reception on the console? If so, have you found any other threads that describe methods to increase the console reception?

I really appreciate your time and effort in helping me figure this out!

I will try pulling the antenna out tomorrow as detailed in this thread http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=25370.0

[Brian H]

You may want to search for Passive Antenna and look at the Passive Antenna outlined here
http://www.davehouston.net/X10_feng_shui.htm

I know some users here have used them with various X10 senders. The design of the DS12A has the transmitter antenna on the PC board. Which means the strongest signal is out of the front cover and the back cover.

[Brian H]

New thread on antenna modifications with photos.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=sp8v2hb7k25tulpodfe04hg8n2&topic=26293.msg148359;topicseen#new