DIY Garage Door Tilt Sensor

[rcjordan]

Easy way to add a security contact sensor to your garage door!

https://old.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/164nqaz/easy_way_to_add_a_security_contact_sensor_to_your/

[jtp10181]

Or just get an actual tilt sensor.

[rlithgow1]

Yeah I mean an ecolink is around 20 bux..

[SmartHomePrimer]

Ah come on. I like his moxie. If you've got a hinge and a contact sensor handy, why not?

[lcw731]

As long as it isn't a Zooz ZSE43. That has been the flakiest device I have ever had. The door/ Window and Temp humidity sensors that were released at the same time have been rock solid, but the tilt sensor has been no bueno.

[rcjordan]

As long as it isn't zwave. I'm all zigbee and can't find a tilt sensor.

[jtp10181]

I guess in that case this trick looks like it would work pretty good. Easier and possibly more reliable that trying to mount the contact sensor on the side frame or on the chain/rail.

[jsprince3]

@lcw731

As long as it isn't a Zooz ZSE43. That has been the flakiest device I have ever had. The door/ Window and Temp humidity sensors that were released at the same time have been rock solid, but the tilt sensor has been no bueno.

I have the ZSE43, and have had "zero" problems. Door is opened/closed at least 10x per day.

[lcw731]

Mine burns through batteries like crazy, 3 in six months (and it's only about 8 feet from the hub). I can't agree that it's because it's on a metal door, as the Zooz temp/humidity sensor I bought at the same time is in a gun safe and I've only had to replace that battery once in a year, It won't reset to closed about half the time, other half it won't show open when open. My neighbors think I crazy opening and closing the door over and over to get it to reset correctly. I ended up taking the whole garage door app, device, driver, all of it out and going back to using the Genie app. Needless to say, I may have a Zen17 for sale soon. I have no other use for it.

[jsprince3]

@lcw731

Mine burns through batteries like crazy, 3 in six months (and it's only about 8 feet from the hub). I can't agree that it's because it's on a metal door, as the Zooz temp/humidity sensor I bought at the same time is in a gun safe and I've only had to replace that battery once in a year, It won't reset to closed about half the time, other half it won't show open when open. My neighbors think I crazy opening and closing the door over and over to get it to reset correctly. I ended up taking the whole garage door app, device, driver, all of it out and going back to using the Genie app. Needless to say, I may have a Zen17 for sale soon. I have no other use for it.

Interesting..
My sensor is 2 hops from the hub, I have a Z-Wave switch in the garage that the sensor is connecting to. The hub is actually about 150 ft from the garage door. I replaced an old Aeotec with the ZOOZ in November of 22. It is still using the same battery, and the battery shows "38" in Hubitat.

[lcw731]

Mine is direct, and has been for several months

but it frequently reports open when closed, and closed when open. I finally just took it out. If I decide to try it again, I'll likely just get an Ecolink garage door sensor, which I should have done to begin with.

[jsprince3]

@lcw731

Mine is direct, and has been for several months

but it frequently reports open when closed, and closed when open. I finally just took it out. If I decide to try it again, I'll likely just get an Ecolink garage door sensor, which I should have done to begin with.

It might just be defective.

[JasonJoel]

Same here. And battery life has been good on my zse43 as well.

[JohnRob]

My alarm sensor is connected to the wall above the door. The magnet is on the top edge of the door. When the door opens even a little the contact opens and triggers the alarm. No extra parts.
However of my Hubitat system I have an ecolink sensor.

[JumpJump]

@rcjordan

As long as it isn't zwave. I'm all zigbee and can't find a tilt sensor.

If you can't find one you could DIY one with a contact sensor or a water sensor and a simple mercury switch. Pack of 10 are cheap on Amazon. You wire up the mercury switch to make the connection for the normally open connection. You then orient the mercury switch to close when the door is in your exception position.

[terminal3]

This is a pretty old solution, I remember someone posting this back in my Iris days. In fact I had a couple of the Iris contact sensors setup on my shop doors as a back up to the Iris GDOs I used to use. The old GDOs were bad about losing connection and not reporting correctly so I needed a backup device. I have since switched to Zooz Zen16s and the Ecolink tilt sensors and they have been pretty reliable for me.

I actually set this up on my mom's garage so she can see through Alexa if the door is open or closed. I use a third reality contact sensor which is Zigbee and they are pretty cheap. About $20.00 a piece, a little less if you buy a multi pack.

[Hatallica]

@JasonJoel

Same here. And battery life has been good on my zse43 as well.

Piling on a bit, but same here. Original battery lasted a year. When the new battery dies, I intend to do a AA battery case modification with a few magnets (if I choose to reposition).

I did have two instances in 20+ months where the status was incorrect. Not sure if I would blame the sensor or my own actions messing with the mesh.

[JasonJoel]

I thought about doing a battery mod on the zse43 too. I don't care if it is bigger, I don't stare at the inside of my garage door too often.

I have a stack of 18650 batteries and holders right next to me... Just have to get motivated and see how high of voltage it will accept without getting dumb / making me have to step it down (although for 3.7V to 3.0V can usually just use a single diode instead of something "fancy").