How to Disable a Motion Sensor

A motion sensor alarm can provide false positives if installed incorrectly or if floating items such as balloons pass too close to the sensor.

Motion sensors find useful application in modern homes as light fixtures and security alarms. These devices remotely detect the presence of someone walking through a home, usually by detecting a break in a stream of infrared radiation that it is projecting. The device's internal circuitry then goes to work on the action that it is programmed to produce. However, in the case of the home alarm system, a very disturbing situation can emerge if these devices begin to malfunction. In such a case, disabling them quickly can be the only short term recourse.

Things You'll Need

• Ladder
• Screwdriver
• Bag

Instructions

1. Place the ladder below your motion sensor if it is high on a wall. Climb the ladder and locate the sensor's "on/off" switch.

2. Locate the sensor's battery panel and carefully remove the screws that hold it tight. Place it in the bag.

3. Holding the power switch in the "off" position, carefully remove the batteries and place them in the bag as well.

4. Remove the red, black and yellow wires from the inputs on the device's main panel by gently pulling on each.

5. Remove the screws that hold the sensor to it's base and place it in the bag.

Tips & Warnings

• If your motion sensor also uses a light bulb, remove the light bulb after you have removed the batteries.

• Most motion sensors are typically powered with double A batteries, however, some are powered with the smaller watch batteries. If this is the case, you must use care removing them if you are doing so on a ladder. Insert the end of a flat head screwdriver into the space between the ring and the battery and press down to provide leverage.

• The input wires should come away readily from the panel. Do not pull overly hard.

• The preceding process will permanently disable your motion sensor. If you only wish to disable the sensor but not render it completely inoperable, only remove the batteries.

References

• Archilochus: Day / Night / 24 Hour Select Sensor
• Discover Circuits: ELECTRIC FIELD DISTURBANCE MONITOR - Front End + Power Supply Circuits
• Glolab: How Infrared motion detector components work