Wireless Sensors, are they acceptable?
- Thread starter hagak
- Start date
I use probably about 20 wireless sensors with 4 mounted outside on gates. (GE variety with HAI GE receiver.) Never had any problems and most have been going 5+ years. Keep in mind the outside ones are exposed to temps from about 25 to 150 F around here. I did get occasional supervision alarms on a sensor on the diagonal opposite end of the house to the radio (3000sf single story) but I moved the transmitter a bit and problem solved.
ddennerline
Active Member
I have 10 GE TX-1010-01-1 - DesignLine Door/Window Sensor. For double hung windows, they are installed on the middle sash at outside corner. Since they are very thin and white, they are not obnoxiously ugly. An additional benefit of wireless window sensors is they protect both top and bottom sashes. I have only had one false alarm in 18 or so months.
If you do use wired and wireless hybrid system, then you should consider reserving the first 1-48 zones for wired. I just finished remapping and moving all my wireless zones because I didn’t think I would ever use all 16 located on M1G (almost all are used). ElkRP does not have a “move all these zones” feature.
I have one NX-458 wireless door sensor and the battery is nearly dead. I use this door all the time, so I suspect GE’s 10yr claim is based on low usage. I will probably replace with hard-wired when I have more time. As DEL mentioned, it appears that HSS is eliminating this model in favor of TX-1510-01-1.
There also seems to be weird problem with GE wireless sensors and M1RF2G. If I leave this door open for an extended period of time, the ElkM1G forgets its state and allows house to be alarmed. More than once I was a little surprised to go out to garage and find door was left opened overnight with house in stay-mode.
The other three doors in my house are hard-wired. Doors were not too difficult to wire because I have access from crawl space.
If you do use wired and wireless hybrid system, then you should consider reserving the first 1-48 zones for wired. I just finished remapping and moving all my wireless zones because I didn’t think I would ever use all 16 located on M1G (almost all are used). ElkRP does not have a “move all these zones” feature.
I have one NX-458 wireless door sensor and the battery is nearly dead. I use this door all the time, so I suspect GE’s 10yr claim is based on low usage. I will probably replace with hard-wired when I have more time. As DEL mentioned, it appears that HSS is eliminating this model in favor of TX-1510-01-1.
There also seems to be weird problem with GE wireless sensors and M1RF2G. If I leave this door open for an extended period of time, the ElkM1G forgets its state and allows house to be alarmed. More than once I was a little surprised to go out to garage and find door was left opened overnight with house in stay-mode.
The other three doors in my house are hard-wired. Doors were not too difficult to wire because I have access from crawl space.
Well looking at my house set up I think I will be able to hard-wire 2 doors, which happen to be the 2 most traffic-ed doors, and should be able to hard-wire 3 of the 6 motion sensors. Doing drawings of the house layout and figuring out where and how I will proceed.
Right now I am leaning towards the Elk M1G with the Honeywell receiver.
Right now I am leaning towards the Elk M1G with the Honeywell receiver.
Ok so after researching a bunch of wireless sensors it seems the Ademco 5800 product line is pretty decent. However I am still on the fence between Omnipro II and the Elk M1G. They both have pros and cons. I was not sure if the Omnipro had an expansion interface for the Ademco 5800 line like the M1G does?
HAI makes two receiver choices for it's panels; Either it's own proprietary one which supports HAI transmitters, or ITI/GE which supports those types of receivers. The choice is yours but the ITI/GE transmitters are used by so many systems and are available from many companies so they are quite cheap. I buy most of mine on e-Bay at really low prices. Proprietary standards are fine, but your going to pay more for sensors, and you are pretty much just locked into what that company sells.
First Floor + Basement - 15 windows, 4 doors
Second Floor - 12 windows
I do have pets, cats and dogs.
I am getting close to my decision on the security system I will put together.
Elk M1 gold, with the ELK-M1XRF2H
Planning on using the 5820L for window contacts (windows are double hung)
Plan to use 5800Micra for the door contacts. Question would this contact work on a wooden door that has side lights?
For motion I plan to use wired in all but 2 locations that can not be easily wired. Same for Fire, wired in all but one location.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
The micra probably isn't the best choice for a door with sidelights - the Micra is really made for vinyl windows; their intended products for doors is the PlungerG - but it is meant to mount on the hinge side and let the antenna drop into the door jamb. The Micra has a stick-on magnet that would probably get in the way - and it's large and oval shaped so it'd be hard to route a recess for.
I'd do a different style if I were you for the doors if you want recessed - one that recesses in the top jamb like traditional wired contacts. Something like http://www.homesecur...dow-sensor.aspx (from your store of choice of course).
I'd do a different style if I were you for the doors if you want recessed - one that recesses in the top jamb like traditional wired contacts. Something like http://www.homesecur...dow-sensor.aspx (from your store of choice of course).
You know I meant to link a plunger style sensor, I thought I saw one listed for the Ademco wireless a few days ago but can not find it now.
Anyhow, I did not think about mounting the sensor in the top jam, that would probably work better with a door with side lights. Would the micra not work well in this type of setup? Not sure how it differs from the one you linked? Thanks
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Well the Micra transmitter itself would probably be fine, but the problem is the Micra has a bit of a lip, and the magnet is a stick-on - so unless you have a large gap between the door and the top of the jamb I don't see it working well. The magnet is fairly large and oval so if you wanted to recess it you'd have to do some custom work. These are really purpose-built for vinyl windows where there's a 1/4" to 1/2" gap. Also they do have that 8" or so tail - that needs to go somewhere - and probably not into your header.
The one I linked is designed to be drilled into the door a little for the magnet and into the jamb a little for the transmitter - with both ends ultimately ending up flush with the wood around them - it's much smaller diameter and should blend right in. And since it has no tail it'll be much easier to fit overhead.
Mount it closest to the latch side so that only a slight opening will break contact - if you go closer to the hinge side the door has to be open more to set it off.
The one I linked is designed to be drilled into the door a little for the magnet and into the jamb a little for the transmitter - with both ends ultimately ending up flush with the wood around them - it's much smaller diameter and should blend right in. And since it has no tail it'll be much easier to fit overhead.
Mount it closest to the latch side so that only a slight opening will break contact - if you go closer to the hinge side the door has to be open more to set it off.
ddennerline
Active Member
As DEL mentioned, the GE and Ademco wireless sensors are probably similar in functionality. You may want to take a second look at the new GE DesignLine wireless sensors are quite unobtrusive (i.e. thin). From the pictures and specifications, the 6820 appears to be taller.
{I attempted to translate these dimensions, so may be incorrect <_< }
6820A=3.0" L x 0.5" W x 0.8" H
TX-1010-01-1=2.45 L x 1.0" W x 0.35" H
The GE sensors use CR2032 batteries that can be purchased at most drug and big box stores. The door sensor can be embedded into the top of door jam using drill and forstner bits. I am using the older version of the round door sensor that has a “10yr” non-replaceable battery.
{I attempted to translate these dimensions, so may be incorrect <_< }
6820A=3.0" L x 0.5" W x 0.8" H
TX-1010-01-1=2.45 L x 1.0" W x 0.35" H
The GE sensors use CR2032 batteries that can be purchased at most drug and big box stores. The door sensor can be embedded into the top of door jam using drill and forstner bits. I am using the older version of the round door sensor that has a “10yr” non-replaceable battery.
