Aeon Multi-Sensor 6 triggered Alarm at 3:27AM was it false alarm or malfunctioned?

Are there other people having same issue with Aeon multisensor 6?

I have multiple devices connected to my Samsung smart things. 2 of them are

  1. Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Multi-Sensor 6 - ZW100A and
  2. Aeon Labs Aeotec Siren Gen5, ZW080-A17

One of the Aeon multi-sensor 6 has been installed in the basement in front of the stairs (going to the main level). I have tested this couple of times especially for motion detection and works absolutely fine. I have also set a rule that during scheduled times or when all presence leaves the house alarm should be triggered if motion is detected.

Now for the fun part. Earlier this morning at 3:27AM the alarm was triggered because motion was detected in the basement.Within the first min I checked that everyone were in their room (all bedroom are on Upper floor) and ensure that no motion was detected in the middle level.

Called 911 at the same time ensured that the door that takes you to the basement from middle floor is locked and kept a chair in front of it. Two cops came 1 went to the back of the house while one went down from the door where I kept the chair. They both came back in 2-3 mins and were like all windows(2) and door (1) are closed and locked. Except one window which is closed but not locked. The cop said it might have been a false alarm.

Now I am not sure if this was a malfunction or a false alarm. The basement is completely empty unfurnished with only a pool table and the cue stick and balls are no where kept near the sensor. Also I don’t think there are any rodents because I always keep traps as safety and nothing caught yet.

Have you checked the IDE log for the motion sensor? This may help

I did check the logs. It did detect motion. I attached a screenshot. Hopefully its the same IDE logs you are talking about.

The 3:43AM motion detection are the cops going in the basement.

I’ve found with a lot of motion sensors (especially the aeon labs) that the slightest bit of moving warm air can set them off
Any chance a heater or some heat source turned on at this time?
You might be able to ‘tune’ the sensor a bit to reduce the sensitivity

I would point the motion sensor away from the stairs, about head high. I have one on top of my bookcase.
Anything lower and my cats set it off.
Sounds to me like your sensor received a valid triggering event; just not one you wanted.
If you get tired of messing with it, put sensors on all three basement windows and ditch the motion sensor.

Thank you for the advice. I will look into tuning the sensor to reduce sensitivity.

The air conditioner vent is 5 feet away from the sensor and I keep it closed.

I have already ordered the window and door sensor, the (multi-sensor)motion detector is a temporary solution until my order arrives.

I was just worried why did it trigger because I do not have pets, nor there are any rodents in the basement(not that I am aware about) plus the air vent is closed and the entire basement is empty.

And if it was a legit trigger by an intruder I am glad the siren/alarm scared them away.

Have also seen that happen on a Gocontrol motion sensor maybe twice in the last eight months.

Don’t know if it is a false alarm due to the sensor or some glitch/data corruption on the ST side. Both times it was during the daytime in an empty house with the temperature down around 55 degrees. I was 1500 miles away & it hasn’t recurred since I returned here. FWIW, I have another of these and two Aeon Multi 6 devices that did not exhibit the behavior.

Luckily, my ADT alarm system has a motion sensor literally four feet away and it saw no motion, nor did one of the Aeon devices in the next room. Door sensors on the ADT system also showed no entry – so I didn’t panic.

This is more proof the ST system is not suitable as an alarm system, alas. But, it is great in its roll in climate monitoring of our homes…

The rodents are a good guess. In my house, they did trigger an automation sensor in my garage - good way to know your enemy.

Most alarms are false alarms. Even in a real security system, one sensor getting triggered by non-security events, is common enough that I would not call 911 for one sensor. Insects and spiders can set off single-tech PIR motions - that happened to my security system at least once, maybe more.

My Smarttthings motions in particular have triggered from literally nothing, no temperature changes, drafts or rodents. A couple times, 2 different sensors indicated motion occurring in close time, with nothing on the camera. I have older Aeon gen2? motions that have never yet indicated a false motion, but it only takes one fly.

The ones in the cars, trigger when the temperature falls from 90F to 30F - they indicate motion around 50-55F.

So alarms have to be verified by another channel. Most likely it’s nothing to get worked up about.