(August 2026) I’m looking to build a beam sensor (laser sensor or photoelectric sensor) for outdoor use, to pair with SmartThings, USA. I have an Aeotec v3 hub so Z-Wave is available. It’s to check if people cross a particular threshold to a spa. I have already tried PIR motion sensors and they are not reliable (there is a canopy that keeps on waving around and that is enough motion for false alarms).
There are a number of posts about this topic on here but they date from 2014-2016 so a lot has changed in the market since then.
My research thus far is to get a SECO-LARM E-931-S35RRQ Retro-Reflective Photoelectric Beam Sensor (about $60), then use the dry contact relay with a SmartThings-compatible digital input sensor.
When I tried doing input sensing like this in ~2024, I ended up using an Ecolink DWZWAVE2.5-ECO Door/Window sensor, with hardwired power, but I could never get the sensor to work properly with the screw terminals for power + door sensing. I had to jimmy in a dummy battery and feed it 3.3V on the battery terminals, then use two of the screw terminals to a dry contact door sensing magnet.
I was wondering if there are better solutions out there, particularly battery powered outdoor perimeter sensors so I do not have to worry about running waterproof power to the device. Additionally, the SECO-LARM E-931-S35RRQ looks very industrial and while that is fine for a garage or carport, I would like something that looks more residential-friendly and discreet.
I guess I could try one or two mmWave sensors but I thought that mmWave sensors also use PIR to save power or something, and I’m worried that it might trigger anyway or have too wide of a field of view.