microwave triggers alarm

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readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
Customer says new wireless burglar alarm sometimes false alarms, seems to correspond to using microwave. Is it possible that radio shack will have a filter to solve this problem?

This customer thinks I'm smart so any advice will be appreciated, I want to keep her fooled.
 
readydave8 said:
Customer says new wireless burglar alarm sometimes false alarms, seems to correspond to using microwave. Is it possible that radio shack will have a filter to solve this problem?

This customer thinks I'm smart so any advice will be appreciated, I want to keep her fooled.
Click to expand...

Hey, if you cant dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bull ! :thumbsup:
 
The age of the equipment?

I'd just tell her to get it tested for leakage of the seal on the door, short of full service check-up because it's screaming...

Microwaves (i'll probably get this wrong) while directional is not in this case, not a beam
as we'd might default to think but a directional short area pattern burst pattern. Its wave effects are close and as one get away from area it is less expodentually.

So it's could be singing to a wire thats close. Or is bleeding back on the wire to the machine.

Hey, if you cant dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bull !
thumbsup.gif
Click to expand...

There was a very good article of servicing a microwave, here a couple days ago.
 
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Cadpoint, you mention leakage around the door. Is that any kind of health concern ?

On a tangent Resturants & grocery stores will have a warning sign on the door "Caution

Microwave in Use" Is there a danger to persons with pacemakers ?
 
I know you said wireless alarm but eventually there probably needs to be a wire involved - to plug in the main controller, to go to a bell, something. Quite a few alarms, altho wireless, still send small 4-10v digital codes down power line so bell can be in other room, or to extend the range of the wireless with remote receivers ...

what is the make & model of the alarm? If it is X10 system then she is lucky she only has issue with the microwave! if it is a power line system & issue then the alarm folks know all about it and sell line filters to plug the microwave thru.

so moral of the story is don't forget to consider the INPUT side of the microwave too - 900, 1500w unts can pull significant power from the wall socket and maybe THIS is noisy and confusing the alarm?
 
readydave8 said:
Customer says new wireless burglar alarm sometimes false alarms, seems to correspond to using microwave. Is it possible that radio shack will have a filter to solve this problem?

This customer thinks I'm smart so any advice will be appreciated, I want to keep her fooled.
Click to expand...

What EXACTLY happens with the alarm? The phrase false alarm from a customer could mean the keypad is beeping because it's in trouble due to loss of phone or cell signal etc.?

Is the system actually armed?

Is this a DIY alarm, if so, there's your sign. Lowes has a new one out. If its a reputable brand (Ademco, DSC, Napco) there may, a big may, be an issue
 
I don't have answers yet to the questions in replies, it will be Monday before I go there. I don't think it was DIY alarm, think she mentioned installer. My current plan is to find a Radio Shack filter to plug microwave into, tell her the part about door leakage, and go from there. Thanks for replies.
 
John120/240 said:
Cadpoint, you mention leakage around the door. Is that any kind of health concern ?

On a tangent Resturants & grocery stores will have a warning sign on the door "Caution

Microwave in Use" Is there a danger to persons with pacemakers ?
Click to expand...

Most of my answer (pitch) was from reading my manual of my microwave and various other reading over time.
The key is that a napkin wedged in the door can let the mirowaves out even with a properly functioning door.

More reading here, https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Cond...Pacemakers_UCM_302013_Article.jsp#mainContent.

I received a warning trying to get to this page, FYI...
 
rfi--no.

rfi--no.

readydave8 said:
Customer says new wireless burglar alarm sometimes false alarms, seems to correspond to using microwave. Is it possible that radio shack will have a filter to solve this problem?

This customer thinks I'm smart so any advice will be appreciated, I want to keep her fooled.
Click to expand...
The alarm was armed in stay mode at time of occurrence.

There is a sensor mounted on wall facing windows that will set off alarm if any of the windows is broken. Slamming microwave oven door in adjacent area fools this sensor and sets off burglar alarm.

Sometimes I overthink these things based on customer statements.
 
readydave8 said:
The alarm was armed in stay mode at time of occurrence.

There is a sensor mounted on wall facing windows that will set off alarm if any of the windows is broken. Slamming microwave oven door in adjacent area fools this sensor and sets off burglar alarm.

Sometimes I overthink these things based on customer statements.
Click to expand...
Now you know what to do when you get the same complaint about Wii or Kinect interference.:D
 
readydave8 said:
The alarm was armed in stay mode at time of occurrence.

There is a sensor mounted on wall facing windows that will set off alarm if any of the windows is broken. Slamming microwave oven door in adjacent area fools this sensor and sets off burglar alarm.

Sometimes I overthink these things based on customer statements.
Click to expand...

Our wireless glass break detectors are sensative too. If the system is armed and you hit the wall it's mounted on, it will most likely set it off.
 
Based on past experiences with how they shield x-ray rooms, I doubt there is much if any "seal" to a microwave door. X-rays, and I would assume microwaves, travel in a straight line. In x-ray rooms, they put a layer of lead shielding behind the wall covering to stop x-rays from leaving that room. In places in an x-ray room where we had installed cut outs in the wall, they simply put lead shielding on opposite side of wall, somewhat larger than the cut out so that it will stop ones that are not perpendicular to the wall. I would think any shielding on a microwave door is the same way. Shields must overlap the angle of microwave beam, but don't necessarily "seal" like an air or liquid seal would.
 
That is believable, no way to know in advance.


FYI: Most glass Break detectors have a microphone listening for a concurrent frequency. It must first hear a dull 'thud' followed by a the higher frequency associated with glass breaking. There only needs a millisecond between the two, could be upto a minute it is assumed multiple blows may occur. The thud is the "attack" or object contacting the glass, then it breaking is the high. this generally eliminates false alarms from the high frequencies, such as screaming children, animals, music, fisher cats (google it if you care, one got in a customers garage, it's screams set it off)

There should be a sensitivity setting, turn it up, slam the door again, test it. Also placing the microphone of the glass break perpendicular to its current mounting will mostly aleviate that. Or they can forgo the alarm and put a fisher cat in the house. ;)
 
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WorkSafe said:
Our wireless glass break detectors are sensative too. If the system is armed and you hit the wall it's mounted on, it will most likely set it off.
Click to expand...

What brand????

It is true if there only a wobbly wall vibration can affect the microphone. If mounted closer to a corner or ceiling it will minimize that
 
nhfire77 said:
That is believable, no way to know in advance.


FYI: Most glass Break detectors have a microphone listening for a concurrent frequency. It must first hear a dull 'thud' followed by a the higher frequency associated with glass breaking. There only needs a millisecond between the two, could be upto a minute it is assumed multiple blows may occur. The thud is the "attack" or object contacting the glass, then it breaking is the high. this generally eliminates false alarms from the high frequencies, such as screaming children, animals, music, fisher cats (google it if you care, one got in a customers garage, it's screams set it off)

There should be a sensitivity setting, turn it up, slam the door again, test it. Also placing the microphone of the glass break perpendicular to its current mounting will mostly aleviate that. Or they can forgo the alarm and put a fisher cat in the house. ;)
Click to expand...

Is it true that from the central monitoring station that they could actually listen to a conversation in your home through the microphone in your glass break? :eek:hmy:
 
stevebea said:
Is it true that from the central monitoring station that they could actually listen to a conversation in your home through the microphone in your glass break? :eek:hmy:
Click to expand...

Not with a glass break. 2 way audio communication (sometimes called audio verification) is normal. The customer pays extra for it. Typically, upon receipt of an alarm the CS connects to the panel, or the panel actually connects and waits for the operator to interrogate.

It's like a medical alarm, where to press the button and the box has a speaker/microphone, only with burg it's permnantly installed.

One unique alarm company specializes in this. They don't use motion detectors or glass breaks, just door contacts and carefully placed high sensitivity microphones. When the system detects sound about the preset level of quiet, it connects an operator and they listen in, and can talk back, or stay on and direct the police to where it sounds like the intruder is. Quite effective actually.

Www.sonitrol.com
 
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