Alarm System Sensors

💡 Practical Usage Tips

• Installing motion sensors at the correct vertical height is critical because the internal Fresnel lens is calibrated to mask the floor area and prevent pets from triggering the alarm.
• Users must use non-conductive spacers when mounting magnetic contact sensors on steel doors, as the metal surface can interfere with the magnetic flux and reduce signal range.
• For outdoor applications, selecting a device that operates on a Sub-GHz frequency (like 433MHz or 908MHz) allows the signal to penetrate exterior walls better than standard Wi-Fi signals.
• Regular maintenance should include checking the adhesive backing on sensors placed in high-humidity areas, as moisture can degrade the bond and cause false tamper alerts.

✅ What to Look For & ⚠️ What to Avoid

🛡️ Build Quality & Performance

The longevity of a security system often depends on the physical resilience of its components. Sensors exposed to the elements must feature UV-resistant plastics to prevent the housing from becoming brittle and cracking over time. Inside the device, the quality of the PCB layout plays a significant role in performance; well-designed boards isolate antenna paths from battery terminals to minimize interference. For hardwired setups, mechanical reliability is paramount, with glass reed switches requiring protection against physical shock to maintain their switching cycles.

Latency is another critical factor in performance, particularly for entry detection. Wired solutions often provide an instantaneous dry contact state change, ensuring that the alarm triggers the moment a door is breached. In contrast, wireless units must wake from a low-power sleep mode, handshake with a hub, and transmit the signal, which can introduce slight delays. Devices like the Gagalor Wired Sensors are favored in professional installs because they eliminate this digital overhead, offering a zero-latency response that is immune to wireless jamming attempts.