I want to place two motion sensors outdoors: one to detect someone coming up my driveway, and one to detect someone walking up my front porch.

 

I've used older Dakota alert systems with a lot of success.  I've also used the Insteon motion sensors with a lot of success indoors.

 

Trying to decide whether I should use Dakota alerts with the IO Linc, or use some cheap Insteon sensors in some clear-faced waterproof enclosures.  Range is not a factor (both are very close to the house).

 

Worried about reliability and false alerts with the Insteon sensors outdoors - does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks - djm

djm-

 

I use Insteon motion sensors outdoors:

 

Environment: They will take heat and cold, but can't stand sustained heavy downpours.. that eventually kills them.  Either mount them under eves, or protect from rain somehow.

 

Sensitivity: I want to cover an area of about 50 foot radius. But, beyond that is a street on one side and cars could set it off. I put on the jumper to reduce sensitivity ~33%. That's worked great. It trips as soon as a car pulls in or somebody walks off, but not when cars drive by on the street a little further beyond.

 

Paul

Edited August 3, 20169 yr by paulbates

First, skip the Smartenit EZSnsRF, I never got it to work reliably.

 

Using the Dakota base-station receiver relays with IOlinc works great, but it's really a solution for when range is an issue, could be overkill for your needs.   The Dakota driveway alert with the buried coil works very well for detecting a car coming up your driveway, is the best solution to reduce false positives.

 

Getting back to motion detection, the motion sensor in the Dakota and the Insteon motion are both Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR), so a clear case may not work;  you need a material that is transparent to infrared light -- many "clear" plastics block infrared, and some translucent plastics (e.g. polyethylene) pass IR.

 

That's how Dakota does it, they have a less-than-weatherproof PIR sensor inside a weatherproof box with a window:

 

Edited August 3, 20169 yr by KeviNH

The  Dakota Alerts 2500  receiver has a four dry contact outputs. I have seen users trigger the I/O Linc Sensor Input with one of the relay outputs.

Edited August 3, 20169 yr by Brian H

The  Dakota Alerts 2500  receiver has a four dry contact outputs. I have seen users trigger the I/O Linc Sensor Input with one of the relay outputs.

That's a very common deployment,if you use an iolinc with multiple inputs, you can connect more than one of the relays, so a single iolinc can tell you which channel was triggered.     I'd be happier if I could avoid all that wiring and get a fully functional Smartenit EZSnsRF.

 

I talked to Dakota Alert at ISC West a few months back, and they said they are working on an updated receiver with built-in Z-Wave functionality, so it will appear as an open/close Z-Wave sensor for easy home automation.

Z-Wave Dakota Alert sounds excellent.

 

For now, I've decided to go with Insteon sensors.  The one on the front porch will be sheltered.  For the one on the driveway, I actually have an older Dakota Alert sensor/enclosure that is not functional, so I plan to just pull out the sensor and put the Insteon sensor in its place.

 

Thanks for the help.

I have had alot of false alarms using the Insteon motion sensors outdoors. It was stated the SMARTENIT EZSNSRF may be unreliable option for getting RF from Dakota BBT-2500 driveway solar alert transmitters into the Insteon network. Maybe I'm missing a piece. Are there suggestions to do this or other reliable ways to monitor vehicle or foot traffic, and get the alert to the ISY to take advantage of the triggers and messaging capabilities? Wired s an option but I have ~600 feet from motion point to house so I'd prefer wireless.

Do you have the DCR-2500 to receive the BBT-250 Motion Sensor information?

It has four relay outputs that can be used to trigger a 2450 I/O Linc's Sensor Input. That can be used in your ISY system.

I do not have the DCR-2500. Wouldn't triggering the 2450 require running low voltage wires? I was hoping to receive the RF from the BBT-2500 via wireless to RF device near or in house. The EZSNSRF comments make it sound unreliable so Im hoping someone knows of a more reliable method to do the same thing.

Easiest option is to give the Smartenit EZSnsRF a chance,  but bear in mind Smarthome's 30-day refund policy.

 

I do not have the DCR-2500. Wouldn't triggering the 2450 require running low voltage wires? I was hoping to receive the RF from the BBT-2500 via wireless to RF device near or in house.

If you just need one channel from the Dakota, you could buy the DCR-2500 and an Insteon wireless open/close sensor and connect the two with a short piece of low voltage wire and some double-sided tape.   Kind of like this.