Motion Sensors for HOT warehouses

microwave only or photo beam

RTS

I have a warehouse in Miami, FL, and am looking for a quality motion sensor. Keep in mind, in the summer, it gets to be EXTREMELY hot (over 100 degrees). Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated/.

Without knowing other aspects of the environment (or the building's construction), I would strongly suggest that the micro-wave part of your suggestion carry a few cautions and provisos. :-)

Photo-beams could work, but could also represent a significant cash outlay.

If using microwave detection only, you must consider if there are large metal objects within the warehouse. Microwaves bounce off of metal surfaces and can cause random false alarms. On the other hand, microwaves can penetrate non metal objects and sense motion of larger than human objects at many times the rated distance of the motion detector. That is ... through wooden/sheetrock walls and windows.

If using photo beams, you must determine that the areas through which the beams travel will remain clear during the times the system is armed. This shortcoming could also cause difficulty in arming the system if, for instance, items are left in asles overnight. This could be cause for bypassing zones on a regular basis by unconcerned employees, rather than clearing the asles before leaving at night. If single beam detectors are used, they can be avoided much easier than motion detectors, by people who are familiar with the warehouse, such as employees. Multi beam photo electric beams would be recommended for the best chance of detection and the lowest chance of circumvention.

I think that Sentrol ( Now UTC ) used to make a high temp motion detector, but you'd have to check with them now.

Actually that would be Cold Temp Motion. The 6160CT is primary for a cold environment. Never heard of a High Temp??

Hmmm ..... you're probably right. I do remember having to use the cold temp unit in a food cooler once, a long time ago but I thought I remembered them (or someone) advertising a high temp unit ...... someplace. Maybe Visonic (?) Too long ago to remember accurately.

If you think about it ..... the detector would actually have to compare the movement of a cooler object against a hot background. I can imagine a dual element detector .... one element working normally and the other element using inverse logic to detect movement. Not a product that there would be that much call for. You could call it an Infradark detector.

Or maybe a speed of dark detector...............................

Let's see ..... that means it would be either PID detector or a PSOD detector.

I think the British might have a problem calling it a PSOD.

If you want to use a detector that works in hostile warehouse environments, there is only one I can say I have used without any problems. That is the Bosch OD 850 series detector.