RCR- Pet Motion Detector Problems

[Andrew & Adair Wood <andrewandadairwoodNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxx>]

I hope someone here will be kind enough to assist with my problem.  I am
not a professional installer, but a FAIRLY knowledgeable end-user.  In
the living room of my home, I have a G.E. "RCR-Pet" motion detector.
This is the second unit of this type my installer and I have tried.  The
first such sensor was installed over a year ago when another technology
(floor-joist load-cells) proved unsuitable.  The load-cells themselves
were a replacement for another brand of motion detector which proved
unsuitable.

The sensor is mounted SLIGHTLY above the maximum recommended height -
the top of the sensor is at 8ft. 1in. above the floor.  It is mounted on
an "over-hang" prohibiting lowering it, if the 1-inch overage was
actually significant.  There is a 10lb cat as well as 2 dogs in the
room.  The dogs are large (Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Saint
Bernard/Collie cross) BUT they are crated when the system is armed.  The
Saint Collie's crate is BEHIND the sensor, under the over-hang, outside
of the coverage pattern.  The ridgeback's crate is outside of the
sensor's set range and was, until recently, outside of the coverage
pattern.  She is also smaller than the 80lb immunity claimed for the unit.

When the first sensor was first installed, it was mounted flush to the
wall of the over-hang.  It was set to detect only within 9 feet.  I
noticed a problem: it did not "catch" well for people passing through
the most likely path of an intruder in the room.  We installed a
"swivel-bracket" and angled the unit approx. 45 degrees toward the
ridgeback's crate, which is approximately 12 feet from the unit.  During
walk-testing, catch was improved noticeably.

A few days ago, the sensor falsed.  Afterward, I noticed it was
detecting BEYOND the set 9 foot range.  Suspecting the unit was
defective, my installer and I replaced it.  The new unit is also
detecting beyond the 9 foot range, as well as detecting BEHIND the unit
(despite the fact that G.E. advertises no "back-lobe").  The unit is
still on the "swivel-bracket", but is now oriented straight ahead as the
first one was.  I have an "RCR-A" in the master-bedroom (no animals in
there when system is armed) and it's range-detection is flawless.

Have we gotten 2 lemons, or is this model junk?  Thanks in advance for
any help.

Andrew Wood