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    A New Chapter for MagicMirror: The Community Takes the Lead
    Read the statement by Michael Teeuw here.

    UPDATE: Replaced my PIR-Sensor with a Doppler Microwave Sensor.

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    • FoziF Offline
      Fozi Project Sponsor
      last edited by

      @Mykle1 thank you so much!

      HowTo: Replace PIR Sensor with a RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • lavolp3L Offline
        lavolp3 Module Developer
        last edited by

        @Fozi thanks for the great explanation. I tried to get one working but it didn’t work maybe for the exact reason you described.

        Do you have it directly behind the glass now in your box? Without an additional resistor?
        What do you think is the recognition length?

        How to troubleshoot modules
        MMM-soccer v2, MMM-AVStock

        FoziF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • FoziF Offline
          Fozi Project Sponsor @lavolp3
          last edited by

          @lavolp3 I have placed the sensor inside the box along the center axis, so that there is a gap of ca. 1cm to the front and the back of the box.
          the UN-taped frontside is directly touching the glass. The top, bottom as well as the left and right side are taped, too. Only the front is not taped.
          In the scetch below you can see how I adjusted the sensor inside the box as seen from the side.
          Two reasons why I set the sensor in the middle of the box:

          1. Direct contact with the tape prohibited fully the detection.
          2. The taped top, bottom and lateral sides reduce the detection angle like a funnel compared to having the sensor mounted directly to the untaped front.

          An additional resistor is not necessary, as it goes in high state when motion is detected (just like a PIR).

          Hard to say what the detection range really is after that mod. My bathroom is really small but I would guess that if should be 2m or mor to the front.

          Cross-section through the box:
          ||                                |
          ||               ||               |
          ||  1 cm gap     ||   1cm gap     |
          ||                                |
          taped          sensor         UN-taped 
          backside                      front to the mirror
          

          HowTo: Replace PIR Sensor with a RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor

          lavolp3L 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • lavolp3L Offline
            lavolp3 Module Developer @Fozi
            last edited by

            @Fozi said in Replaced my PIR-Sensor with a Doppler Microwave Sensor.:

            An additional resistor is not necessary, as it goes in high state when motion is detected

            I thought a resistor could reduce the range by limiting the signals coming from the sensor. But I’m a complete failure when it comes to electronics so what do I know…

            How to troubleshoot modules
            MMM-soccer v2, MMM-AVStock

            FoziF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • FoziF Offline
              Fozi Project Sponsor @lavolp3
              last edited by

              @lavolp3 Ah…now I got you.
              There are two options to reduce the sensor range:
              Option 1: The aluminum taped “Magic Box” like described here.
              Option 2: Replacing a resistor on the sensor to reduce the sensor range.

              I haven’t yet tried option2, as I’m waiting for some parts to do it. As soon as I got them I’ll test that option and will give feedback. For the time beeing, I just can make a statement for option 1, which requires no additional resistor.

              Maybe there is also an option 3, a combination of option 1 and 2…we’ll see.

              HowTo: Replace PIR Sensor with a RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • cowboysdudeC Offline
                cowboysdude Module Developer @Mykle1
                last edited by

                @Mykle1 said in Replaced my PIR-Sensor with a Doppler Microwave Sensor.:

                @Fozi

                Excellent description. I like your innovation. I’m guessing this is going to replace the PIR sensor. I think most people have the same feeling as you about the appearance of the PIR. It does distract from the “magic”. Well done! :thumbsup:

                That would be the idea…easier to ‘hide’… the PIR is nice but ugly.

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                • cowboysdudeC Offline
                  cowboysdude Module Developer @Fozi
                  last edited by

                  @Fozi said in Replaced my PIR-Sensor with a Doppler Microwave Sensor.:

                  RCWL-0516 microwave sensor

                  Thank you so much for this…ordering one so I can get rid of the ugly PIR in my bathroom!!!
                  Awesome job!!

                  FoziF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • FoziF Offline
                    Fozi Project Sponsor @cowboysdude
                    last edited by

                    @cowboysdude Thanks! I’m looking forward to your experiences with the sensor!

                    HowTo: Replace PIR Sensor with a RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor

                    lavolp3L cowboysdudeC 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • lavolp3L Offline
                      lavolp3 Module Developer @Fozi
                      last edited by

                      @Fozi
                      I’ll try this out hopefully tonight but not with an Aluminium tape but with aluminum foil. Should work as well as far as I can see.

                      How to troubleshoot modules
                      MMM-soccer v2, MMM-AVStock

                      FoziF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • FoziF Offline
                        Fozi Project Sponsor @lavolp3
                        last edited by

                        @lavolp3 yes, should do equally. I had some leftover of the tape and it was more convenient to apply. I found some post from you a few months ago, when you struggled to make the sensor work. I hope you get some better results now.

                        HowTo: Replace PIR Sensor with a RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor

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