Can motion sensors be triggered by moving shades

[johnmhome]

My alarm system recently triggered 2 false alarms while we were away, both about an hour before sunset. It was the family room motion sensor.
 
The system is hardwired, installed by me, though the sensors were part of the original construction, about 10 years old. There's only one motion sensor, and it has never shown a fault before.
 
Now the incriminating evidence:
 
The sensor is opposite 2 walls of windows that face west, so as the sun goes down the room is well lit, though some distant trees prevent the sun directly hitting the motion sensor.
 
About 4 months ago I expanded the Omni Pro programming to open/close the shades in this room automatically when we're away. It's partly to prevent sun fading of the furniture, partly to simulate someone being home.
 
Is it possible that the shade closing causes enough change in IR levels to trigger the sensor? It didn't happen immediately after I added the shade programming, but then again perhaps the sun was not quite in the right spot?

 

[pete_c]

Is it possible that the shade closing causes enough change in IR levels to trigger the sensor? It didn't happen immediately after I added the shade programming, but then again perhaps the sun was not quite in the right spot?
 
yes, maybe.
 
I can only write from experience here.  I have had two false triggers due to PIR's in the last 10 years with my OmniPro 2.
 
One PIR was in a hallway facing the front door and it occurred during sunset.  Never happened again.  I guessed it to be due to the sun maybe being in one spot.
 
Another one happened with an occupancy sensor while not at home on the ceiling in the kitchen at around 11PM.  Never happened again.
 
I never figured out why this one triggered.  I have a large parrot that mostly sleeps these days and she does occasionally fall off her perch while sleeping but has never tripped a PIR. 

 

[wkearney99]

Yep, I had my Hunter Douglas shades trip a Lutron motion sensor, while we were away on vacation.  Happened exactly at the shade's scheduled time.  A review of the webcam showed it was actually the shades, or at least, it showed no other motion.  Seems a combination of the shade motion and just the right (wrong?) amount/angle of sun tripped it.  First time I noticed it.  But then most of the time the shades are moving there's usually someone around anyway.

 

[mikefamig]

I have a large parrot that mostly sleeps these days and she does occasionally fall off her perch while sleeping but has never tripped a PIR. 

 
Pete
 
I hope that you have some nice soft cushion in the bottom of the bird cage!

 

[pete_c]

I leave a little blanket for a couple of hours every night.  Last night she was on the bottom of her cage wrapped around her blanket.

 

[mikefamig]

I meant to cushion her fall when she falls off of her perch. The poor girl is getting old.
 
My little dog likes to lay on the backrest of couches and stuffed chairs and she has fallen asleep and fallen off to the floor. At first I was worried that she got hurt and then I laughed my butt off when we saw that she was ok. She was a pup then and has learned to stay up there now.

 

[johnmhome]

I just have to ask: Is this parrot a Norwegian Blue?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I just have to ask: Is this parrot a Norwegian Blue?

 
Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!

 

[pete_c]

"Kika" is an Mealy Amazon Blue Crown from South America.
 
The mealy amazon has a total length of about 38–41 cm (15–16 in) and weighs 540–700 g (19–25 oz). Captives commonly are heavier. It is among the largest parrots in the Americas, mainly being surpassed by the large macaws. It has a relatively short and squarish tail, as do the other members of the Amazona genus.
 
I got her when she was the size of my index finger.  I fed her with a nose dropper for a while when she was little (1970's).  She is about 11" - 12" tall today.  Never sexed her but she did build a nest once and laid one egg sometime in the 80's. 
 
@Mike the blanket does hang down to the bottom of her cage.  She has mostly fallen off her perch (age now) in the middle of sleeping when there is no blanket in her cage.  She squats these days on her perch with both claws or one claw.  She does dream as we watch her and she will talk and move around in her sleep and talk in a low voice. She growls like a dog sometimes when you go by her food dish.  She saids hello before we do when we are answering the phone or walking near her.  She tells me she loves me all of the time and she cusses out my wife all of the time.  She is very good with my children and grandchildren and hates my grandchildren's mother. 
 

 

[mikefamig]

Very nice, she's beautiful. How does she get exercise? She's a little big to to flying in the house. Can you take her outside at all?
 
When we got married a friend of my wife gave us her dining room furniture because she was giving her dining room to her bird. I don't know what kind of bird but it was but it was large and had a large cage and she loved it like a child.

 

[pete_c]

Thank you Mike.  She is attached to our family having been around a long time.
 
I have multiple cages and perches.  The extra cages are with family for bird sitting purposes.   I have never clipped her wings.  She used to fly but not much these days.  She has lived in the Dining room, living room and kitchen.  When it is warm I bring her / cage outside these days.   I did get rid of her outdoor deck cage a few years back so just roll her cage out (have to take parts of it off to do this though).

 

[wuench]

i had a couple of zones that falsed both near windows (no shades though).  I replaced those with dual sensor IR+MW and haven't experienced any false alarms since.