T110 as Mail box door sensor
Wanted to put the door sensor on my mailbox door so I get txt or hub ding when the door is opened.
mailbox is 100 ft or less from indoor hub by closest window.
I mounted the sensor halves so they are properly facing. Also put the "brainy" side of sensor half on the drop down door so it is more exposed to reach the hub.
doesn't seem to be sending when opened. Moved it to within 20 ft of hub ( no mailbox ) and it sent message txt "mail's in"
is it that the closing of the metal mailbox door is creating a cage inhibiting the signal? I don't know how to get it to work in its designated place. Plz advise
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@jtmccue forgot to mention that the signal strength was 3 bars but don't know if that is dynamic or the reading when I was within 20 ft of hub
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You are correct in that the mailbox is operating as a cage for the sensor's signal. If you have a standard all-metal mailbox its not uncommon for your device to struggle to get a reliable signal through the enclosure and an exterior wall. While Sub-G devices have a better opportunity than many, the signal is still going to be severely affected.
Unfortunately, the sensors are also not considered weatherproof and would likely be damaged due to the outside elements if placed on the exterior of the mailbox.
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@jtmccue Just curious, how do you get a text message sent? I'd love to have this option but I've never seen it.
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702087yes you have to play around with the event notifications and also the automations
you can start by thinking if, condition, then and add things for the automation to follow.
Click on the sensor , look to the upper right the "nut" click on it
. Click on smart action. And plays around with triggers and follow on events.
sorry that I can't say exactly bc after learning that the mailbox created a "signal cage "
and the automation wasn't completing I erased it.
I will need to go back to a setting up a door tilt zwave sensor instead. Trouble with that is some sensors in those devices are a drop of mercury in a small bulb mounted n the door of the mailbox ( maximizing transmission exposure when the door is opened. The mail man flips the door shut and the weight of the mercury whipping around in the flip causes in the bulb wires to the motherboard to eventually breaks. I tried securing the bulb with a dab of silicone but it didn't last long - albeit the zwave signal did make it to me front door outlet which had a Aeotek h repeater to get past the leaded glass and to the zwave hub in the house.
So there's my story
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@jtmccue Looking into this I see "notifications" but no way to text myself. Is notifications what you meant?
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Select the sensor
next screen click on the "nut in upper right corner
next screen click on smart Actions
next screen Heeaded "involved"
click on the event
next screen pull doen to under "THEN"
click add Action.
next screen you will see "SEND ME NOTIFICATIONS" click on it
next screen enter the txt you want to tell yourself if that sensor is triggered
remember to "save" if shown in upper right corner as you climb back out of the decision tree
Good luck
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