Security sensors alert vs normal Battery drain

[nickmcgibbon]

I love using these with the W800 (already set up a overflowing laundry sink alarm that kills the washer, phone in use sensor that pauses and starts the mp3 server, a rain detector and I have hijacked my ADT security panel for door/window status) Does any one know if these draw more power in the "alert" condition? Three of my sensors are in the alert state under regular conditions and HS only reacts to a "normal" (ie contacts closed)conditon. I don't know if this will kill my battery life. I don't see extra stuff in my log so I'm hoping the sensor doesnt care. Any comments or experience would be great.

Nick

[snedecor]

I don't think one position uses any more power than the other. The units transmit when they sense a change of state, ie. from normal to alert, or vice versa. Then they periodically send some type of "I'm here" message (It could be the curent status) every so often, but not more for one status than another. If the WGL doesn't hear from a sensor in a predefined amount of time, it sets the "communication failure" status.

The one thing that WILL rapidly drain the batteries is a rapid changing of states, like a pet door flapping in the breeze, etc. This makes the sensor constantly send the new state, running down the batteries.

Snedecor

[Rupp]

nickmcgibbon,
Can you elaborate on the steps taken to set up the alarm for the overflowing sink alarm and phone in use sensor.

[nickmcgibbon]

Thanks for the info Gayle, that sets my mind at ease.

Rupp - for the phone I use an old phone conversation recorder unit (got it at a garage sale, it is usually used by creepy people who want to record all the phone conversations in their home). It plugs into a phone jack and has a plug for the cassette recorders remote jack. This plug is normally open when all phones are on the hook and closes when any phone goes off the hook. Connect this plug to a door/window sensor and it will tell you the state of the phone. I have a TR16A phone commander that pauses the MP3 server when the phone rings and when I hang up the phone the W800 sends a play command. (you could do both with the W800 but that would mean every time you or someone in an other room made a call the music would stop). I'm sure you could do this or better with Homseer Phone but I don't have the correct modem.

My laundry tub used to sometimes over-flow (long unchangeable plumbing story) so I drilled two holes close together near the top of my laundry tub and bolted/silliconed two small stainless bolts. Connect a door/window sensor to these and they will close when the tub is full(normal status). In my basement they then trigger the appliance module that the washer is plugged into and kill it to stop the water flow and HS announces that there is a problem. Once the sink clears (alert staus) the power is reapplied to the washer. I'm actually a little annoyed that it hasn't overflowed since I installed this setup.

Nick

[snedecor]

Nick,

You're saying that the water touching the two stainless steel bolts makes the connection and fires the sensor? Your water must be pretty conductive!

Great idea!