Honeywell 5853 glassbreak orientation (wall mount)

Hi folks.

Just installed a pair of Honeywell 5853 glassbreak sensors. They are mounted on the wall (across from glass) rather than the ceiling. Enrolled successfully to the panel, and they tested OK.

I have a question about physical mounting orientation of the 5853. The manual goes out of it’s way to say that if you mount on the ceiling, you should point the microphone side toward the glass being protected. That makes sense.

Yet when wall mounted, the manual and every photo/video online shows the mic side placed up (every image has the mic hole on the top). Considering the unit has a slight curve on the face, and that the unit is placed high up on the wall (manual says at least 6.5 feet from floor, I have 8 foot ceiling), it means the mic is actually pointing a bit toward the ceiling, rather than down towards the glass being protected.

This doesn’t make sense to me. Can I mount this unit “upside down” so the mic is aiming more down toward the glass?

Am I missing something here?

Let me know if unclear, and I’ll find a photo or draw a picture of what I’m trying to describe.

Chris

Here’s a photo showing the mic/hole oriented toward the ceiling – this is the way it is shown in all the literature/videos I can find, but seems backwards to me.

This particular glassbreak sensor is protecting a sidelight that starts at the floor, so I’d like to reverse the orientation, so the mic/hole is on the bottom.

[Album] Imgur

Being an audio capture device which is pointing at the direction of the sound, the orientation should not matter that much. The acoustics of the room and whether or not drapery is present will have a much larger effect, but I would say in general, no, you should not install the product in a way which differs from manufacturer’s instructions.

When in doubt, defer to the folks who made it