@PunchCardPgmr @woodsby @DGBQ @danabw
Below are some pics. I have two of these sliders; one is a single door that closes against a frame, the other is a double door that closes against the other door, but only the main section has a lock.
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2x door slider when closed & locked with the Zooz sensor.
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Pella lock schematic with the thumbturn circled red. If you take the lock apart, the back side of the thumbturn is hollow:
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Magnets purchased from the ubiquitos online retailer
Niuknow 30 Pack Strong Heavy Duty Magnets Bar, 20x5x2mm Small Rare Earth Magnets, Mini Neodymium Magnets Strip, for Craft, Fridge, Science, DIY and Tool Storage: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific -
I inserted two magnets into the hollow back side of the thumbturn near the tip of the thumbturn, and secured them with the Loctite Fun Tak putty recommended by @LosinIt in another thread.
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After reassembling the Pella lock, I attempted a Sensative Slim Strip, but it is too long...the specs state the magnet must be less than 10 mm from the flat end when closed, and more than 30 mm from the flat end when open...
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Then I tried an Aqara, which is narrow enough to fit between the latch and the door frame, which you see to the right (these photos are from the single slider, which closes against a frame).
Unfortunately, the Aqara results in false negatives, because the door can be latched but the sensor still registers open. The Pella latch is turned clockwise to about the 9 oclock position to unlock. This brings the magnet embedded in the latch far enough from the Aqara to register open. To lock, you move it counterclockwise; the lock engages at about the 7 oclock position, but the latch it still too far away from the Aqara sensor to register closed (latch at red arrow)
It can be further moved to the 6 oclock position, at which point it has a stop and won't move further, and to which it must be moved to trigger the closed signal on the sensor.
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The Xfinity XHS2-TY was similar to the Aqara, except it is a wider sensor, so it barely fits between the latch and the door frame. Any slight movement of the sensor by someone closing the door would result in it hitting the frame and falling off.
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The Zooz is so thin it fits BEHIND the latch.
This is absolutely ideal. Solves for the Aqara false negatives issue, because even when the latch is locked but left at the 7 oclock position, it registers closed. If the magets are installed at the far tip off the hollow part of the latch, they are sufficiently far away from the sensor when the latch is open to register open.
Hope this helps.
ETA:
a. I changed the thread title so anyone searching for how to track the lock status of a Pella slider has an easier time finding this thread.
b. I've ordered some brown vinyl to attempt to wrap the sensor, because as it is now, it has a HAF of "annoying." It is appreciated for detecting unlocked sliders (although when the lamp starts to blink at the goodnight routine to alert of an unlocked slider, there is annoyance that the lamp is blinking...which meets my goal to have something annoying enough to cause the slider to be locked), but during the day when the white device is noticed, I'm asked when I'm going to remove it. This device lends itself well to vinyl wrap as the cover goes completely around the base, so I have only a single, removeable piece that has no electronics in it that needs to be wrapped. Decided on wrap vs. painting, because as you can see, the location of this device means people locking /unlocking the latch will brush their knuckles up against the device, and I'm concerned paint, stain or a colored pen color would wear off.
