Re: Extreme RF Noise source locating

[ABLE1 <somewhere@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 6/16/2022 6:54 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> 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?
>

Hi Bob,

Good question.  I don't know the answer to the question.
I will have to ask my customer to see if he knows.

Thanks,

Les