Alarm for Outdoor Shed - Ideas ?

[Waketech]

All,

 

I am looking to see if anyone has done an insteon/zwave alarm for their shed outside and what they used.  I am in Canada so the temp will go down to -40 Deg C occasionally.  I am hoping not to rely on 120 VAC but if needed could make it work.

 

TIA

[Teken]

All,

 

I am looking to see if anyone has done an insteon/zwave alarm for their shed outside and what they used.  I am in Canada so the temp will go down to -40 Deg C occasionally.  I am hoping not to rely on 120 VAC but if needed could make it work.

 

TIA

 

I wouldn't call my specific set up an alarm but more of a method to integrate Insteon into my network for more awareness. I've had several battery operated devices like MS, Trigger Lincs, in enclosed or sheltered places all subjected to -40'C and below.

 

The only caveat is that some use Lithium battery cells and others use rechargeable lithium cells which is powered by a solar panel. I have a 25 foot plus pole that has a Axis PTZ camera, LED spot lights, and Insteon MS. I didn't really want to climb up on a ladder in the dead of winter when the mercury was -56'C with the wind chill!

 

So far not one unit has failed me but keep in mind they are not directly open to the elements like sun, wind, rain. But they are indeed outdoors 24/7/365 and have operated for more than five years this way.

 

In my mind extreme heat is more apt to kill an Insteon device than cold but there is a line where it will simply kill a device. In one device I extended the antenna to resemble the leak sensor because I needed more (directional) signaling to a dual band device. It took a few days to figure out the best orientation and direction before I could receive reliable RF COM's.

 

In another location it took me a few weeks to figure out the correct length of cable to extend the antenna so it would still be tuned correctly or close to it.