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[aaron]

I have a motion detector in the living
room.  When I arm the system sometimes it
does not arm, because the motion detector
LED is on, but nobody is in the living
room.  To fix this problem I go to the
motion detector press the test button on the
back and the LED goes off on the console.
It does not happen all the time but it
happens enough to be annoying and my wife
just does not set the alarm when it
happens.  Does anyone know what is happening
in this case?  Could it be my ceiling fan
triggering it?

[kishore]

I have the same problem, the motion
detector in my den also can see the main
door, and while existing the house this
motion detector led is on and i cannot arm.
I wait till the  led goes off, or I walk in
front of the detector and see the led on it
blink then I am sure the led on the panel
shall go off after its set delay time, then
I arm the alarm. Its fine by me but very
irritating for the wife.

[Disappointed in NY]

Same here. This problem is really annoying
when trying to set the unit for the night
(Arm Home mode). Sometimes I'll have to wait
10 or 15 minutes for the console to set. Of
course, the really STUPID part of this deal
is: Arm Home doesn't listen to the Motion
Sensors, so why should the Motion Sensors
prevent you from setting the alarm? Whoever
wrote the software for the console really
missed the mark on this one!!!!!  Any
responses X10.com?? (I'll bet not)

I'm within inches of calling ADT and having
them wire up my home. Then I'll take the X10
system and burn it on my front lawn!!!!!

[Phil Han]

First of all motions sensors are really not
what they sound to be.  The are callled
PIR's Passive Infrared Detectors, meaning
they response to heat change.  So think of
where you have put the motion sensors.
Never point them towards a window, air
vent, or anything where a sudden heat
change my occure.  Second, Kishore you
should remount your motion sensor in the
den, Also you can arm the system with the
remote after you close your door.  As for
the guy in New York, most systems do not
arm the motion sensor when you arm the
system in home mode, the reason is what if
your wife or child gets up in the middle of
the night to go get a drink, and all of the
sudden the alarm goes off, or if you wanted
to stay indoors and watch a movie and still
armed it in the home mode, are you just
going to sit there stiff?  Systems are
designed that way for a reason.  Higher end
systems can arm certain zones, maybe you
should look at other systems. Either way,
just check where you mounted the motion
sensors and take my tip above, these
motions sensor have a detection range of 90
degrees left to right.

[Disappointed in NY]

Phil Han - you missed my point. I know that
when you "Arm Home", someone getting up in
the middle of the night won't trigger the
alarm. What I am saying is that if you are
trying to "Arm Home" and one of the so
called Motion Sensors is detecting activity,
that activity prevents the system from being
armed. Think about it. If the purpose for
having an "Arm Home" function is to allow
you to arm the door/window switches but not
the "Motion Sensors", then why should
activity picked up by the "Motion Sensor"
prevent the system from arming? This is
ALWAYS the case when I'm having difficulty
arming the system. I look at the console and
the indicator lights are ALWAYS for one or
more of the "Motion Sensors". It is annoying
and, in my humble opinion, an error in the
design logic of the system.

[kishore]

Yes the guy in Ny is right, if the PIR
detects activity it prevents the system
from being armed in home mode.

I usually arm the system with the keychain
remote while locking the front door and
leaving to go out. The PIR would invaribily
pick up this activity and I would not be
able to arm the system, I would have to
wait for a minute and try again.

To get around this problem I have kept my
PIR in the same location and have added
half width of electrical insulation tape at
the bottom end of the lens, thereby
reducing the sensitivity. Now it does not
detect as much activity.

[X10 Pro]

It appears that the problem is that the zone
LED for the Motion Detector is staying on,
which prevents you from arming. It's
intentional that you shouldn't be able to
arm the system if there's a problem with a
zone (an open window, or a dead battery in a
sensor, for example). BUT the fact that the
zone LED for a Motion Detector is on implies
that the last time it tripped the "closed"
signal did not get to the console (the
Motion Detector sends Open then Closed when
it trips). So it seems that the "Closed"
command didn't get through. We would suspect
that the Motion Detector is on the edge of
its range. You might try moving it closer to
the console (and of course check that you
have good batteries in it).

[Disappointed in NY]

Thanks for the info "X10 Pro". Unfortunately
for me, if the Motion Detector is too far
from the base, I've just wasted a lot of
money on this system. I can't move it any
closer. ADT, here I come.

[omar cerda]

Why you don't try to use a smart RF
repeater SR731 to maximize the range of
detection of the sensors toward the console
(works very well), also if you place the
console in the wall to a height among 3 - 5
feet, this  will have better signal
reception.

[KJ]

I have the same problem.  I thought it might
be the positioning of my sensor, so I
swapped it with another I had in the house.
Apparently it is the sensor, because even in
the new location (which is just above the
receiver), the LED stayed on (on the
receiver).  I too find it very irritating.
I wonder if something like this is covered
under warranty -- as it is definitely the
sensor...

[scott]

I too have experienced this, and I don't
think it is a range or battery issue (close
to console and new batteries).  The ez work
around as mentioned is to cause it to
trigger again and chances are it will send
the close signal after the open signal.

Question for the techies... there's a pot
inside - is it for freq adj or sensitivity?

[scott]

After some more observations, I believe I
understand what we are experiencing.  If
while leaving the house, for example, you
pass thru the pir detector's coverage area
and trigger it, then open the door and close
it, four signals are sent to the console.
If a signal is sent while another is being
sent, signals may not get thru.  This could
(depending upon timing) leave the console
with the impression that the PIR or door
detector did not close.  Either of these
conditions will prevent the system from
arming, and may leave the zone light on.
The more sensors overlapping, the greater
chance for problems.  If, when leaving the
house, I wait for the PIR to send it's off
signal and enter it's reset period before
opening the door, I should be fine for
arming.  [email: n1st @ yahoo.com].