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Outdoor Motion Sensor With ADT Pulse
ADT Pulse requires an “event” to trigger a recording. Some of the cameras compatible with the system can record detected motion to a DVR. These cameras will not record to the ADT Pulse system with the same detected motion stimulus. With the Pulse system the user has to base recordings on a triggering event.
An example of a trigger could be a door opening, light coming on, an alarm event or motion detection via a security motion sensor (not camera). When I first obtained my ADT Pulse system, I was somewhat disappointed to discover I could not record video of people who came to my door when I was not home. The solution seemed obvious, create a “trigger” based on a tripped motion sensor by the door. The problem, ADT Pulse did not offer or support outdoor motion sensors with any of the Pulse packages. ADT may offer outdoor sensors independently of the ADT Pulse system. Unless already have an outdoor sensor or request one installed with your ADT Pulse there is NO ADT pulse package that will enable you to record events outside your home, based on motion.
A motion detector is technically a security module. Triggers and alerts can be created for any motion detector that is part of your security system. In my case, the security panel is a Concord 4. The Concord 4 panel integrates with the ADT Pulse IHub to present the end user with an integrated security/home control system. Any module that is supported and controlled by your security panel is observable and manageable through the ADT Pulse interface (web portal or touchscreen). While ADT Pulse does not come with an outdoor motion detector module, the Concord 4 panel does support this type of motion sensor. Any outdoor motion sensor that is part of a Pulse compatible security system should work with ADT Pulse.
The VX-402R is a heavy duty, outdoor motion detector that utilizes a variety of transmitters. For my solution I used the Caddx NX-650. Joining a VX-402R to the Concord 4 panel requires the user to join the module via shortcut option on the security keypad or utilizing the installer code.
Once the outdoor motion detector is installed, the user can set up automations based on motion, via the ADT Pulse web portal. Most security panels support some sort of outdoor motion sensor. Make sure the sensor you choose is compatible with your security panel. This may seem obvious to some. I get about one email a month asking how to set this up. Hopefully, this blog post will help end users tweak their own system. Good luck.
GE 60-742-95R Freeze Sensor
I got this sensor for Christmas. I can’t see letting it sit on the shelf. The initial install into the ADT Pulse/Concord 4 home automation system had a whoops on my part.
The directions for this device clearly state, “Do not place on an outside wall.” That makes sense. An outside wall will radiate the cold through to the sensor. Heading this advice, I placed the sensor on a stud, approximately 3 inches off the wall, right next to the main water line.
At 4:32 in the morning on a particularly cold day, I discovered the error of my ways. The main water line travels past the observation window for the gas line. The sensor was near this window. Cold air streams in through this observation port. The small glass block has zero insulating value. I believe this is the location of a previous water line freeze.
I moved the sensor off the wall entirely and placed it near the floor, in the room that takes the brunt of the winter wind. If it goes off in that location there is no doubt I have an issue.
Over the years our pipes have froze once. It was -25 with a strong wind. There was no damage since we caught it early. I am not sure the sensor would have gone off under these circumstances. GE Freeze sensors need to be calibrated through the security panel. You set the temperatures via the Concord 4 panel. The device is placed in sensor group 29. The Freeze Sensor is considered a security device and has to be entered into the system via the Concord 4 security panel. Once added, it will appear in the ADT Pulse system as a “Freeze Sensor.” If the device is tripped it will not call the monitoring station. You will need to set up an “alert” in the ADT Pulse system to send you a text in the event the Freeze Sensor is tripped. Sensor group 29 WILL sound your home alarm once tripped.
ADT Pulse Garage Door Opener/Closer
For a long time I have wanted to set up my ADT Pulse system to open and close my garage. A vacation from work has given me the opportunity to find a method to control my garage. I also wanted to set up a way for the system to close my garage if it was unintentionally left open.
To set up the system I used a Zwave appliance module and followed the instructions located at the following links:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Z-Wave-Garage-Door-Opener-Switch/#step1
The link below has a part in it advising how to set up your relay. Power goes into post 7 and 8 on your relay. Posts 5 and 3 are hooked up to your garage door opener.
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,4773.0.html
With the device installed I named my appliance module “Garage Door Opener”. On the garage I installed a GE Design line Garage Door Sensor, model Number TX-8010-1. You will need to “learn” this sensor into your security system. I placed this sensor in zone 1, group 11 on the concord panel.
I then created the following rules in the ADT Pulse system. Garage door open, turn off appliance module (Called Garage Door Opener). Garage door closed, turn off appliance module called Garage Door Opener. These two rules force the appliance module to turn off after being activated. This prevents the module from staying on and possibly burning out your door opener or relay. It also sets up the garage door for the next open or close request. See below:
I tried to create a rule that would shut the garage door by, when left open past a certain time. I wanted to have a ‘fall back” in the event the garage door was left open overnight. I set up a rule to power on the appliance module named “Garage Door Opener” if the garage door was open past 10pm. Despite the garage door being open and the rule time passing, the garage door appliance module is not triggered. I tried to remove the rule for turning off the appliance module “when open” thinking this created a conflict in the system. Deleting this potential conflicting rule did not make a difference.
Unfortunately having a “trigger” to power on the module with the intent of closing a garage door unintentionally left open, will also open the door when it is closed. For example, setting up a rule to “power on the garage door module” when the panel is armed to “stay” mode, will also open the garage door if it is closed.
I was hopeful the GE garage door sensor would “update” its status of open to the panel. I thought that this update would trigger the rule to power on the module, thereby closing the garage door. This is not the case. Perhaps I am missing an obscure setting in the Concord4 panel. Maybe the sensor needs to be in a different security group? I will continue to research. Ideally I would like for the system to close the garage door when it is left open past a certain time. Feel free to throw in your two cents.
EDIT: Once the garage door sensor is added you CAN see it via your Pulse portal. Since it is just an open or closed type sensor you can’t do much with it other than create automations based on its status. In short, the open/close sensor works perfectly with the pulse system.