Re: X10 PR511 Motion/Floor light

[Art Todesco <actodesco@xxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, I have had wind problems here (western NC mountains), but in my
previous location, flatland Chicago area, it worked pretty well, even
though Chicago is the Windy City!  Two days ago we had a very warm day
and living about 1/2 way up the mountain, you can get breezes of
different temperatures coming down from the top ... I did get 2 false
triggers in the daytime.  When  you say "This style of motion detection"
what do you mean?  It looks like every other PIR detector I've seen,
although I didn't get into the inner circuitry.  BTW, I do plan on using
a different unit to detect motion on the driveway, once I have it paved
this spring ... oops, it's spring now, I'd better get some estimates.
Anyway, I will be putting in a 2 piece unit where a beam has to be
broken.  It should eliminate trip by wind, small animals, etc. but
should trip for people, cars and larger animals.  Deer and bears are in
the area, however, if I mount the beam high enough it should miss them.
  Our deer in this area are relatively short and bears usually don't
stand up.  I still plan on using the PR511, mostly for dusk detection.
It might also be nice to detect when a car is moving out of the garage
and then block the inside signal from going off, when the car cuts
across the new cross beam.  Can you say, nerd!

On 3/20/2013 2:25 PM, Josepi wrote:
> The 511 did not work well. It screwed up big time. Wind would activate
> it regularly with it's single sensor motion design. This style of motion
> detection went out of style 3 months after they were invented due to
> non-reliability.
>
> --
>
> "Art Todesco"  wrote in message news:kf8o3e$b6k$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> As there seems to be no chit-chat here, other than a few spams, I though
> I might try to start something.  I have 2  PR511 Motion Detector units,
> with the floodlight sockets removed.  One is on a lamp post outside the
> house.  It's relay (base code C11) turns on said lamp (CFL) in post
> fixture.   It operates pretty much as an independent appliance module,
> as the "Thus Unit" switch is set to Dusk with the dusk/dawn setting set
> all the way to 'light' (for day and night operation).  C12 is enabled on
> the unit.  A Smarthome 1132CU decides what to do with the C12 ON or OFF
> ... turns on floods at proper times, ding-dongs most of the time (except
> during sleepy time), etc.   I would like to make better use of the
> PR511.  I would like the motion to activate +1 to +4 with the switches.
>   Also the +5 to +8 should also be able to be used for dusk/dawn.  I
> want the motion to work 24/7.  And I want the internal module (C11 in my
> case) to be independent of the motion detector or dusk/dawn detector.
> I'm not against modifying the PR511, but I don't want to re-invent the
> wheel, if it's been done already.  Has anyone tried anything like this?
>   Also, does anyone know where I can buy a PR511 today?  They are out of
> production.
> Thanks, and let the 100's of posts come through : )