I’d like to test the various modes with my furry gremlins to see what the threshold is for using these as Zone 17 PIRs when the system is armed. Either on the ADC website or on the Qolsys panel I don’t appear to have any options to adjust ADC Image Sensor sensitivity or pet immunity etc.
Is this something that Surety needs to do remotely? Obviously there were no internal switches in the sensor itself.
Yes, this is something one of our technicians has spoken with both Qolsys and Alarm.com about. Sensitivity on 2GIG is available at the panel, but currently on Qolsys it is a non-interactive field. For the time being, we can make a change to the sensitivity remotely if you email customerservice@suretyDIY.com.
OK, thanks. I’ll leave them as is for a few days and then ask for an adjustment to see if I can increase things without pandemonium following.
Sensitivity on 2GIG is available at the panel
FYI, I have been testing this, and I don’t really think it works (sensitivity settings).
For example, I set it to high (35’x 40’), and it hardly triggered at 20’ or so. At 30’ it was completely useless.
Its almost as if the sensitivity is really at low regardless of the setting.
Isn’t that true of most PIRs though? I’ve never seen one ever reach the claimed range in the “real world.” Long range motion has always been the realm of microwave sensors, at least in my experience.
Isn’t that true of most PIRs though?
No
The PIR1 on high sensitivity (35’ x 50’) works at 30’-35’ just like it is supposed to.
My experience differs, but mind you that’s all been in office and warehouse settings where the environment can be mixed and changing from day to day even.
Regardless though, if I can get them to work on high without the felines or canine setting them off during the day then so much the better for me.
I have a cat, and usually have no issues with the PIR1 as it creates a pet alley (unless cat streaks), the IS on the other hand isn’t so pet friendly. The cat just walking sets it off.
My opinion of the Image Sensors is that they are good camera substitutes for peak ins, but for PIR motions they suck as you have to be right up on them (within 20’) for them to activate. Good for small room coverage, not so good for open floor plan spaces. If they actually worked for the selectable sensitivity, then they may one day be true PIR replacements.
So far, on normal sensitivity, I haven’t had one set off by the cats or the dog (~60 lbs). The background capture had no trouble getting me waking up in the middle of the night and migrating from the couch to the bedroom though. Way too soon to tell how it will do long term with the furries though.
I located sensors in two of the locations you pointed out on my floorplan so far, and the image coverage is good but since the space hasn’t been filled with crossing PIR beams yet, it’s too early to tell whether they’ll be suitable for that on their own.
I have a video that I made that illustrates the high sensitivity settings on both the PIR1 (35’x50’), and the Image Sensor (35’x40’).
The PIR1 activated at 35’, whereas the IS was at approx. 20’
Ugh, can’t see video at work…we’re not adult enough to be able to watch youtube lol. I’ll check it out when I get home.
Ah I see now, those regular PIRs are way more reactive than the IS. The ones I have up now though are triggering each time someone walks across the field of view. Even if a single one doesn’t reach out to the very corners of the open floor plan, there are others that pick up the job in their area of coverage so I’ll be OK.
I’ll probably supplement upstairs with one or two PIRs to cover the loft, landing and exit from the bedrooms. I think I’ll take an IS out of one location downstairs, replace it with a regular PIR and then put the IS in the master suite since there’s a balcony there with a large slider and then a big picture window above the bath on the same wall and accessible from the balcony as well. That definitely needs some watching.
Thanks again for the help with that.
Just to give an idea of distance in the above video for the IS…
The stairs landing at kitchen is exactly 30’ line of sight from the IS (well within the “NORMAL”, and “HIGH” sensitivity range for the PIR lense.
I cannot tell in the video, but is that image sensor angled down?
A downward angle will reduce range. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to send a remote command to change the sensitivity and then have you test.
The IS was set properly at 8’ angle on mounting bracket.
Why not just test your IS’ and see range at which it detects at high 35’ if you can replicate that it fails to detect motion at distance of 35’x40’ on high, or 30’x40’ on normal, then shoot it to ADC. In my case, it consistently detected at 18’-20’ but no further than that.
This in comparison is a PIR installed in same place at 7.5’…it easily detects motion at 30’
To obtain the full 35’ x 40’ coverage area, the sensor should be mounted at a 6˚ downward angle. This corresponds to a “teeth up” orientation of the mounting arm.
Just to clarify that is your current set up?
It does have a slight delay when the panel announces vs when the sensor trips. If you move in just past the kitchen island and wait there it should pick you up on normal or high sensitivity.
Is it ok if we try to up the sensitivity remotely?
Mine are installed at 8’, but I will change the mounting bracket angle to 6’…seems kinda stupid though
Nope that wont work. Bracket has to be at 8’
Is mounted at 8’, Bracket at 6’ angle
Is mounted at 8’, Bracket at 8’ angle
Teeth up is 6 degree angle. If you have it mounted with teeth down it is an 18 degree angle, not 8. 8 feet is the appropriate height regardless.
To obtain the full 35’ x 40’ coverage area, the sensor should be mounted at a 6˚ downward angle. This corresponds to a “teeth up” orientation of the mounting arm.Just to clarify that is your current set up?
Ok. My bad. (degrees, not feet). In any event, have you tried triggering an IS yourself at high sensitivity at no closer than 30’-35’? Because I am lucky to get it to detect at 20’