So, I was all set to buy a bunch of Sonoff SNZB-04, when I happened across a deal for the Ecolink 4655BC0-R Zigbee sensors on eBay. 10 of the Ecolinks for $49.99, and the seller is located in the same state as me, so they'd probably get here in 2 days even shipped regular First Class Mail.
I'm noting on the official and community supported products list, that this particular model of Ecolink is not listed. However, I did a Google search and several of the other sites that have this product for sale state that this sensor is compatible with Hubitat. Is it reasonable to infer that the sensor would work as a generic Zigbee sensor?
As for the Sonoff, there's tons of threads on those, so I'm not sure more need be said. 10 of the Sonoffs would run $88.49 from itead.cc but you only get free shipping when you spend $99 so I'd probably get something else as well to get to the free shipping threshhold. And I'm assuming itead.cc is in China so the shipping would take a while.
Hello & Welcome ! Those look good, so being zigbee they should work, IF they were engineered to the zigbee standard. And even with that if Ecolink took a certain allowed path, within the standard, it could cause problems.
TLDR- let's wait till someone who has used these, chimes in. I'd suggest asking them about:
ability to stay connected
battery life
reliability of reporting
do these report temperature also(many contact sensors do, some don't)-you may find it useful later even if not interested now.
We can get many zigbee devices paired to the hub at first, it is the behavior after a good while that is most important.
Ok, I went ahead and bought the Ecolinks. The price per unit is extremely attractive and the fact that the seller is only a couple hundred miles away is attractive as well.
I checked the tracking and as predicted they are getting here in two days, as in, by 8 PM today! I am pretty geeked!
Great seller, he shipped same day I ordered. I didn't want to put the link in the first post in case a bunch of people bought them up before I made up my mind, but here it is:
excellent. I love pairing devices to HE, and feel like something maybe wrong with me. I get so excited hooking up new devices, just like I did with my Aurora HO cars when I was little.
Anyway please do report your successes or ...I won't even mention it
Worked! Paired from almost 50 feet away and through a wall!
HE detected it as a Generic Zigbee Motion Sensor. In that mode, when the magnets were together it said motion:inactive. When you pull the magnets away it says motion:active.
I changed the type to Generic Zigbee Contact Sensor and now it not only works, but it detected the ambient temperature as well! Messaging in the console changed to contact: open or contact: closed depending on state.
Pic:. From my office desk where I have the sensor, the HE is just before and to the right of that TV and fireplace and behind a wall.
Hey I have a quick question, just out of interest, do these Ecolink ZIGBEE door/window sensors report changes in temp automatically or only when their state changes from Open to Closed or visa versa ?
Iām already conjuring up uses for them
Thanks op, needed a few contact sensors and it's impossible to get anything priced even close in this neck of the woods. It helps the seller has reasonable shipping charges.
I've only joined half of them, so I can just join another and get it that way.
Unlike most Hubitat users it seems, this is my first automation/smart/whateveryawannacallit hub. Before this everything I had was WiFi and everything was done through software and apps, and some voice control. I've acquired these sensors and a bunch of switches/dimmers that I flashed Tasmota on. Unfortunately implementing all this stuff is competing with family time so it's going slow. I spent two hours yesterday flashing 14 switches with Tasmota, and then another hour in the evening getting MyQ integrated.
I have a grand total of 1 automation implemented so far, for the master bedroom closet to turn on the light when the door is open using the Ecolink sensor and a Feit WiFi dimmer running Tasmota. The wife loves it, so that's a plus for getting more time allocated for doing Hubitat stuff.
As I'm sure you married folks know, the significant other tends to play project manager and I get my time allocated that way.
Answering just for the record, because my 10 pack of sensors arrived.
These Ecolink 4655BC0 sensors report temperature automatically using the Generic Zigbee Contact Sensor.
For some reason they were automatically assigned the Generic Zigbee Motion Sensor, which worked well but reported Active/Inactive rather than Open/Closed.
Ya I got the 10 pack too and finally got around to installing some of them (needed to paint them to match the door color first). They paired for me too as a Generic Zigbee Motion Sensor but made the fix to Generic Zigbee Contact Sensor.
They are saying 5 year battery life. I hope so cuz I'm not sure they are going to open up very easily to be changed. But at $5 a pop who can argue.
