Testing the Motion Sensor Gen 1

Test Mode is a great way to test the connection between your Base Station and other SimpliSafe® products. We recommend periodically placing your system into Test Mode to ensure that your devices are still communicating with the Base Station without any errors. 

Placing Your System Into Test Mode

1. Disarm your system by pressing OFF on the Keypad

2. Press the Menu button on your Keypad

3. Enter your Primary PIN

4. Scroll until Test Mode is highlighted

5. Use the right arrow key to enter Test Mode

You’ll know you are in Test Mode when you see a circle on the Keypad appear with the text, “Test each device by pressing its button”.

Note: If are subscribed to a professional monitoring plan, you will receive a robo call from the monitoring center asking you to confirm you placed your system into Test Mode. If you do not answer – no worries! A voicemail will be left to alert you to the system test, and it will not result in a request for dispatch.

Testing the Motion Sensor Gen 1

To test the Motion Sensor Gen 1, first, press the button on the top of the device. You’ll hear the Base Station announce, “Motion Sensor” confirming that the test was successful. 

To test the motion aspect of the Motion Sensor Gen 1, press the button on the top of the device and then leave the room for at least 15 seconds. This will allow the Motion Sensor to scan the room during that time. After the time has lapsed, re-enter the room. You’ll hear the Base Station announce, “Motion Sensor” from your motion within the room.

Once you have finished testing the Motion Sensor Gen 1, press the left arrow key on the Keypad’s screen to exit Test Mode.

Troubleshooting the Motion Sensor Gen 1

The Motion Sensor Gen 1 has a sensitivity slider on the back of the device underneath the battery tab to adjust its range of motion within a room. The first thing you’ll want to do is adjust the slider to a higher or lower setting, and see if that makes a difference with the sensor responding to motion.

If you are testing your Motion Sensor and do not hear the Base Station announce, “Motion Sensor”, the second thing you’ll want to do is confirm you can hear the Base Station from the location you’re testing in. You can adjust the Base Station’s volume under the Base Station Settings menu, by selecting Voice Prompts.

As a next step, you’ll want to confirm that the Motion Sensor Gen 1 battery is functioning. The Motion Sensor takes a single CR-123A Lithium 3V battery and has a life expectancy of up to 5 years depending on placement and usage.

If you are still unable to hear the Base Station announce, “Motion Sensor” it’s possible that there could be an issue with the location of the Base Station, or there is Radio Frequency (RF) interference at play.

Other electronic devices within your home may communicate on similar frequencies, resulting in wireless interference between your SimpliSafe® devices. Because of this, we recommend keeping your Base Station and Motion Sensor at least 3-5 feet away from the following devices:

• Wi-Fi Routers

• Large TVs

• Weather Stations

• Large Appliances (especially in the kitchen and laundry rooms)

• Baby monitors

• Remote Controlled Garage Door Openers

• LED Lights or Christmas Lights

This above list is to give you an idea of what devices may cause interference within your home, and is in no means an exhaustive list of all devices. There may be other devices that output RF or Wi-Fi signals that could impede the connection between your Base Station and SimpliSafe® devices.