Setting up dual beam sensors

[mrbloop]

Total noob here could do with some help setting up some dual beam sensors. I purchased this kit: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302004674097

 

The goal is to use the infrared beam sensors on a long driveway to detect people or cars coming down, it will then send signal to the gsm alarm panel. I'm having trouble setting up the dual beam sensors (everything else in the kit seems to work as intended).

 

I'm having trouble getting the sensors to detect reliably. I've lined the sensors up as best I can (using in built viewfinder) and there is a beep sequence which indicates they are correctly aligned (they are situated on fence posts about 1m off ground and 5m apart). However it's really hard to get the sensors to trigger. They might trigger 1 in 5 times when walking past them. If I deliberately stand in front of the beams to block them for a few seconds (about 3s) then they will usually trigger (not always though).

 

If I bring the sensors back inside and line them up on floor a couple of meters apart and lie down on the floor between them then they trigger very reliably. A leg or arm blocking the beams is usually not enough to trigger, it seems to require my body for some reason. They certainly don't trigger reliably when just walking through at a normal speed (or even slow speed). Is this normal? do I need to fine-tune alignment to make them more sensitive?

 

As mentioned I'm new to this. I was expecting the beams to reliably trigger when a person walks through them, was I wrong to expect this? perhaps they are more suited to detecting vehicles? The included PIR sensor triggers very reliably. Or maybe I just got what I paid for? Looking on amazon the reviews are generally very positive for similar cheap dual beam sensors.

 

On the back of one sensor are 2 pins with a jumper on them, from reading the manual removing the jumper makes the sensors less sensitive (not what I want).

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

 

[sixwheeledbeast]

I doubt any professional installer has used or can give much advise on cheap kits like that.

 

Beams I have used have adjustment for this sort of thing but I would expect them to detect any break in the beam especially at walking pace otherwise not FFP IMO.

[J&D Security]

As sixwheeledbeast said I doubt you'll find anyone on here that has used/knows the product. I would try them in close proximity to the panel/reciever to make sure it not a weak transmission signal. Set them up temporarily and test them.

[james.wilson]

can you upload a picture of inside ie any settings inside?

[mrbloop]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes I think they are meant to be able to detect a person a walking pace. Hopefully I just need to fine-tune the alignment (they have horizontal and vertical tilt adjustment). In general how fussy are these infrared beam detectors when it comes to alignment? do they need to be absolutely perfect? or is there some leeway?

 

21 minutes ago, J&D Security said:

I would try them in close proximity to the panel/reciever to make sure it not a weak transmission signal. Set them up temporarily and test them.

 

Hi yes I did try that. The sensors themselves have a beep/light sequence when beam is broken so it's possible to tell when they are triggered even without the alarm panel, unfortunately it doesn't appear to be transmission signal problems.

 

I wish they had built visible lasers for setting alignment, that would make it much easier. I have actually ordered a couple of cheap mini laser pointers to see if I can rig something up 

Edited July 14, 2016 by mrbloop

[mrbloop]

25 minutes ago, james.wilson said:

can you upload a picture of inside ie any settings inside?

 

Pics attached. Left one is receiver, right transmitter. The top lens on both has a red led indicator in it. Bottom two are the infrared related ones. The lens carrier can be swiveled horizontally and there is a thumb screw for adjusting vertical tilt. On the second photo you can see the jumper pins on the back of the receiver.

[datadiffusion]

2 hours ago, mrbloop said:

Or maybe I just got what I paid for?

 

 

Afraid that siren alone is the giveaway sign of generic Chinese tat.

 

Decent beams are never cheap, though to be honest the pictures of the insides are better than I'd imagined.

 

Usually though, with equipment not designed for the UK, it will be the lack of sufficient sun hours and rain that will kill solar / outdoor stuff like this.

[mrbloop]

12 minutes ago, datadiffusion said:

Afraid that siren alone is the giveaway sign of generic Chinese tat.

 

Hehe yes I kinda knew it was when buying. Though to be fair the alarm panel (GSM features and all) actually seems to work well (for my needs at least) …once I'd deciphered the 'chinglese' manual that is. Sometimes I don't mind taking a punt on these cheap chinese things, it lets me venture into trying new things that would probably be otherwise cost prohibitive.

[datadiffusion]

Depends, 20 years ago I bought lots of cheap hifi stuff, endlessly upgrading and replacing, if only I'd bought the half decent stuff I still have now I'd have spent a lot less in total.

 

It's a bit like buying 5 £199 Argos washing machines over 10 years vs. £600 for a Bosch that might last 12.

Edited July 14, 2016 by datadiffusion

[norman]

My Bosch one failed after 3 years.