Posts on this forum and around the internet from about 2 years ago identify the Aqara as the smallest contact sensor. Just wondering if the Aqara is still the smallest or if a smaller contact sensor has been released. (I'm aware of the Sensative Slim Strip, which although thin and narrow, is long, the Aeotec recessed, which is not applicable to my use case, and the NYCE which is too wide for my application).
Asking partially because there seems to be an aversion on this forum to using Aqara products, so if I could find an alternative that would be awesome.
As an option, have you looked at the Aeon/Aeotec Recessed Door Sensor?
I have 8-9 of them and two are inserted into the frame of my sliding glass doors. (Through the aluminium into the wood 2x4.) A neodymium magnet is then Gorilla Glued to the sliding door itself.
In this way, the size is not a factor. The hole for the sensor is 3/4" and it buries itself into the wall to the thickness of a piece of plastic. It's very unobtrusive, despite my poor (level) drilling skills. I've never had anyone, friend, family or guest ask "what is that?"
For a long time, Aqara did not use a standard zigbee profile for their devices. They “sort of” worked with other hubs like Hubitat but required extra TLC, careful attention to which zigbee repeating devices are on your mesh, or else they were prone to falling off the mesh.
It’s possible that’s changed over time, I’d check for a zigbee 3.0 logo on product labeling for signs of progress.
I think we miscommunicated. Rather than trying to determine if the sliding door is open or closed I'm trying to determine if the sliding door latch is locked or unlocked
I already have an Abode slim strip contact sensor to tell me if the door is open or closed (used the slim strip because I also have an aversion to drilling into these doors or frames since that voids the warranty.)
To determine if the latch is also locked when the door is closed, I installed a magnet inside of the latch, and an Aqara contact sensor surface mounted next to the latch. It works well enough, but is larger than I prefer, and its Aqara. A replacement needs to be
narrow enough to both fit between the latch and the frame (the NYCE is too wide)
shallow enough to allow users to still use the latch (the Sonoff and similar are too thick)
short enough to fit below the top of the handle (the Slim Strip is too tall)
I'm going to see what happens if I mount a slim strip flush on the frame, and install multiple magnets inside the latch - maybe multiple magnets will provide sufficient magnetic field to bridge the 7/8" gap when the latch is locked and report it as closed, and insufficient magnetic field when the latch is unlocked and report it as open...stay tuned...
@linh : I'm currently using the Aqara, but also considering the Zooz. The Zooz has a larger "footprint" but is thinner. It's slightly wider width makes it so it won't fit in the same space as the Aqara, but it may be thin enough to fit under the latch (instead of next to). I'll order one the next time I'm ready to place an order for Zooz products (which might be a few months).
@TArman: I've got a few Sonoff S31 Lites; maybe that is helping the Aqara?
@DGBQ great price on the Aqara ! Thank you for the link. And the link to the drivers is the same driver I'm currently using for the Aqara.
I posted pics there of using the Visonic for sliding door lock/unlocked status. Another example below. The OP in that thread has a much more elegant solution.
@danabw - Yes, I've studied that link extensively! I already have an open/close sensor from my security system (similar to the Sensative Strip) in the jamb to know when the door is open or closed. Unfortunately for this project, my sliding doors are Pella Brand, and there is absolutely no physical moving part that is different when the door is locked vs unlocked accessible from the jamb side. The only two options would be to take the door apart to get to the lock to insert something, or use the lock lever movement, as I am trying to do.
On the Pella's the lock lever is hollow, so I've inserted a few magnets into that hollow space. Now I just need a sensor that can be place somewhere that does not interfere with the opening/closing action, nor the latching/unlatching action, and that aesthetically, has a passing HAF...working on it.
@danabw Thanks for the link to the Visonic. You may be interested to know that the Zooz is reported to be even smaller and thinner, coming in at 1.9 x 1.0 x 0.3
I've never had anyone, friend, family or guest ask "what is that?"
