Aeon Labs MultiSensor (DSB05)

I just got 2 of these for Christmas and have been working with them. I wanted to know where are people placing this devices for best motion detection (ceiling, wall, corner, or above a doorway)? Ideally I would place it in a corner, but it does not seem to have the range to catch motion at all 3 doors to my kitchen.

Has anyone else had triggering problems with these? I have several PIR's about the house (different makes) and this is the only one that triggers itself. It isn't near any windows or near anything moving, but I have noticed that it regularly goes just after a sensor report ( a sensor report that seems to report the same value several times occasionally).....

A couple of examples.

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7 Jan 2014 05:32:53
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Luminance" sensor update to 9 lux
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Humidity" sensor update to 69%
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Humidity" sensor update to 69%
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Humidity" sensor update to 69%
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Temperature" sensor update to 15.5 °C

7 Jan 2014 05:33:09
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - PIR" status update is on

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7 Jan 2014 10:08:59
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Luminance" sensor update to 94 lux
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Luminance" sensor update to 94 lux
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Humidity" sensor update to 68%
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - Temperature" sensor update to 15.4 °C

7 Jan 2014 10:09:16
  Z-Wave                          received "Landing - PIR" status update is on


I'm trying to setup my MultiSensor to send me emails while I'm at work Mon - Fri from 730am until 330pm if motion is detected

[jay (support)]

Has anyone else had triggering problems with these?

I have 3 and none do that - I wonder if it's just malfunctioning? Try removing the battery and waiting for a while then reinserting it.

[jay (support)]

I'm trying to setup my MultiSensor to send me emails while I'm at work Mon - Fri from 730am until 330pm if motion is detected

You don't want to use a schedule - rather, use a trigger of "Device State Changed" type that looks at the On State (becomes on) for the motion sensor. Then you only need the time range condition.

[EDIT] - sorry, I missed the Monday-Friday requirement. To get that, you can either use a script or you can create two schedules: one that runs at midnight on M-F and sets a variable to "true" and another that runs on S-S at midnight that sets the variable to "false". Then add another condition to check to see if the variable is true.

You don't want to use a schedule - rather, use a trigger of "Device State Changed" type that looks at the On State (becomes on) for the motion sensor. Then you only need the time range condition.

[EDIT] - sorry, I missed the Monday-Friday requirement. To get that, you can either use a script or you can create two schedules: one that runs at midnight on M-F and sets a variable to "true" and another that runs on S-S at midnight that sets the variable to "false". Then add another condition to check to see if the variable is true.

Thanks Jay, When I have some time I'll work on scripting it then.

I thought I saw something that said this can be hard wired. Is that true?

I thought I saw something that said this can be hard wired. Is that true?

I only got a USB cable with mine. So you could probably plug the USB cable into a USB power brick of some kind. I choose to use batteries due to lack of outlets near my motion detectors. Hope this helps.

[jay (support)]

Wired for power, yes (as @Indy_larry points out via USB and a USB charger). Wired for signal, no.

I am struggling to capture the correct variable from Indigo 6 from the DSB05 to applescript.

I am just looking at temp and humidity so far. On the device page, the expected sensor readings from the DSB05 are correctly listed (temp, humidity and luminance change as expected). But, when I use a trigger to capture a variable from the individual sensor, the incorrect sensor reading is often captured. I noted that the only defined variable, for any of the sensors, that is available in the trigger menu, is isDaylight. I have used the trigger functions to set the isDaylight variable to the output form the desired sensor (temp or humidity) and then use a simple Applescript to capture the isDaylight value. Some times the Applescript will obtain the correct temp and humidity reading as expected. But other times the trigger to capture the temp sensor value will capture the humidity value and vice versa. The triggers can be one (ion example below) or each trigger can be separate.

In the trigger example below, the temp sensor sets the isDaylight variable to its parameter, an applescript captures the isDaylight variable, the trigger waits 5 seconds, then set the isDaylight variable to the humidity sensor's reading and an applescript captures the variable again.

Any suggestions on what I am missing would be helpful.

Thank you.

I noted that the only defined variable, for any of the sensors, that is available in the trigger menu, is isDaylight. I have used the trigger functions to set the isDaylight variable to the output form the desired sensor (temp or humidity) .

I'm no expert in these matters, but as I understand it the isDaylight variable is not writeable but generated from your location and time settings. You would have to create your own variables for them to show up. You can the set your device state to that variable.

Colin

Yes, that's right. isDayLight is a read-only variable. You must create variables via the Variable List Window before you try to write to them from a Trigger. (It's possible to have the Trigger run a script that creates the variable if it doesn't exist yet, but that's probably more advanced than you need.)

I am confused that this is the only variable that you are given the option to write to. If you have other variables defined in the Variable List Window, then they should appear under the configuration window of your Trigger when you press "Edit Action Settings".

[jay (support)]

You should just create two variables - one to hold the temp and one to hold the temp and one to hold the humidity.

The isDaylight variable is read-only (we should filter it out of the list) and is only updated by the server to be "true" or "false".

Thanks everyone. The isDaylight variable accepts sensor reading data so I was thinking it would be a reasonable variable. I will go ahead and define additional variables.

[jay (support)]

The isDaylight variable accepts sensor reading data

That's a bug - it shouldn't.