Which is more reliable - Zwave or GE Crystal Motion detectors?

[tadr]

My security system (Elk m1) includes a number of wired motion detectors.  I recently picked up a VeraLite and started converting switches over to Z-Wave.  One of our favorite things is being able to trigger the lights in a room/hallway to turn on when motion is detected (and then later turn them off automatically).
 
Unfortunately, I only ran wire for wired motion detectors near exterior entrances.  I need to add more motion detectors to cover other parts of the house.  
 
Which route do you recommend, and why?
 
1) Zwave motion detectors connected to VeraLite, such as the Schlage Nexia detectors.
- Primary concerns: Battery life, reliability, response time.
 
2) GE Crystal motion detectors connected to my Elk (which Vera can monitor via the ELK plugin... this is what I do now with my wired motions)
- Primary concerns: cost/complexity of adding wireless zones to elk (no wireless zones currently); Reliability; Battery life.
 
Pulling new wires to add wired motion detectors isn't an option, unfortunately.

 

[jlehnert]

Ugh.  My gut reaction is to go with the GE units.  While Z-wave isn't "new", compared to wireless security it's a babe in diapers.  I think the first wireless security system was marketed by a trunk slammer within days of radio being discovered.
 
Pros:  Very mature technology, very reliable.  The alarm companies don't make money if they have to send a tech out every other week to replace a battery, so you can be sure anything that needs to be done to conserve battery life has been.  Also, this option will keep traffic off the zwave system, preventing any latency problems due to the sensors.
Cons:  As you mentioned, the expense of adding the wireless zones to the Elk.
 
Again, this is a gut reaction, with absolutely no empirical evidence to back it.

 

[tmbrown97]

Depends - you should understand the limitations for sure.  For automation, z-wave may just be better because they'll likely be more sensitive.  They'll probably also need more often battery changes.
 
Security motion sensors go into a "lockout" period after detecting motion where they turn off for a while - like 3-5 minutes to conserve battery so they don't keep re-triggering.  Also they are less sensitive (harder to trigger) so they will likely react slower.  One place I use motion is my guest bathroom and due to the short times, security motions would never work as well.  
 
That said, z-wave is for automation only - not security.
 
I'm using a W800RF32 X10 to Serial adapter and using X10 motions for some lighting automation.  They're cheap pieces of junk but they are tolerable; I'm considering moving to Z-Wave and expanding on it a bit.

 

[ano]

I have about 15 GE sensors all around my house and on some gates outside my house. Most are 7 to 8 years old and I think I had to replace one battery.  If you need more range you can always add a repeater, which i have, but really only for one distant sensor. Its been great and the seniors are dirt cheap on eBay. 

 

[Del91574]

Given the choice of the two, GE by a long shot, however be aware of the limitations of the detector and technology itself, especially when used for occupancy purposes instead of security.

 

[tadr]

I have about 15 GE sensors all around my house and on some gates outside my house. Most are 7 to 8 years old and I think I had to replace one battery.  If you need more range you can always add a repeater, which i have, but really only for one distant sensor. Its been great and the seniors are dirt cheap on eBay. 

 
What GE sensors do you buy?  I'm not seeing any for cheap on ebay... but maybe I am looking at the wrong ones.  All the GE crystall wireless motions I see are ~ 100/ea.

 

[ano]

I use the HAI GE 42A00-2 Wireless Receiver, and it says it works with: "319.5 MHz GE Security (a.k.a. ITI or Interlogix) and Caddx (crystal or SAW) Learn Mode TM 63-bit wireless transmitters. It does not work with 80-bit transmitters."  So SAW or Crystal. I think they are the GE NX-481.
 
I'm not sure what GE receiver the ELK uses, but I would recommend you check what it recommends.  For me, any that say 319.5 MHz work, and it doesn't matter much other than that.  I know some operate at other frequencies, so that is what you have to watch out for.

 

[pete_c]

+ 1 on the GE Crystal motion detectors.