Re: Extreme RF Noise source locating

[Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>]

On 6/16/2022 1:06 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
> Sorry for the long read!!
>
> On 9/25/2018 4:52 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>> Hey guys,
>>
>> Yesterday I was setting up some wireless window sensors and
>> was having trouble after learning them in, could not get proper
>> response unless I was very close to the receiver.  My thoughts
>> were that I may have had a bad receiver, so I ordered another.
>>
>> Today I got a call from the customer asking if anything I did
>> would have effected the garage door remotes.  He further explained
>> that the remotes would only work when it was within 2 feet of the
>> actual opener.  I said there is NO correlation but, just to be sure
>> I had him power down the system by removing AC/DC so it was not powered.
>>
>> There was no change in the remotes to open the OH door from a distance.
>> I suggested he relearn the remotes into the opener and or call
>> the manufacture of the opener.  (Linear LD050)  He called back
>> and said he was told by Mfg. that there was a large RF Noise
>> source locally and he would need a Spectrum Analyzer to determine
>> where it was located.
>>
>> Since then he has determined that a next door neighbor has the same
>> problem with his remotes.  Also, another close neighbor had just left
>> for two weeks to Europe yesterday.  And that another 3 houses away,
>> the remotes worked just fine.
>>
>> Suspicion is that the vacationing neighbor turned on something upon
>> leaving that is causing this RF Dead Zone.
>>
>> The reason I am posting here is to ask if anyone else has experienced
>> this kind of issue??  And/or what household device could there be
>> that would create this problem??
>>
>> Or does anyone have any hints how to find something that is putting
>> out invisible STUFF??  It would be a lot easier if it would if it
>> emitted a green ooze.
>>
>> Thanks for any input!!
>>
>> Les
>>
>>
>
> Hey guys,
>
> Remember this discussion from 2018 that the problem mysteriously went
> away after two days??
>
> WELL................  it came back!!  Yesterday the customer called and
> said that he had a window sensor that was not working.  He then said
> that they had some window cleaners in that cleaned the outside and
> inside of the windows.  Thought that maybe the sensor was damaged.
> We tried a couple of things over the phone, nothing helped.
>
> So I got there a few hours later.  Yes, Guest Bedroom Window Right
> was showing open.  I checked the battery and it was at 100%.
> I checked the unit with another magnet and got no response.
> I then removed the sensor from the Left Window.  Went to the keypad
> and it shows that the zone was OK.  I had the transmitter in my hand!!
>
> Puzzled I went to the garage and looked at the LED on the Opener.
> It was Solid Red. I asked the customer if the remotes work for the
> garage openers??  He said NO they haven't since yesterday and his
> neighbor has the same problem!!  W-H-A-T!!!
>
> I had bought a small RF Noise device after the past events but it is
> on my desk in my office 10 miles away and the battery needs charged.
> Not that it was going to find the problem but I didn't know.  Since
> there was nothing I could do on site I told the customer I would
> charge the unit and comeback tomorrow.
>
> Last evening customer calls and says that the keypad was beeping
> with a number of sensors "Lost".  All I could do was to dial
> in to the system and turn off the wireless zones.  So I did.
>
> Called him back and he said the beeping and trouble had stopped.
> Which is should have.
>
> I called him this morning and asked if anything changed.  He said
> that after I "turned the system off" the Garage Doors Openers worked.
>
> What??  I didn't turn the system off.  I just disabled the zones in
> the system.  So I dialed back in and turned the zones back on.  System
> showed zone 10 as being lost so I turned that one back off.
>
> Anyhow I got there a few hours later and he said that the openers were
> not working since I "turned the system back on".  ????????????????????
>
> Went to the garage and the LED's were off. He then discovered that the
> GFI in the garage was tripped and the openers had no power.  He reset
> and the openers worked Ok.  He said that there was a big storm in the
> morning and a lightning strike very close.  The GFI must of tripped.
>
> As for the lost transmitter I turned it back on at the keypad and
> checked the unit.  Found that the battery was out of its holder and
> once I re-seated it, all worked as it should.
>
> Once again at this time 12:23pm on 6/16/2022 all was working..... AGAIN!
>
> Also once again do not know the source of the problem!!
>
> Also once again do not know how to find the problem to make it not
> happen again!!
>
> Once again the customer thinks that this is my fault although he has not
> used those words.
>
> Sorry for the long read............ if you read this far, thanks!!
> I needed to type out the story before I lost the memory cells.
>
> Any thoughts would be appreciated.  I have re-read the thread from 2018.
> I just don't know what else I can do or figure out.
>
> MY BRAIN HURTS!!!
>
> Les
>

Any snowbirds in the neighborhood recently return home?

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