Spider in the motion sensor

[Bill Stock]

I've got a wired sensor that's been coming on all night. So I cut back the
usual suspects (trees), but still no joy. I thought it might be a spider, so
I evicted one tonight. But it seems to be doing it again.

Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for keeping
spiders out?

[Frank Olson]

Bill Stock wrote:
> I've got a wired sensor that's been coming on all night. So I cut back the
> usual suspects (trees), but still no joy. I thought it might be a spider, so
> I evicted one tonight. But it seems to be doing it again.
>
> Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for keeping
> spiders out?
>
>


It's called silicon (pronounced "silly-kon"). It comes in convenient
tubes. Use lots. :-)

[Robert L Bass]

"Bill Stock" <me7@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:5m37smFbivhiU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for
> keeping spiders out?

Here's what I did for many years. It worked for me. Seal the wire
and screw mounting holes with a dab of silicon sealant (bathtub caulk
works well). Cut a small piece of sponge and, while wearing
disposable gloves, saturate it with Raid or any other anti-critter
stuff. Place the sponge inside the motion detector and close the
cover. In the tightly closed space the stuff lasts for years. It
doesn't seem to harm electronics but just to be safe I keep the
sponge away from the wires and PCB.

Please note that spiders and other critters are only one possible
cause. If there's a hole in the housing, seal it to keep drafts out.
Cool (or warm) air blowing directly onto the pyrolitic transducer can
wreak havoc with a PIR.

Make certain the detector is firmly attached to a non-moving,
non-vibrating surface. The least motion of the detector appears to
the unit as though the whole world is jumping around.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

[Robert Green]

"Bill Stock" <me7@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:5m37smFbivhiU1@mid.individual.net...
> I've got a wired sensor that's been coming on all night. So I cut back the
> usual suspects (trees), but still no joy. I thought it might be a spider,
so
> I evicted one tonight. But it seems to be doing it again.
>
> Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for keeping
> spiders out?

I read, perhaps here, that WD-40 and or teflon spray lube leaves a residue
that spiders have a hard time dealing with. Others have recommended dousing
the area with bug spray. I have a similar problem with IR CCTV cams whose
heat and or IR light attract a wide variety of critters. I sprayed the
barrels with teflon spray lube and they haven't come back, but that could
just be dumb luck. I have a video somewhere of one spider weaving a web
using the camera as an anchor point that looks like a cheap sci-fi film.

My guess is that if a spider got it, water could get in, too. I suspect
moisture would be far more likely to cause malfunctions than a spider
wandering around but that's just a guess. Who knows what a spider crawling
around on the surface of the detector can do?

I did have lots of problems with false triggering at night one year, and it
wasn't until a snowstorm that I saw the tracks of a possum that had moved
into a space under the shed. Now, if I get plagued by falsing, I mount a
CCTV cam to monitor the area to see if I can match some sort of physical
event to the false triggering. That's how I figured out that passing cars
were able to trigger my EagleEyes, and at a considerable distance.

--
Bobby G.

[Bill Stock]

"Robert L Bass" <RobertLBass@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:co%Ki.2842$hr1.258@trnddc02...
> "Bill Stock" <me7@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:5m37smFbivhiU1@mid.individual.net...
>>
>> Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for keeping
>> spiders out?
>
> Here's what I did for many years. It worked for me. Seal the wire and
> screw mounting holes with a dab of silicon sealant (bathtub caulk works
> well). Cut a small piece of sponge and, while wearing disposable gloves,
> saturate it with Raid or any other anti-critter stuff. Place the sponge
> inside the motion detector and close the cover. In the tightly closed
> space the stuff lasts for years. It doesn't seem to harm electronics but
> just to be safe I keep the sponge away from the wires and PCB.
>
> Please note that spiders and other critters are only one possible cause.
> If there's a hole in the housing, seal it to keep drafts out. Cool (or
> warm) air blowing directly onto the pyrolitic transducer can wreak havoc
> with a PIR.
>
> Make certain the detector is firmly attached to a non-moving,
> non-vibrating surface. The least motion of the detector appears to the
> unit as though the whole world is jumping around.

Thanks,

Not sure how a spider could get in there. There's a gasket around the lens
and a foam block around the sensor wire. Although I didn't happen to notice
the state of the foam when I had the lens off, perhaps it's hardened up with
time.



> --
>
> Regards,
> Robert L Bass
>
> =============================>
> Bass Home Electronics
> 941-925-8650
> 4883 Fallcrest Circle
> Sarasota · Florida · 34233
> http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
> =============================>

[Bill Stock]

"Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@YAH00.COM> wrote in message
news:bN2dncO3B7uTNWHbnZ2dnUVZ_v2unZ2d@rcn.net...
> "Bill Stock" <me7@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:5m37smFbivhiU1@mid.individual.net...
>> I've got a wired sensor that's been coming on all night. So I cut back
>> the
>> usual suspects (trees), but still no joy. I thought it might be a spider,
> so
>> I evicted one tonight. But it seems to be doing it again.
>>
>> Assuming the spider is back, any human safe home remedies for keeping
>> spiders out?
>
> I read, perhaps here, that WD-40 and or teflon spray lube leaves a residue
> that spiders have a hard time dealing with. Others have recommended
> dousing
> the area with bug spray. I have a similar problem with IR CCTV cams whose
> heat and or IR light attract a wide variety of critters. I sprayed the
> barrels with teflon spray lube and they haven't come back, but that could
> just be dumb luck. I have a video somewhere of one spider weaving a web
> using the camera as an anchor point that looks like a cheap sci-fi film.
>
> My guess is that if a spider got it, water could get in, too. I suspect
> moisture would be far more likely to cause malfunctions than a spider
> wandering around but that's just a guess. Who knows what a spider
> crawling
> around on the surface of the detector can do?
>
> I did have lots of problems with false triggering at night one year, and
> it
> wasn't until a snowstorm that I saw the tracks of a possum that had moved
> into a space under the shed. Now, if I get plagued by falsing, I mount a
> CCTV cam to monitor the area to see if I can match some sort of physical
> event to the false triggering. That's how I figured out that passing cars
> were able to trigger my EagleEyes, and at a considerable distance.
>
> --
> Bobby G.
>


One of the things the sensor(s) do is select the camera(s) in the same
location as the sensor and output them to the video system. We use to see
the odd coon/possum/cat/teenager/badger/heron/etc., but lately it's a whole
lot of nothing for this sensor. I suppose it could be bats or something hard
to see, but I suspect gremlins.

[Robert L Bass]

"Bill Stock" <me7@privacy.net> wrote:
>
> Not sure how a spider could get in there. There's a gasket around
> the lens and a foam block around the sensor wire. Although I didn't
> happen to notice the state of the foam when I had the lens off,
> perhaps it's hardened up with time.

I'm not certain it is a spider but they can and do get through some
really small openings. In inner city jobs I've occasionally opens a
suspect motion detector and seen half a dozen roaches scatter away.
Yick!

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>