concrete house with steel rods can sensor work

[mareh]

 this has been on my mind for the past week. can the sensors report well to the console in a concrete house with steel rods in the wall? is there any way to boost the range so that it can?

[Brian H]

We can not say for sure how any individual installation will work.

You have the DS12A or DS10A Sensors?
Since they mount differently. Distance tips maybe slightly different between the models.

Some have found the SC1200 mounted vertically improves the receive distance.

Are any of the door or windows metal? We have tips depending on model of sensor and if you have metal doors.

[mareh]

 i do have metal in between the double windows

[Tuicemen]

The key is line of sight.
If a wall is between the sensor and the consol then maybe.
As Brian stated it is hard to say, large metal objects will decrease RF range but you may have enough distance that it will work.
You may have to play with location placement of your security console.
In my off grid cottage I don't have a issue but there is only one floor with steal reinforcing mesh  in the floor( radiant heating) between the sensors and console.
The more obstacles between (line of sight) the sensors and console, the more apt you'll have a issue.

[Brian H]

If you have not gotten your order yet. There are all kinds of help files and the manuals in the wiki for the console and sensors.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/SecuriLINK_Home_Security_System

The DS12A has its magnetic switch internally mounted on its circuit board. You mount it on the door frame and the supplied magnet on the door itself.
On my fancy trimmed door frames. I had a hard time mounting them. I ended up using the optional second zone connection inside the DS12A and an externally wired in magnetic switch. I mounted the DS12 on the wall and ran the short wire from external switch to the module.
I then registered the external zone only ignoring the separate internal zone.
The sensor part should not be on metal directly. If needed you can space it out with a piece of wood. Not sure how you would then line up the supplied magnet.

[dhouston]

Concrete walls and reinforcing rods are a double whammy. Both will cause reflections/deflections and greatly reduce range.

There are some simple things that can help but are no panacea...

• http://davehouston.org/X10_feng_shui.htm

and, as Tuicemen already suggested,

The key is line of sight.

Without a schematic of the console, I cannot really make a recommendation but it may be possible to improve reception with a preamp and/or better receiving antenna.