Motion Sensors, how do they work?

[Blacky]

Im not quite sure I understand how wireless motion sensors work, I just want one that will set off an audible alarm and notify me by phone or email somehow. I saw an add somewhere a while back for something like this but lost track of it.

Any pointers on how these devices work?

[XDRoX]

I installed a top of the line alarm system in my home a few years ago from top to bottom. I didn't use any wireless motion sensors but the hard wired ones I used read body temperature. I set them to detect anything over 40lbs of body mass. That way pets can go undetected while no one is home. If I stand in front of one and wave my arms, nothing happens. But as soon as I move my torso, it will detect my movement.

If you want advice on installing a home alarm system I'd be happy to tell you what I know. In my case I sensored every window and door (including garage door). Motion sensored 3 large rooms, and even installed fire alarms to it.

If the alarm goes off it dials my cell phone 3 times. If I don't pick up and acknowledge, then it dials my wife's cell, so there are no monthly monitoring payments.

We also use key fobs to arm and disarm the system. All this cost under $800 for the parts.

[Blacky]

Thanks Chris - I was looking at something like this.

Did you wire your system yourself? We've got a cat so I was wondering how that would work. My neighbor used to set off false alarms all the time. I would prefer hardwire with battery backup. If I could tie it in with my security camera/DVR devices that would be cool too.

[XDRoX]

Sorry but I'm not familiar with that unit. But if you it doesn't have settings for weight then I think you will have problems with pets setting it off. And yes I wired everything myself.
Check out homesecuritystore.com
Great website.
I bought my system from this site. It is commercial grade and does anything you'd ever need. I added extra sirens in my attic, you can hear my alarm from blocks away. Battery backup is standard on any nice unit and wireless sensors are optional. I only used wireless ones where it would have been very difficult to hard wire them. Wireless are much more expensive. A wireless motion sensor is over $100, while a wired one was like $30.
Also a quality burglar can jam wireless sensors with a signal jammer, so hard wired is always preferred by people that know. However my alarm even has a sensor to detect a jammer and will go off if a jammer is used around it.

Check out the site and if I can, I'd be happy to answer any questions I can.

[Vin496]

[ocabj]

You can beat motion sensors. Watch Sneakers. Great film.

[Blacky]

You can beat motion sensors. Watch Sneakers. Great film.

The Robert Redford movie? Are you serious? Anyway, sensors + camera = pretty good security.

[Rob454]

If you move very very slow you MAY be able to beat a motion. Problem is that nobody moves that slow. unless you get some really really cheap motion and even then I doubt it you will beat it. The motions XD was talking about are probably PIR=passive infrared/Microwave motion detectors. As for the wireless systems they work pretty well. In my 15 years I have never come across ANY burglar sophisticated enough to have wireless alarm system jammer. And I have done probably over 3000 residential and probably 1000 commercial security systems. Burglars simply dont think liek that. 99% of them are simple smash and grab. Contrary to what XD is saying wireless systems work. UNLESS you know how to retrofit a hardwired system in a existing home your best bet is wireless. There are some great wireless systems out there.

Motion detectors require a 12 volt power source. the security system works off a ( usually) normally closed loop. break the loop and you got problems. the detectors send out these invisible beams. they also get sent out in pulses. thats why when you move even if you move slowly you cannot not break the beams. Forget the movies. The way to defeat a detector is by getting to the main panel. if you know how its wired you can bypass it in the field. IMO a ton of work for a residential dwelling. its faster and easier for me to smash a window grab stuff quickly. by the time the central station calls and the PD shows up Im gone. What the alarm system does is minimize the amount of time the guy will be in your house with the potential of the PD showing up.

Good luck in your search.

[Satex]

As for the wireless systems they work pretty well. In my 15 years I have never come across ANY burglar sophisticated enough to have wireless alarm system jammer.

Have any of your customers come across a system defeated that way? How would they know that it was defeated that way? If it was, then most likely that they thought the system just didn't work. Wireless jamming doesn't leave evidence behind.

And I have done probably over 3000 residential and probably 1000 commercial security systems.

You sound experienced - please share your thoughts about good systems. Any suggestions about: http://www.homesecuritystore.com/?

Burglars simply don't think like that. 99% of them are simple smash and grab. Contrary to what XD is saying wireless systems work.

Agreed. I am worried about the 1% that figured out that we are gun owners...

UNLESS you know how to retrofit a hardwired system in a existing home your best bet is wireless. There are some great wireless systems out there.

That's the main selling point of a wireless system. Please convince me wireless systems are worth it.

[XDRoX]

Rob, great post. I didn't mean to make it sound like wireless sensors are useless. But for cost and other reasons I still prefer hard wired when given the choice. I used some wireless sensors in my house and feel very confident in them.

I also agree that an alarm system will only slow down the time a burglar is inside a house. This is what is key, especially for gun owners with well built safes. I would never consider owning a safe without an alarm system. A safe simply shows someone where all your valuables are. My safes are very well built, but given enough time and tools, anyone could get into them. I feel confident that my alarm system will prevent anyone from trying to get into my safes.

Satex, check out the website, it's a great site and sells everything. If you want to, first research alarm systems and then see if they carry the brand you want. They most likely will. They carry all the major brands.

Installing my own custom state of the art alarm system in my house was a very rewarding experience, and I would love to persuade others to do the same thing.

[XDRoX]

Satex, also just noticed you live in San Diego. I live in La Mesa and would be happy to help you with any questions you have about installing a home security system. Installing the system is easy. Programming it is way more difficult, but I'd be happy to help you.

Many systems today are hybrid, meaning they take wireless and hard wired sensors. So as long as you get a system that takes both, the options are endless.

[gn3hz3ku1*]

my house is already wired for one of those monthly pay services. do you think i can use the same sensors and just get one of those alarm units that calls me? i think they had brinks before

[Satex]

I have been looking into those. I want one that will email/text me but it appears that most alarm manufacturers have relationships with alarm monitoring services, and therefore they will not cannibalize their service by offering you a module that will kill their service offerings.

[XDRoX]

I have been looking into those. I want one that will email/text me but it appears that most alarm manufacturers have relationships with alarm monitoring services, and therefore they will not cannibalize their service by offering you a module that will kill their service offerings.

The systems that homesecuritystore.com sell are the same ones that the companies put in your house. The problem is that they have the master code and therefore re-programming it to call you instead of them would be difficult. I do not know how to do this.

The system that I bought from homesecuritystore.com is the same one that 3 of my friends have in their homes that was installed by a company.

But don't most of these companies basically give you the system for free in exchange for the monthly monitoring fess?

My system will not email me or text me, but it will call two different numbers up to 5 times each and when the call is answered the system tells you what zone was violated.

my house is already wired for one of those monthly pay services. do you think i can use the same sensors and just get one of those alarm units that calls me? i think they had brinks before

Absolutely. The sensors are interchangeable from system to system for the most part. You could probably even keep the unit itself if you found out how to reset the master password.

As I said in a previous post, programming these units is very difficult. It took me a week of complicated reading to understand how to program it. I just got finished installing a system in my cousin's new house, and I programmed it in under a 1/2 hour.

It can be very overwhelming at first to take on something like this, but it is very possible and very rewarding. Many professionals tried to discourage me in the beginning, saying that it's too complicated and easier to just get a company to come install a wireless system for free. But I didn't want the monthly payment and enjoy doing this sort of thing.

BTW, homesecuritystore.com also has a link to a monitoring company that charges $7 a month for do-it-yourselfer's if you feel more comfortable with a company monitoring your home.

[spectr17]

Passive infrared sensors work on temp differential. Your 98.6F body moving through a 70F room works fine for detection. Once your raise ambient temp to near 98F you loose sensitivity. It's why your motion sensor on your porch light doesn't go off in the hot summer evenings until you're right under it. Mix in some microwave sensors to ensure better coverage in hot temps on say patios, porches, garages etc. that get hotter than inside the house.

Also lock you electrical panel, that would be the first thing some burglars shut off when they enter a home. Many systems don't have a back up battery, check yours and make sure it's big enough to handle at least a 6 hour outage.

Also check out PixController, they have some unique alarm and camera technology that will email you pics and video. http://www.pixcontroller.com/