Swapped to wireless reed switches on a recent install and got ghost signals all night

Figured it would save time running wire through a finished basement in Minneapolis, but the customer called me at 2am saying the alarm was going off randomly. Turns out the wireless units were picking up interference from a nearby amateur radio setup. Has anyone else run into weird radio interference on wireless sensors?

2 comments

2 Comments

lilyg8313d ago

Honestly, I used to be all about wireless sensors for quick installs, thought they were the future. But last year I had a similar nightmare with a house near a cell tower and I totally changed my mind. That 2am customer call is something you don't forget, especially when the customer is already grumpy because they thought they were getting a modern fix. I've been running wire through every finished basement since, even if it means more holes in drywall. The peace of mind is worth the extra day of fishing cables, no joke.

hayes.jake13d ago

Ditch the wireless sensors for anything with a metal roof or ham radio nearby. That 2am wakeup call is brutal and completely avoidable. Reeds are great in theory but they turn into a nightmare when radio interference hits. Ive had to pull half a dozen out of houses near airports and cell towers. Hardwired is still king for reliability, especially in basements where signal can get weird. Save yourself the headache and run the wire, even if it takes an extra day.