Has anybody used the Aeotec sensor with the recess kit and run USB power to it? If so, how did you supply the power? Or, any other builtin project for that matter?
Thanks
If you plan appropriately then POE is your best friend. Otherwise you're going to be installing an outlet if one isn't already accessible.
3 Likes
Thanks, I just realized PoE was a possibility. I found this on a quick search.
https://www.amazon.com/UCTRONICS-802-3af-Splitter-Ethernet-Raspberry/dp/B01MDLUSE7
I certainly don't need Ethernet in my bathroom ceiling but I can use an old Ubiquity PoE injector and not have to worry about a high voltage transformer stuffed in the ceiling.
Yup those work. I run lots of devices off of POE. There are others available tp-link, trendnet are a couple that offer voltage selection and you can use different connector plugs for different devices.
1 Like
You want to think about the microUSB ends...
The Aeon Multisensor comes with a unique right angle VERY low profile plug on a long wire. I'd really suggest finding a microusb that fits will be hard.
I'd look at something like:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073P7J1KR/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2Y9R0VEAYJBWE&psc=1
and just use the supplied white wire from Aeon.
You can get a POE switch, and have Multisensors all over the house.
1 Like
Yeah that was just the first adapter I found. I hadn't even considered PoE for USB. Now that I realize that is a thing there are so many other projects that come to mind.
For an initial one-off I can re-purpose one of my AP injectors. I definitely don't want to use a port on the Ubiquity switch just for power. 
All my runs go to a central location so the injector for the initial power is fine. I can later add a better solution if I get multiple devices setup.
1 Like
I have 12 of the MultiSensor 6's and it's been on my ToDo list forever.. so I've done a prelim search of the components I'll need. 
I have everything I need EXCEPT the will power to climb into the attic to Drill pathways for the little white Aeon wire.
And with summer just around the corner, I'll be successful at deferring this one another year.
Found this potential solution using a security cam power supply and a buck converter (had to look that up).
@sandsstl Welcome to the forums. Interesting solution. I like the workaround for "battery" powered AM6, but it would think it was on mains (better reporting). Also I guess if you were pulling cameras at the same time it might be good, otherwise seem like more work than POE.
I get that. The temps are already starting to climb here and I don't want to be up there when the outside air temp passes 110 degrees.
I have to go up there to replace some cameras anyway and finally get my APs mounted. I might install some more speakers too but that depends on how
On of the advantages of this old house is that it was originally built with a flat roof. Over the years the house was expanded and then in 2006 they added a peaked roof to it. So I have a roof over a roof and I an stand up freely in the middle. It only gets a bit difficult when I have to run a cable for a camera out to the edge of the soffit and I only have a few inches of space to work in.
That's a nice little buck converter. Since I have to run cables anyway I'll just use the PoE solution although if space were an issue I would definitely look at the converter.
I'll definitely keep that converter bookmarked. I might be nice for power distribution on some LED art projects.
Dang it! Just bought a 24 port midspan injector for $37. Every time I turn around there's a new toy to order.
1 Like
I'm wondering if you could let me know what I would need to power a number of these sensors throughout a new house I'm building. I'm new to all this but am thinking of settling on hubitat. If I could have powered sensors that would be great. I've not started wiring so it is basically starting from scratch. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
The MultiSensor 6 comes with an internal microUSB connector and a specially designed right angle USB cable of about 6 ft.
I've purchased all the parts for a whole home solution, but have yet to climb into the attic to do that portion.
It starts with the idea of getting a big power supply and distributing 12v out to a number of locations. The 12v is converted to USB power by these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SQ4FV61
A power supply would look something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DL43LTJ
and you'd want a spool of wire:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077MHW8QH
100% usb powered MS6's means the option for a recessor goes way up...
Is that the answer you were looking for?? Or did I misread it completely? 
The 12v is soldered into the Buck Converters in the ceiling/wall (behind the recessor) and the Aeon supplied power cable plugs in.
If All of your MS6 are in a tight circle, you can look at something like:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YRYKEYM
but the 6ft Aeon usb power cable would need to reach.
1 Like
What I’ve done is run cat5e or cat6 cable to each location where I have a sensor mounted (with the flush wall mount). You plug the cat cable into this:
PoE Texas GAF-MICROUSB | Gigabit... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019BLMWWW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
And then plug that into the MultiSensor 6. The other end I run to a closet where I have an 8 port POE network switch that provides power to each of the sensors around the house.
TP-LINK 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Poe+ Unmanaged Energy-Efficient Switch with 124W 8-Poe+ Ports | Plug and Play | Metal | Desktop/Rackmount | Lifetime ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6LID0S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_asgUlOV6gKBkZ
Hope this helps.
1 Like
That's perfect thanks for all of your help.
Since you are building a new house...walls = open. Running all those lines to a central location in the basement or dedicated closet with ALL your OTHER ethernet lines is a great option. I have a regular family sized home 2500sqft and I've got over 50 ethernet drops in use. I do also have multiple IP cameras outside the house along with NAS devices, BlueIris server, Home Office, TVs, NVidia's etc that are all wired. It adds up faster than you might think! And I've never ONCE heard someone say they ran too many drops....
1 Like
That's great advice, thanks.
I have one room that I'm not so sure about. It is a smaller room at 10 x 12 feet. One wall has a sliding glass door, one wall has an opening big enough for a sliding glass door, and a third wall has a normal door. So there is maybe 25 linear feet of wall space. There are no less than 9 duplex outlets in the room. I haven't bothered to see if they are all on more than one circuit. I would really like to know the thinking behind all those drops.
Another fun feature of that room is that the normal door has both a sliding bolt and a deadbolt lock. So you could lock something in the room with all those outlets. I use it for my laser cutter and as the central closet for my audio, networking, and video pulls.
It's a crazy house.
So you are saying all those outlets are useful then.....
1 Like
I am currently in the process of building new house and have purchased 30+ multisensor 6 with recesses to be placed either side of doorways or logical points for home automation/security. I have a small comms cabinet that I will place under the stairs where all Ethernet will terminate to a 48 port netgear switch that support Poe and 4 ports support poe+ (for higher power draw external cameras). I have also purchase from alibaba 30 Ethernet to usb/Ethernet splitters so I can use the provided aeotec usb cable to power the devices, I have tested this on the bench and seems to work fine.
Does anyone know if the aeotec multisensor 6 is mains powered do they become zwave repeaters? My understanding is that when they are powered by battery they are not zwave repeaters to save on power consumption
