Motion Sensor Sensitivity

[jgcharlotte]

I want to decrease the sensitivity of a motion sensor.  The instructions say to reconfigure jumper 1. Jumper 5 is set to control options from the ISY, but there is no sensitivity adjustment in the ISY options.

So if i leave J5 where it is and change J1, will it decrease the sensitivity?

 

Thanks.

[paulbates]

That is correct. Jumper 1 does work with jumper 5 in place. It scrapes off about 33% of distance and works, at least for me.

 

My deck/back yard/drive MS has full side to side coverage that includes the street.  The x10 eagle eye worked pretty well in this position, but when I put the Insteon MS up there, every person walking by on the side walk and cars driving by on my side of the street set it off. Really annoying. 

 

I put on jumper one and its really good. The yard, deck and driveway only set it off now

 

Paul

[larryllix]

I tried it in one small room but I thought it was slowing down the response. It did seem to make a difference for response speed and I never put the jumper back on.

 

In a small room the reach range shouldn't make any difference.

 

As an aside: I had one report motion while I wasn't home again. Then my webcam didn't connect to verify anything. Suspecting problem I forgot about it until I got home to find a 9v battery testing at 4.5 vdc. No LowBatt signal...and I record them (lowBatts) in ISY in a variable that hold three unit's records at a time.

[jgcharlotte]

I have a MS pointed toward my front door to give an alert and turn on a couple of small spotlights at night.  I've been getting some alerts, but I look at the video and there's nothing there.  However, it seems like every time it happens, there is a gust of wind blowing the bushes around.  I didn't think that type of motion was supposed to be sensed, but apparently it was.  I lowered the sensitivity to hopefully alleviate that.

As far as the low battery, I gave up on that one a long time ago.  Now, I just use day/night as a 'heartbeat'.

[paulbates]

Mines been out there since 2012. Rarely have problems with falses,  Birds will set it off

[larryllix]

I have a MS pointed toward my front door to give an alert and turn on a couple of small spotlights at night.  I've been getting some alerts, but I look at the video and there's nothing there.  However, it seems like every time it happens, there is a gust of wind blowing the bushes around.  I didn't think that type of motion was supposed to be sensed, but apparently it was.  I lowered the sensitivity to hopefully alleviate that.

As far as the low battery, I gave up on that one a long time ago.  Now, I just use day/night as a 'heartbeat'.

In another life with X10, or wired security light MSes whifts of snow coming aroud the soffits would set off my lights regularly.

IIRC some of those, from the old days, where dual element sensing made to eliminate most of these probelms but they couldnt handle it. Car lights and lightning were handled well but the snow dust in the air swirling around always seemed to be a problem from my experiences.

 

Location is key.

[Teken]

I have a MS pointed toward my front door to give an alert and turn on a couple of small spotlights at night.  I've been getting some alerts, but I look at the video and there's nothing there.  However, it seems like every time it happens, there is a gust of wind blowing the bushes around.  I didn't think that type of motion was supposed to be sensed, but apparently it was.  I lowered the sensitivity to hopefully alleviate that.

As far as the low battery, I gave up on that one a long time ago.  Now, I just use day/night as a 'heartbeat'.

 

Depending upon how much direct sun light is cast on to the door and what type of material the door slab is made with. A change in slab temperature can false trip a cheap motion sensor like the Insteon unit. A none insulated door slab will present such an occurrence as there will be hot / cold spots seen by the IR sensor.

 

Other considerations are HVAC vents which routinely false trip motion sensors.

 

When the two problems are mixed together (door slab / vents) this is a recipe for erratic performance and behavior.

[Brian H]

The Insteon and x10 Motion Sensors uses an IR Detector. Motion is sensed by a temperature change in a set time period.

Some of the false trigger causes have been pointed out in the thread.

 

The FCC Database information for the 2844-222 Insteon Motion Sensor II also shows an IR detector in its internal photos.

[stusviews]

An IR detector is a heat sensor