What Is The Best Long Range PIR Motion Detector?

The best long range PIR motion detector depends on your needs. You need to make sure that the long range PIR motion sensor you choose is compatible with your system. If you require a long range PIR motion sensor that covers an extremely long area, you might need to go the hardwired route.

A long range PIR motion sensor is designed to monitor a long and narrow area. Some examples of where you might use a long range PIR motion sensor include hallways, long corridors and alleyways. In some cases, you might be able to use a regular PIR motion sensor and swap in a long-range lens. This will adjust the coverage area for the sensor so that it covers a long and narrow area.

The most important thing is making sure that your long range PIR motion detector is compatible with your system. If you have a wireless system, then the easiest option is to use a wireless motion sensor. Alarm Grid offers a motion sensor from Optex that supports an optional long-range lens. This long-range lens is called the Optex FL-60N, and it works with the Optex WNX-40 Series Motion Sensors.

By applying an Optex FL-60N to a compatible motion sensor, the device will have a coverage area of 60 feet by 6 feet. This is longer and more narrow than the coverage area provided from the default stock lens, which is 40 feet by 40 feet. If you want a wireless long range PIR motion sensor, then that is probably your best option. There are four (4) different motion sensors that work with the Optex FL-60N, and you can pick whichever one communicates at the wireless frequency that is compatible with your system.

The compatible motion sensors for the Optex FL-60N include:

• Optex WNX-402G (433 MHz for 2GIG Systems)
• Optex WNX-40DS (345 MHz for DSC Systems)
• Optex WNX-40HW (345 MHz for Honeywell Systems)
• Optex WNX-40IX (319.5 MHz for Interlogix Systems)

Another option for a wireless long range motion detector is the Honeywell 5800PIR-COM. This is a wireless commercial-grade motion sensor that comes included with a long-range curtain lens that can be swapped out in-place of the default lens. By using the long-range curtain lens, the 5800PIR-COM will be able to detect movement across an area of 100 feet by 20 feet. This is considerably further than an Optex Motion using an FL-60N Lens. But you must keep in mind that the Honeywell 5800PIR-COM is only available in the 345 MHz frequency. If you don't have a 345 MHz system that can support this sensor, then a wireless translator will be needed to convert the 345 MHz signal into a signal that will work with your system. An example of a wireless translator that will work with most systems is the Resolution Products RE524X.

If you need a long range PIR motion detecting sensor that can detect motion from further than 60 feet away, then you might want to consider using a hardwired motion sensor. Some of our most powerful wired motion sensors are those from the Honeywell DT900-series. Specifically, the DT906 and the DT907 offer the longest coverage areas. Both of these hardwired motion detectors offer a selectable coverage area of either 200 feet by 15 feet, or 120 feet by 10 feet. This is some of the best range you can get out of motion sensor for an alarm system. Please note that these are actually DUAL TEC motion sensors that use both PIR technology and microwave technology. This is good for reducing false alarms. Both the PIR sensor and the microwave sensor must activate for the device to activate.

Remember that the DT900-series motions are hardwired sensors. If you want to use one with a hardwired system, then you can just connect the device like any hardwired sensor. But if you want to use one with a wireless panel, then you will need a wired to wireless converter. The motion sensor will connect with the wired to wireless converter, and the converter will send a wireless signal to the panel on its behalf. You must choose a wired to wireless converter module that communicates at a frequency that is compatible with your system. Some of the most popular wired to wireless converters include the Honeywell 5800C2W (345 MHz), the 2GIG TAKE1-345 (345 MHz for 2GIG Systems and Lyric Controller only), and the Qolsys IQ Hardwired 16-F (319.5 MHz)