DS12A & outside weather?

[jediagh]

I have an SC1200 Console and a mix of DS10A and DS12A all around the house.  I recently added a DS12A + Smoke Alarm  (like this: http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=24104.0;topicseen) to the UNHEATED garage.  I actually added it back in SEP 2011 and it's worked fine.  However as we have moved into the colder months up here (20s F) the SC1200 keeps losing comms with the DS12A.

I have to keep going outside to trigger the fire alarm which in turn will cause the DS12A to send a signal and the SC1200 is then happy for a while.  I though it was the batteries so I changed those and still the same issue.  I suspect that it may be the cold since all the other sensors are inside.

Any idea?

Thanks!

[Brian H]

You are getting a SC1200 message Trouble Zone for this sensor?

Sensors check in around every sixty minutes and in around four hours the SC1200 will flag a Trouble Zone if it has not received a message.

How far away is the sensor and is there many walls between them?

For the colder weather did you put on winter storm windows and doors?

[dhouston]

Changing the battery may not help. Battery charge is adversely affected by low temperature and even new batteries may have only 60% of less of their rated voltage at low temperature. New batteries will quickly drop as they cool down.

At low temperature, lithium batteries work better than alkaline and IIRC BR type batteries are best since they also have a flatter discharge curve than other types.

[jediagh]

You are getting a SC1200 message Trouble Zone for this sensor?

Zone 14 (which is where this sensor is located) turns on on the SC1200.  If I attempt to arm the SC1200 will have Tamper Zone 14 and will not let me arm.  I either have to have sensor 14 trigger or take it off the list.

How far away is the sensor and is there many walls between them?

One wall between the SC1200 & the garage. I'll have to measure the distance but it's NOT the furthest sensors I have in the configuration.

For the colder weather did you put on winter storm windows and doors?

Nope did not change my windows at all.  They are 2 years old and keep the cold out very good.  The sensor in question is in an UNHEATED garage hanging from the top portion of the garage.  Like I said before it was OK in the fall but now that the cold has set it I suspect that is what is killing the battery.