Motion Sensor Recommendation

[mik3]

What are some motion sensor recommendations that have a long battery life, fast response, and are reliable?

im thinking the ecolink motion sensors are the best?

[Michael McSharry]

Fastest and most reliable are microwave doppler that sell for $1. The only ones I have seen integrated into consumer products are with lighting and the are powered by mains. Most you find are infra-red with various tricks incorporated to reduce false triggers. For this technology I use the old x10 Hawkeye for indoors. I use the ones from Dakota that support my 500 ft range through forest for outdoor. I also use DIY radar Doppler for various special locations. I described a couple of the microwave ones in http://mcsSprinklers.com/mcsMQTT.pdf. Both indoor and outdoor ones get a battery change once a year.

[RoChess]

For pure Z-Wave ones, I use the Fibaro FGMS-001 and Aeon Labs ZW100 and they last about 2-3 years on batteries with ~12 daily motion alerts and delta push updates on temperature, humidity, UV, etc. The Fibaro was used inside my entry way at old location, shielded from weather for 5 years but with no heat, so endured harsh Ohio weather (sub-zero) and it kept working (yay for lithium batteries).

The Dome DMMS1 ones are sharper priced at the moment, but if you are handy with electronics then Michael McSharry's idea on microwave sensors is much better, and they also much more accurate. They actually work in a full 360 ball pattern, unless you get the metal shielded ones such as the HFS-DC06 with integrated shielding at a 180 degree dome range. You can even hide them behind drywall and they will still function at 20' range.

[Fellhahn]

You can even hide them behind drywall and they will still function at 20' range.

OK that sounds pretty damn cool and is totally new to me. Have you done this? Any issues with heat buildup?

[Michael McSharry]

Very low power so no heat. I have a few in service as described in the pdf link above. In one install I used a little aluminum foil on one side so it did not report motion in an adjoining room.