Would developers be willing to work on the driver for the SONOFF SNZB-04 Zigbee door contact so the battery reports properly?
My reasons for asking:
I've had several of these devices for a few months and the battery still reports as 100%.
I have found these devices to be pretty reliable and useful (see next reason)
Since it is impossible (as far as I've found) to find a Zigbee door sensor device with terminals for the input connection (mechanical switch) and this Sonoff door sensor at least lets you solder a couple wires across the reed switch, these devices provide a valuable function, if the battery can be monitored accurately.
These Sonoff devices make a great solution to monitor a sump pump water levels, mouse trap sensors, etc.
Battery reporting is controlled by the device and not the driver. Most devices lie like an ex significant other getting caught out in an affair. Like them, battery reporting is never to be believed. It's something that we basically live with. Personally I have HSM monitor all my batteries and if any of them drop below 20% I figure it's time to replace the battery weather it's accurate or not.
Yesterday, I found mine still reported 100% on the day that the sensor stopped working and the battery measured 2.38V. That is about as dead as a 3V lithium battery is going to get.
As noted, if the device provides garbage data, then there is not much that can be done to massage it into good information within HE. Overall, I don't have a great solution. I am trying Device Activity Check to alert me to inactive sensors. Even that is tough to balance nuisance alerts against waiting so long that you just notice rules failing.
For a fixed solution such as the sump pump that you mentioned, I would consider also hard wiring a 3V supply or "battery eliminator". It sounds like you are already handy with a soldering iron.
Hatallica,
Thank you for the feedback.
Actually, I have purchased those battery eliminators to use when I had Insteon.
They worked fine.
I like the portability of the Zigbee contact sensors, especially when I put them on a mouse trap that I can move around as needed. And the battery lasts long enough for me.
I had purchased several ThirdReality devices (door contacts, motion) when I first got into HE and they have performed very well, and the battery reports properly.
So, later, I did get a ThirdReality water sensor and it actually has 2 metal screw terminals for the drip detection and that can be used for an external mechanical switch for a trigger. I'm just not too keen on the shape and size of the device.
