Wall mounting Multi Sensors

Hi all,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I'm currently engaged in a project which calls for the installation of multisensors within a large foyer / corridor area. The ceiling heights (just shy of 5m) make the installation of sensors to the ceiling fairly impractical.

Now I realize that a corner / wall mounted sensor would suffice in this situation, however the customer has specifically requested multisensors for the project. This leaves me with limited options.

I'm no stranger to positioning motion sensors. I've reviewed the coverage patterns for the 360 degree multisensor and am finding it difficult to understand why wall mounting the sensor (at a lower height, say 2m) would not work. Sure I'd need to position them relatively closely, but given that the foyer area is only about 5m in width, I would have thought that positioning the sensors down the foyer along the wall would work???

Provided persons are traversing perpendicular to the mounting position, the sensor should detect traffic???

Can anyone see any flaws in my argument? Has anyone experimented with this type of mounting?

What is the maximum height people have mounted multisensors, without significantly sacrificing detection coverage?

Regards

Centex

 

As with most motion sensors, if you mount enough of them close enough together you'll typically be able to get the coverage you need.

You'll definitely experience reduced range in that configuration, particularly if the sensors are mounted fairly low. This is because people walking towards the centre will be "walking down" a field of view instead of across fields of view, although this is true of ceiling mount installations to some degree too (especially low ceilings). Mounting them higher will give the unit more movement across fields of view, increasing range.

The main issue you'll face is dead detection areas close to the wall near the sensors, before the detection field from the next sensor overlaps, however mounting the units lower will reduce this problem to some degree. You could eliminate this almost entirely by alternating which side of the corridor the sensors are located.

If you do mount them on the wall, I'd suggest installing them with one mounting clip at the top and the other at the bottom, rather than with the clips horizontal. This will help stop the bottom edge pivoting out from the wall as gravity does it's work on the body of the sensor.

Ah, compromises!

 

Fantastic response Newman - your a legend.

I hadn't considered alternating the mounting configuration from wall to wall. The clip orientation is also a great point.

Fortunately the corridor / foyer ranges from 2m in width at one end, up to approx. 3m at the other.

Any recommendations for mounting height?

Looking at the coverage pattern, I rekon approx 3m is in order. I can afford to place sensors approx 5m apart for the entire corridor, so as to reduce dead spots.

Would you advise a mounting height slightly under 3m?

Thanks for your help,

Centex

 

Given how narrow the corridor is, I'd probably mount them a little lower, say 2.5m up, although 3m would probably be just fine. I'd also definitely alternate which side of the corridor the sensors are mounted if you can. 5m apart, provided they are alternating, sounds just fine.