Tried the cheap wireless alarm sensors from Amazon and got burned badly

I installed a full package of those $12 wireless door sensors on a 4 unit apartment building in Portland about 6 months back. Saved the customer over $300 vs the name brand stuff I usually use. First 3 weeks everything was fine then the false alarms started rolling in. By week 8 I had replaced 7 out of 12 sensors and the tenant was threatening to break the lease. Customer blamed me not the sensors and I ended up eating the labor to swap them all out for Honeywell gear. The $300 savings cost me about $900 in time and frustration. Has anyone else had luck with any off brand sensors or am I just asking for trouble?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyw9720d ago

3 years in commercial security and I learned the hard way the cheap stuff just doesn't work for multi unit buildings. Those $12 sensors use generic reed switches that fail fast and the radio interference from all those apartments triggers false alarms nonstop. Stick with Honeywell or Bosch for rentals, the extra cost upfront saves you from getting blamed for something you didn't design.

adam_adams20d ago

Man that sucks, bad equipment can make your whole job hell.

avery_lopez15d ago

Laughing at myself a little because I learned the same lesson but with my home alarm system. Thought I was being smart getting a two pack of those cheap sensors online, lasted maybe three months before one started chirping at 2am for no reason. Spent more time resetting it than sleeping, which is saying a lot since I already don't sleep great. Ended up just ripping the whole thing out and going with a basic wired setup that probably cost double but actually works. Sometimes paying for quality is just paying for your own sanity I guess.