I have installed 3 Glass Break Sensors Honeywell 5853 and planning to add more. I did order FG 701 tester unit but attempted to test one of them before it arrives by arming the system and doing controlled breaking of drinking glasses in the box nearby. It worked about 50% of the time, but now this sensor trips alarm with as alarm event and as closed/opened event (tamper?) It is set on highest sensitivity due to the room size. Can you check my history to see if alarm this morning was set due to tamper or glass break event? Does this sensor need to be manually reset after it detects alarm?
What is your recommendation?
You’ll see “Open/Closed” in history if the sensor is selected for activity monitoring. This is not a tamper. Tamper alerts will be labeled as tampers.
Open/Close means the sensor detection circuit “opened” tripping the device.
I see a regular glass break sensor alarm in history.
Does this sensor need to be manually reset after it detects alarm?
No. The sensor detection circuit is not latching and does not need to be reset.
Open/Close means the sensor detection circuit “opened” tripping the device.
Does this mean its defective sensor? Why did it open? So far I observed it three 3 times and luckily system wasnt armed at that time. I dont want false alarms, what is your recommendation?
Does this mean its defective sensor? Why did it open? So far I observed it three 3 times and luckily system wasnt armed at that time. I dont want false alarms, what is your recommendation?
I could not say definitively why it opened. It would require local testing, but I would not assume defective. Generally speaking, vibration from physically installing the device and snapping its cover shut can often cause it to open.
Generally glass breaks and motion detectors should not be mounted to a wall near a door where closing the door can vibrate the sensor. If that is the case here, try a nearby wall or ceiling install.
Is the glass break near a sound system or home theater setup? Do you have dogs?
How big is the room you are trying to cover? If you are having false alarm issues, you may need to lower sensitivity and use more than one glass break for the space.
Hi Warren,
My glass break detector is in the center of the wall in the living room/kitchen area. Its currently set on max sensitivity as furthest windows are ~21-22 ft away. There are more windows closer, about 15ft away.
The room joins 2 areas, both rectangular shape, one is 19x14ft to left from GB, another is 18x14 to the right from it. The GB detector sit on the line that separates the two. We have observed a couple of times this GB to “open” with no specific sounds (no doors open/close, no loud sounds, just when it was quiet in the evening, I heard the chime from the panel and was surprised that it showed GB detector was “open”).
There is no sound system there, and yes we do have a dog but he is quiet almost 99% of the time. Currently I have bypassed this GB detector just to avoid false alarms. I am waiting for FG701 tester so that I can test the unit for range and sensitivity.
We have observed a couple of times this GB to “open” with no specific sounds (no doors open/close, no loud sounds, just when it was quiet in the evening, I heard the chime from the panel and was surprised that it showed GB detector was “open”).
If you are seeing the GB open without a sound or possibly vibration to cause it, it very well may be malfunctioning. But on max sensitivity there may be something triggering it. Once you can test the farthest windows I would also test some other noises nearby, claps, keys jingling, dog barks. Anything trigger it?
With a dog I would recommend in that circumstance to use two detectors, one in each area, with lower sensitivity. 22 feet is near the limit of the detector and a larger room like that may affect the acoustics.
Hi Jason, I have received FG-701 tester and followed instructions precisely.
I have only been testing in one target location at this point but was surprised with inconsistent results (between detectors) and also with the range.
First I tested the 5853 detector that was already installed. Its a very straightforward case: wide basement sliding door and there is wall/ledge accross from it (13ft) with detector mounted there at height of about 7.5ft. Clear path, no obstructions. Activated the detector via pings from tester to set into test mode. It was initially set on medium sensitivity. I did test audio only first and it does pick up as per blinking green led. Then went to flex/test mode using cushioned tool, I had FG 701 pickup flex sound and activate the audio signal. It failed, I tried 2-3 times. Then switched to max sensitivity, 2 our of 7 tests had passed (5 sec red led signal). Out of first 3, two were successful. Then it just stopped passing, all failures. I moved it closer within about 6 ft away and tested several time - all failed. ??
Since I bought several 5853s, I swapped the unit with new one and put it in medium sens at 13ft. Failed. Switched to max and it passed 3-4 times in a row so I guess its working properly. I am surprised it needs to be in max sens being at 13ft, this is a large room maybe has to do with room acoustics? Also, surprised why other unit is showing intermittent success, these have such good reviews maybe I got bad batch?
Earlier I described the the scenario for installation of another 5853 in different room, these were different detectors located in the basement. So, i bought total of 5 detectors, and potentially 2 of them are defective. Do they have high defect rate from your experience? Will continue testing them this weekind
Do they have high defect rate from your experience?
No, but acoustics of the room will greatly affect range and sensitivity. This is heavily impacted by the construction and materials. The basement windows may be better covered by a shock sensor.
Also note the 5853 will need to catch the flex sound as well.
The absolute best way to test is to call and place your account on test mode with the central station if you have 24/7 monitoring, then arm your panel away (or stay is fine if they are programmed as Perimeter) and try to set off an alarm.
No, but acoustics of the room will greatly affect range and sensitivity. This is heavily impacted by the construction and materials. The basement windows may be better covered by a shock sensor.
Good point, it possible.
Also note the 5853 will need to catch the flex sound as well.
I did not know that, but will try to get flex sound in direct path too.
The absolute best way to test is to call and place your account on test mode with the central station if you have 24/7 monitoring, then arm your panel away (or stay is fine if they are programmed as Perimeter) and try to set off an alarm.
I can definitely do that, however, will 5853 transmit alarm if being in TEST mode? If not in test mode, is it designed to pick up and report alarm from flex sound/audio from FG-701?
The basement windows may be better covered by a shock sensor.
What is shock sensor?
I can definitely do that, however, will 5853 transmit alarm if being in TEST mode? If not in test mode, is it designed to pick up and report alarm from flex sound/audio from FG-701?
Placing the central station account in test mode means that operators will not act upon alarm signals during the test mode duration, but they will still be logged to the account. This allows you to set off local alarms during testing and not worry about authority response or reporting false alarms. It does not affect how your local system behaves, so you can test sensors under realistic situations with an armed alarm panel.
A shock sensor is a device mounted to the frame or glass, depending on the model of sensor, which detects vibration from physical strikes on the window.
This is the shock sensor we commonly recommend. It is a wired sensor mounted near the corner of the glass pane you would use in conjunction with a wireless transmitter. This video shows how to put one together with an RE201. This video shows how to put one together using a DW10.
Placing the central station account in test mode means that operators will not act upon alarm signals during the test mode duration, but they will still be logged to the account. This allows you to set off local alarms during testing and not worry about authority response or reporting false alarms. It does not affect how your local system behaves, so you can test sensors under realistic situations with an armed alarm panel.
I understand that, however I was if system in test mode (placed in test by central station), armed, will 5853 detector trigger the alarm if I attempt to activate it with flex sound/FG701? I’ve read somewhere that sensor knows that signal it receives from FG701 should not be treated as real and would not trigger an alarm (there is some specific signal embedded into audio). If 5853 is put to test mode (green led blinks once a second), then I am not sure if testing with FG701 is successful, whether 5853 would send a alarm signal to main panel (since 5853 knows it is being tested).
If 5853 is put to test mode
The 5853 should simply be at rest, and not in test mode. You are looking to activate it normally by reproducing the flex and shatter sound.
Try skipping the “place in test mode” part and try to activate an alarm with the central station account on test. Is it repeatedly successful?
The 5853 should simply be at rest, and not in test mode. You are looking to activate it normally by reproducing the flex and shatter sound.
Ok. Should main panel be armed at this point (locally)? Or smoke/CO detectors trigger alarm regardless of main panel state?
Ok. Should main panel be armed at this point (locally)?
Yes, the panel should be armed in a state which will cause the Glass Breaks to arm. If they are programmed as Perimeter, arm Stay or Away. If they are programmed as Interior Followers, arm Away.
Ok, I finished installation of all 5 5853 GB sensors in different areas as planned and it was quite tricky.
My observations were that 5853 sensors do work very well in small contained areas at closer range, work ok at increased sensitivity in large areas at up to 15ft, and do not work in large open areas at more than 15ft or so even at max sens. Also all sensitivities should be upped by 1 level as compared to manual. If go by distance then you need to switch 1 level up (e.g. at 5-6 ft use medium, and at 12-14 ft use max). Low will probably work if sensor is within 1-2 ft but I have not tried it.
In order to test sensor with FG 701 tester you MUST put 5853 sensor in the test mode. It can only pick up flex/test sound combo when it test mode since test signal ping is embedded into audio stream (which is described on many other forums). If sensor is not in test mode it will not pick up FG 701 audio at all. The main panel could be in Armed/Away state, which will trigger an alarm, or it could be in Disarmed state, then you only have to go by 5 sec red LED on the 5853. I did it both away (put my system on test first by calling central station) and it did work for each sensor.
The trickiest part of this test is to generate flex sound of correct intensity. 5853 does pick up audio part easily which could be tested in audio only range test, but with flex it requires some practice. At first I wore earplugs and apparently could not tell if flex sound was loud enough, but without earplugs I was able to get it just right after some practice.
The main panel could be in Armed/Away state, which will trigger an alarm, or it could be in Disarmed state, then you only have to go by 5 sec red LED on the 5853. I did it both away (put my system on test first by calling central station) and it did work for each sensor.
Aha, yes, the 701 does indicate that test mode on the 5853 is required. I misremembered that.
The range is going to be heavily impacted by the room it is intending to cover, window dressings, size, etc.
The trickiest part of this test is to generate flex sound of correct intensity. 5853 does pick up audio part easily which could be tested in audio only range test, but with flex it requires some practice. At first I wore earplugs and apparently could not tell if flex sound was loud enough, but without earplugs I was able to get it just right after some practice.
It is tricky. For both flex audio and shock sensors, a rubber-handled screwdriver tends to work well when striking with the handle. Be very careful when testing, of course.