Motion sensor - Insteon

[drmark12pa]

I'm looking at adding some motion sensors purely for occupancy use (turning lights on/off primarily). I currently have the GE Concord 4 system installed and have severeal GE sensors but these go into a 3 minute delay after sensing motion so do not work well for occupancy use.

My question is has anyone used the Insteon occupancy sensors? They are only $34 and appear to be readily used in any home automation system. Will these work with Control4 similar to the $100+ Card Access motion sensors?

Here is a link to the product:

http://www.smarthome.com/2420M/Skylink-Wireless-INSTEON-Motion-Occupancy-Sensor/p.aspx

[CFUG]

Well, unless there is a converter/interface of some sorts I don't see how a 900Mhz device is going to talk on a 2.4Ghz wavelength...

I think it's high time that Card Access reviewed pricing (and possible mfg. process) of the range of motion sensors. It doesn't appear to make sense at all why anyone would opt for those when there are so many sub-$50 units appearing.

[LSDave]

i just used regular alarm motions and wired them to the contact inputs on my controller.

[CFUG]

^^And with that said, I now need one of their wireless motions for a project. I'm running out of "short hairs" here...

[dmassart]

I have a DSC was able to connect to RS-232 port. Works great when I walk into a room the lights turn on. After 10 minutes of no motion detection they turn off. I think your GE system can also be connected and the security added to you project so that you can program away.

[CFUG]

True, but the complaint is with that system the motions take a siesta for a few minutes after working.

[RyanE]

Hardwired security motions do not take a sleep after they trigger.

RyanE

[CFUG]

Is that what people are complaining about is only the wireless GEs??

I guess that might make sense in order to conserve battery power...

[tekdoc]

DSC wireless doesn't work well. Too much "siesta" time. Wired versions better but not perfect, at least for me. CA works the best in my system but I still have issues if I am sitting at my desk in a chair with a high back the sensor may not see me and shut the lights off while I am there. I guess I am too cheap to start using mult CA motions in one room at their current price point. I wish there was another alternative for occupancy that could be more user specific but I haven't beeen able to find anything I considered reasonably priced that integrated with C4. A more bare bones motion sensor that was less expensive would probably do very well. Anyone have any other ideas??

[ILoveC4]

DSC wireless doesn't work well. Too much "siesta" time. Wired versions better but not perfect, at least for me. CA works the best in my system but I still have issues if I am sitting at my desk in a chair with a high back the sensor may not see me and shut the lights off while I am there. I guess I am too cheap to start using mult CA motions in one room at their current price point. I wish there was another alternative for occupancy that could be more user specific but I haven't beeen able to find anything I considered reasonably priced that integrated with C4. A more bare bones motion sensor that was less expensive would probably do very well. Anyone have any other ideas??

Put an occupancy sensor in the pad of the chair...then as long as your can is in the seat the light will be on.

In my office I have a chair that I often sit in to read with my kids. When I sit in the chair the lamp automatically comes on. It's a nice feature. The switch for that lamp is on the other side of the room and I would never turn it on unless sitting in that chair, so it makes it nice.

[drmark12pa]

Hardwired security motions do not take a sleep after they trigger.

RyanE

Ryan,

If I wire in a GE motion sensor (vs using it wirelessly), then it's constantly active and hence used as an occupancy sensor? The current GE motions have a 3 minute timeout after sensing motion making them less than ideal for occupancy. I've tried using them in that manner in my garage but if you aren't moving at the time when the light timer expires (with the 3 minute timeout) you're out of luck....

I guess the other option is do a longer light timer and if the motion sensor detects motion then the light timer is reset....