Image sensor issue

Support
1

My IS has lost supervision twice. Each time I pulled the batteries, put them back in, and it reconnected.

My question is does the panel alert if the IS batteries get weak? Or does the IS simply need new lithium AA’s?

And is their a firmware update for image sensors?

Signal is 5 bars, so other than weak batteries/firmware what could be causing the IS to lose supervision/drop out?

This issue didn’t start until I removed the IS from programming and re-added it as a different zone and had the rules re-pushed a couple weeks ago.

2

It will show a low battery signal at 3.05V and it looks like you are at 3.47V.

Has the location of the Image sensor moved? If so, have you pulled the antenna that comes tucked to the side inside of the casing, out? That could help as well, although it seems less likely due to the strength signal you are seeing.

Another possible reason for the issue could be that the Image Sensor is hung up, so to speak, from being removed and then re-added to the system programming. If that is the case, you could remove the sensor, perform a factory reset (use a paperclip pushed into the small hole on the front of the sensor for about 15 second, or three cycles of the flashing red light), and re-add it again as desired and it should fix the problem.

3

What is the voltage one would see on a fresh set of batteries?

My understanding is that new each lithium AA battery should be approx 1.7v/1.8v so…two @ 3.4v/3.6v

Is this not correct?

4

I’m not sure and I wasn’t able to get clarity on that when I asked it of Alarm.com. I’ll check with Ryan to see if he knows once I’m able to get a hold of him. I know it would depend on whether the batteries are Lithium or not. I pushed through a command to force the Image Sensor to recognize the batteries as Lithium in case they were being misread as Alkaline (which does occasionally happen) but it did not change the reading of the voltage.

5

From what I can gather the nominal voltage is 1.5v per battery…so 3.0v for two in series

So it makes sense that when it drops below nominal (3.0v) it reports low batt.

I think the batteries are fine, I’ll remove the IS, read it again, and have you push the rules later today.
I will also check signal, and pull out the antenna (I wasn’t aware it had an external) if needed.

6

Yes, you should be alerted of low battery for an image sensor just like any other 2GIG sensor. It doesn’t look like your batteries are close to being low at this time.

When you get the loss of supervision notification, have your tried doing a “Peek-In Now” afterward to see if it’s still working? I’m curious whether it’s just a issue with the supervision feature or if the sensor is truly not communicating.

I’m not sure about image sensor firmware updates. We haven’t had to do that so far. There is a team at Alarm.com working on some of these 2GIG image sensor quality issues and I’m feeding them every example of image sensor misbehavior I can find so I’ll certainly send them this. Keep us posted if you keep getting these loss of supervision notifications.

7

I have not tried the ‘peek in’ I usually just remove batteries, reinsert and problem is gone…

Basically I guess I am doing a power cycle of the IS

Here is signal…4/5 bars

Image sensor/first floor motion detector:
is

8

Malfunction again, did peak in. Malfunction/loss of supervision ended/cleared immediately and peak in image uploaded. Signal now reports as 5/5 bars…

Seems to be a supervision issue…obviously the IS is communicating…

Well, one good thing is I know I can remotely clear an IS loss of supervision malfunction simply by doing a peak in now

9

I keep passing your feedback to 2GIG and Alarm.com. I wish I could be of more help but we’ve experienced quality control issues with the 2GIG image sensor as well. Where did you get your image sensor? If you got it from us I’d be happy to exchange it for a new one in hopes that would work better.