M1XRFEG not reading old sensors

[pgershon]

I am trying to install an ELK M1 to replace an old Caretaker Plus.  The old GE-ITI Sensors still function with the Caretaker, but I cannot get the M1XRFEG to recognize them.  Looking at the M1XRFEG lights, they do not even blink when the old sensors are triggered.  My newer sensors function fine, so I speculate it is a compatibility issue.  Whole reason I purchased the ELK, however, was compatibility.
 
I am pretty sure the sensors are crystal, as they use lithium battery.  Sensor cover says 60-362 and 319.5 so I have to believe it should work.  I tried relocating the M1XRFEG but it did not help.  I know M1XRFEG is functional because the new sensors work fine.  
 
Any thoughts?

 

[tmbrown97]

I think you're on the right path - they need to be compatible Crystal and not SAW, although theoretically many of the SAW sensors would work just without the same reliability. 
 
IIRC, even if the sensors aren't enrolled, they'll still cause lights on the receiver to flash so if that's not happening it sounds like they're just not a compatible type; I'm sure more research would confirm.

 

[Big517]

Yea I'm having problems with the wireless water sensors. I believe they are saw as well. I can enroll them but they trip every few hours. They won't untrip either.

I'm wondering if there is a saw translator. I would look up Resolution Products.

 

[pgershon]

My sensors are definitely crystal and not Saw.  And the lights do not flash on the M1XRFEG.  I suspect that they are a different bit rate (58 vs 63) and that is causing my issue.  Cannot verify as no one seems to know for sure, but my sensors were bought in 1996.  I spoke to Resolution Products yesterday and this is working hypothesis.

 

[Del91574]

The Elk unit supports both SAW and Crystal. It was the revision they made when they stopped support for the RF2G.
 
Caretaker RF/GE of this vintage is SAW. Period. Crystal was not marketed for at least 5+ years after your units were bought. All of GE/ITI/Caddx sensors, except those marketed as OEM Honeywell or those sold through retail outlets use lithium batteries.
 
I have done this takeover/upgrade many times on equipment far older than '96.

The only way to be sure your units are functioning 100% would be to use a RF sniffer tool that ITI made and see if the tamper switch is causing a signal to transmit, otherwise it's conjecture by the parties involved.
 
If there were a compatibility issue, I haven't seen it in the 100's of old ITI branded hardware I've taken over to date. The known issue is tamper switch failure with ITI hardware...there's been many tech bulletins over the years regarding it.

 

[pgershon]

So you are sawing that my sensors might still function open/closed with the Caretaker, but the tamper switch may be dysfunctional.  I supposed that is possible,, but highly coincidental that all my sensors of the same vintage failed )faulty tamper switch) at the same place.  I ordered new ones anyway, so we will never know. 
 
PS: I can confirm for you that these "failed" tamper switches are detected by the Caretaker still - I ran the test by defining a new sensor on the Caretaker and verifying that the "failed" sensors can still be learned.  If you are interested, I would be happy to send you a sensor so you can see for yourself.  I am just going to throw them out now anyway.

 

[Del91574]

I have plenty of them sitting in my garage. The only issue I've ever experienced was an older shatter contact that would not learn in on a Concord 4, GE did not have an answer to why.
 
In your case, it's very likely that they came from the same batch/lot. I can't say I still have the tech note, but I remember it was very wide spread.
 
I also have plenty of dead units with defective tamper switches....which reminds me I need to do a mass purging soon.