A cost effective solution to home security is the standalone wireless motion sensor alarm. A wireless motion sensor alarm purchased as a standalone product normally runs off batteries, although some allow you to power the alarm off mains electricity as well. These alarms detect any motion in a room, and are quite a cheaper than buying a home security system (with multiple sensors and a control box), when all you want to do is secure one or two rooms. As a wireless motion sensor alarm contains no wires, these units are easy to install.
Radar-based motion detector alarms send out ultrasonic sound waves, which are reflected around a room and bounce back to the motion detection unit, which makes a note of this reflection pattern. If someone enters the room the pattern reflected back to the unit is disrupted, which then triggers the alarm.
Photoelectric detection alarms project a beam of light across a passageway or doorway to detect motion. These units are triggered when a person passing through interrupts this beam of light.
Passive infrared (PIR) motion detector alarms detect the infrared energy (or heat) returned in its particular field of view. If someone walks into the field of view of the unit, the infrared energy returned will increase substantially (due to the person’s body heat), thus triggering the alarm.
PIR motion detector alarms are quite advanced detection units, and used to cost quite a bit to purchase. Today PIR alarms are not expensive, and are the route to go when purchasing a wireless motion sensor alarm. The PIR technology has also been fine tuned so that false alarms are minimal these days.
A wireless motion sensor alarm should be mounted on a wall at about 7 feet from the ground – mounting the alarm this high will also prevent a dog or cat setting the alarm off. The alarm should be placed in a location where a burglar will be most likely to cross upon entering your home – the idea is to detect the intruder as early as possible. These units can normally be mounted by using a single screw in the wall, but some of them come with a separate mounting bracket that must be screwed onto the wall first. Batteries are not normally included with these units, and must be bought separately.
A wireless motion sensor alarm is an excellent security solution for small to medium homes, or for someone who cannot afford a complete home security system. If the layout of your home is such that an intruder must pass through a single room or hallway to reach the other rooms in your home, then one of these units are ideal. These units ideally suit a flat situated off the ground floor.
Make sure that the unit you buy is a PIR (passive infrared) unit, and the alarm siren produced by the unit is quite loud – at least 120 decibels. Most of these units have decent alarm, but check first. Also check the distance that the motion detection unit is rated for – most of these units are rated for at least 20 feet, which is enough for most rooms. A lot of these units come with a separate remote control unit, which is handy to activate/deactivate the unit from a distance.
The Control Products MA-S01 Battery-Powered MiniAlarm Motion Sensor
Alternatively, look at the Control Products MA-5000 MiniAlarm Plus
Tags: home security sensor, motion sensor alarm, wireless motion sensor alarm
