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X10 Eagle-Eye Motion Detection through Glass?

I have a situation where I wish to have a X-10 motion detector inside a
room , detect the "motion" outside a glass window (tempered-glass,
1/4").

The X10 Eagle eye detector does not seem to detect thru the glass.

Is this normal, as expected performance? Or maybe a weak
emitter/receiver/battery in the Eagle Eye?

thanx

J M K
 
F

Frank Olson

I have a situation where I wish to have a X-10 motion detector inside a
room , detect the "motion" outside a glass window (tempered-glass,
1/4").

The X10 Eagle eye detector does not seem to detect thru the glass.

Is this normal, as expected performance? Or maybe a weak
emitter/receiver/battery in the Eagle Eye?

thanx


Passive infrared detectors have a hard time seeing through glass. It
doesn't matter who manufactures them. About the only detector that will
"see" through glass is one that uses micro-wave. You'll have to put your
X-10 "Eagle eye" *outside* of the window.
 
J

Jim

Frank said:
Passive infrared detectors have a hard time seeing through glass. It
doesn't matter who manufactures them. About the only detector that will
"see" through glass is one that uses micro-wave. You'll have to put your
X-10 "Eagle eye" *outside* of the window.

Hmmm, X10 motion detector?

I'd suggest that he put it WAAAAYYY outside the window. Over by the
garbage cans.
 
F

Frank Olson

Hmmm, X10 motion detector?

Yeah... there's no accounting for "taste"...

I'd suggest that he put it WAAAAYYY outside the window. Over by the
garbage cans.


You mean *in* the garbage can, don'tcha?? He's probably controlling lights
with it. At least I hope he's not relying on it for security!! :))
 
X

X10Hack

yes, I am controlling Track-lites, via X10-outlet in our store-front
window.
Attempting to scare away spooks at night and put better lite on em for
camera .

Really no good place to put motion detector "outside" window. (over
hang is low, spooks would just destroy detector if outside....)

We had a smash n grab a couple weeks ago , 1st in 11 yrs.

Any ideas, apprecieated ...

thx
 
J

Jim

X10Hack said:
yes, I am controlling Track-lites, via X10-outlet in our store-front
window.
Attempting to scare away spooks at night and put better lite on em for
camera .

Really no good place to put motion detector "outside" window. (over
hang is low, spooks would just destroy detector if outside....)

We had a smash n grab a couple weeks ago , 1st in 11 yrs.

Any ideas, apprecieated ...

thx


I'd suggest that you get rid of the X10 motion detector and try to
purchase a Sentrol AR435 motion detector. This detector is a dual
technology motion detector (Passive infrared and microwave). You can
choose to use the microwave sensor only. You can also adjust the range
that the unit will detect motion in increments from 9 feet to 18 feet,
to 27 feet or a maximum of 35 feet. It will project through glass with
a slight reduction in range. If you wanted to conceal the unit from
view from the outside, you could mount it behind a thin piece of paper
or cardboard and disable the small LED's. You could still use X10
signaling by attaching the relay in the AR435 to an X10 powerflash
interface. The problem that you have to overcome is that the motion
detectors contacts only close momentarily, so the lights would only
stay on for a few seconds. So..... you will have to have the AR435,
activate a time delay relay, which will, in turn, activate the X10
powerflash module, keeping the light on for a few minutes. With this
configuration, once the motion detector was activated by movement, even
though the contacts closed momentarily, the time delay would begin,
trip the powerflash module and the powerflash module would stay actived
for the duration of the time you had set on the delay module. If there
was continuous movement, the light would stay on until after the
movement had stopped plus the time you had set on the time delay module
had expired. Altronix makes a delay module that would work. You'd also
need a 12 volt power source to power all of these devices, which
Altronix also mfg's.

So, if you, feel you're up to hooking up this kind of a circuit, let me
know. I'll have to look up the part numbers for the Altronix items. You
can probably get it all on the internet, somewhere.

Now you can see the reason for the reluctance here for answering your
question. Taint as simple as it first appears.
 
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