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Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:10 pm
by chilwd
I have two Express Controls EZ Motion 3 in 1 Multisensor PIR's in my house. About three weeks ago one of those units starts going berserk with motion detection (detects motion all day long even when there's not, only switches to "off" for about 2 seconds and detects motion again). This unit is mounted outside so I figured it probably broke down with the low temperatures or something. Now tonight my other unit (which is mounted inside my house) starts doing exactly the same thing :shock:

Checked homeseer and status update for battery and light value are both still working. Also the correct values for "on" (255) and "off" (0) or still rightly configged. I did not update anything in homeseer nor made any config changes it just started doing this out of the blue. Both units or not even 1 year old yet. Anyone else having this kind of trouble with Express Controls EZ Motion PIR ? Any help would be much appreciated.

Peter

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:39 pm
by chilwd
Update:
Spend about 20 hours on this problem. Messed up my homeseer devices and events big time trying to find the problem. Guess what... changed the batteries, problem solved! :evil:

Lesson learned:
The battery indicator from your devices in homeseer cannot be trusted! (54% and 61% in my case) :o

Peter

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:23 pm
by Bwired
Well that is not good, new Zwave devices should not have this behaviour when battery drops below a level. It should stop working. the old X10 MS13 has a same kind of problem.

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:23 am
by Digit
That's why I don't use MS13 any more.
Now, my domotica system sends me an email when the supply voltage of one of my Zigbee sensors drops below a configurable minimum value...
I just had one yesterday, telling me the Supply Voltage of my Kitchen motion sensor was below 3100 mV:

Code: Select all

Van: xxxx@hekkersnet [mailto:xxxx@hekkersnet] 
Verzonden: woensdag 2 februari 2011 0:01
Aan: blabla@hekkersnet
Onderwerp: Alert

XBR5.IS (Kitchen Radio, Supply Voltage):3093,75
So I know it will stop working soon, without traffic jam; that's how it should work! :D
(I still have to replace the batteries manually though...)

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:05 am
by Bwired
yes and now you should also not use the EZ Motion PIR :wink:

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:30 pm
by chilwd
Bwired wrote:Well that is not good, new Zwave devices should not have this behaviour when battery drops below a level. It should stop working. the old X10 MS13 has a same kind of problem.
The other unit stopped working indeed, but the battery indicator in homeseer shows a 54% battery life :roll: Ah well, I guess I'll just go to our great Dutch wallmart (Vroom and Dreesmann) and purchase a sh*ttload of battery's! ;) Now only need to make an event in homeseer to activate my special "wife-device" to change the batteries :)

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:36 am
by AshaiRey
Have a look at Ikea.
They sell alkaline batteries for a good price

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 12:03 pm
by Alexander
If i can make a suggestion: Buy batteries which aren't drained fast. These aren't expensive (Sanyo Eneloop) : http://www.samenkopen.net/action/575523

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:18 pm
by chilwd
Alexander wrote:If i can make a suggestion: Buy batteries which aren't drained fast. These aren't expensive (Sanyo Eneloop) : http://www.samenkopen.net/action/575523
Never heard of eneloop batteries before, but it seems like a very logical and good alternatief to regular batteries. Tnx for the tip Alexander!

Re: Express Controls EZ Motion PIR goes balistic..

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:51 pm
by Digit
I use those Eneloop NiMh batts too. Low self discharge, which is important for long usage without having to recharge; 2000 mAh for the white ones.
Now Conrad also has black Eneloop "X", rated @ 2500 mAh.