Print

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

[06M6TorridGTO]

For those that have seen my other post about my set up and the issues I had, this is kind of related. Now that I have a CM15A, I shouldn't have those same problems. But now I have a defective MS16A, possibly from the rain we had (even though they are supposed to be fully weather resistant). I am sending my MS16A back to X10 for replacement since the signal is not being transmitted from it and they will send me a new one. In the mean time, I ordered two more motion sensors (Accidentally ordered the X10 Pro PMS03 instead of MS16A but it wont be different, except that I spend $15 more for them and didnt notice it till I got them!). My thoughts are that I could place them inside a little plastic box (like a project box from Radioshack) so that they don't get wet and become defective. I shouldn't have to do that with a weather-resistant product but it seems to follow suit with the rest of X10! The box would have a clear window to see through. My only concern is that on hotter days, it will get hot inside of the box and distort the motion sensing abilities, since the sensor is based on changes in heat. Any thoughts on that?? Also, would the clear window affect the sensor at all?

Thanks guys!!

[06M6TorridGTO]

I went ahead and just put it out with no box since we dont have rain coming for a while. It work, the only problem is that it is TOO sensitive! It keeps detecting motion almost constantly. I'm guessing it is from trees and birds?! Maybe from the sun pointing at it, then the wind blowing the tree in front of it so its blocked, and then moved again so more sun. Constant changes maybe affecting it?

[Brian H]

You may want to search the forums for sensitivity fixes.
I believe some have partially covered the lens on the front to reduce the sensitivity.
I will see if I can find the information on how someone changed a component in them to reduce false triggers. It was not in our forums if my fading memory is working.

The field of detection also is greater across the detection field of view than straight towards and away
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Optimizing_Motion_Sensor_Detection

There have been posts on motion sensors pointed out windows having the glass effect detection.

In my mind. Weather resistant and weather proof is a different animal.

[dhouston]

There have been posts on motion sensors pointed out windows having the glass effect detection.

Several years ago, while testing, I had a motion sensor on my desk - it's field of view was a large picture window. I was surprised when loud noises outside (e.g. car door slamming) which caused the window to vibrate imperceptibly, resulted in triggering the motion detector but a squirrel scampering along the ledge outside the window went undetected. The infrared wavelengths used for PIRs does not penetrate glass well. Search on infrared penetrate glass and you'll find numerous citations.

@OP: Many plastics, OTOH, are transparent to infrared so you may not need a window in your box.

[bkenobi]

I know this is an old topic, but in case the OP is still interested I have a solution.

I have several MS16A's installed outside my house.  One was under a roof and worked most of the time.  The other two were installed on the south facing exterior wall.  There were 2 issues that I have corrected with slight tweaks.

The range was only an issue when it rained hard.  I believe that somehow the extra water in the air or on the roof/walls somehow added enough to the range that it stopped the signal from being received reliably.  I added a passive antenna (18.25" 12ga copper electric wire) and it hasn't been an issue even with the torrential downpours we've had in the last couple weeks.

The other two sensors worked fine for a while, but eventually stopped after enough rain.  I inspected them and found that they were both misty looking inside the lens.  I found that the battery cover doesn't seal well at all and the plug at the top is really not well sealed either (with or without the plug).  The solution was pretty easy.  I took both inside, disassembled them, and let them dry for a few days.  I then used a toothpick and carefully painted all seams inside the lens with a thin bead.  I plugged the hole on top with silicone.  I also made sure the mounting screw holes were sealed better (HD sells a sheet of plumbers rubber that I cut to fit as a replacement for the silicone donuts).

I'm almost a year out from these mods and everything has worked flawlessly since (even in heavy rain driving right onto the sensors).