Heads up on the new wireless sensors from that big brand

I've seen three jobs this month where guys are mounting them directly to metal door frames without the insulator pad. The signal drops out after a week because the frame acts like a Faraday cage. Anyone found a good workaround besides the obvious?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason1122mo ago

Ever try mounting them on the wall instead?

faithb782mo ago

My own first attempt at installing one of those was a similar mess. I stuck the sensor right on a steel beam in a warehouse, figuring the extra metal would help. It worked great for about four days before it went completely dark. The look on my face when I realized I'd basically built a tiny signal prison was pretty funny in hindsight. A small piece of that closed-cell foam pad they sell now is my go-to fix, just to keep a tiny air gap.

jade8851mo ago

Funny how that works. I've seen that same pattern in other things too - people think more metal equals better connection, but it's usually the opposite. Heat sinks, antennas, even grounding in electrical work, you'd be surprised how often the right answer is a small gap or separation. @faithb78 your foam pad trick is a solid example of stuff we should all know but nobody teaches. Same deal with mounting things on walls vs ceilings - sometimes the wall gives you a better angle because the signal bounces off fewer obstructions. People overthink these setups when the real trick is just understanding that air is your friend.