This is strange. I have 27 with another 5 yet to install and pretty much all of them need their batteries replaced pretty soon as they suddenly drain to nothing. I just put it down to poor quality batteries.
Cost effective door/window sensors (UK)
Does using the devicetype with heatbeat reporting drain the batteries more, or is that transmitted anyway?
I do find mine chew through batteries pretty quickly.
@a4refillpad - Original Battery is still in this one. Unless its not accurate, but AFAI can tell all is good with it.
where did you get the device handler ? I must have missed a post somewhere
Nope it shouldn’t make any difference. It does it any way, I just reveal it in the event when it does to aid monitoring.
1 Like
@iamjezz the device handlers are noted above in this thread.
The contact sensor device type was created by @a4refillpad and he created a new thread for it here [RELEASE] Orvibo Contact Sensor
The Motion sensor device type was created by @Kriskit and is available above at post 104
3 Likes
I’ve got one of the Sensative Door strips. It’s currently inside my utility door and acts as a trigger for my outside lights.
Works out of the box without any device handler and is slim enough to go into the door frame. Very pleased.
2 Likes
Hi @ghesp.
I’m looking to get one of the sensative strips to test and see how they work/fit etc.
Did you need to load a bespoke DTH?
I know you said it worked out of the box, but I was just wondering.
Thanks.
EDIT. Oops should have read your comments more closely.
The other reason I asked is on the ukAutomation web site they say that the wake up parameter needs to be changed to work with ST.
Nope. I unboxed it, removed the magnets to activate it and then it showed up as a new thing in SmartThings.
No parameters needed to be changed, no custom dth
Excellent. Thanks for the quick reply.
It works fine with the standard device type, but their website does say that the wake up period should be adjusted with SmartThings… one assumes that with the generic handler the battery will not live as long.
I have just installed one of these myself (bought it on sale at £40 which was more palatable than the normal £50), works great. I am concerned given both their expense and the fact that once discharged they have to be discarded that it would definitely be a good idea to adjust the wake up parameter, but they haven’t yet added the details for smartthings on their site.
1 Like
Good to know. I’ll try and get in touch with them and find the details
I had three of the open/close sensors delivered yesterday and set the first two up without issue. The third though doesn’t seem to work. It switches on when the battery is in, I can detect it in the application but it always says open. Moving the two contacts together and apart isn’t doing anything and i’ve never seen it closed.
Anyone seen this?
Try deleting it and adding back while close to the hub.
Ive tried that. Just tested the other two sensors and one of those has stopped working too overnight. Deleted that one too and now I can’t get either of them to be picked up 
Actually, if you have a mesh (repeaters) I’d go against what Wayne has said, and try adding it where you’ll be using it, rather than close to the hub.
If you paid it with the hub, and then move it further away, it won’t use the repeaters. It will always try to talk directly to the hub.
My setup is very basic (just the starter kit) and a couple of extra presence & motion sensors. Tried adding it near and away from the hub and cant get either to show up now.
I’ve got the battery out for a bit now to see if that ‘resets’ anything?
Edit: OK, I managed to get the one that has never worked to be recognised after about 15mins of constantly searching for it. However, its still showing as ‘open’ and I can’t get it to work at all.
Edit 2: OK, got the other one paired again now but same issue as the other one. Both showing OPEN and not reacting to the other part of the contact sensor
Are you trying with the contact while close to the hub?
And when you move the magnet close to the sensor does the green ring flash?
The flash only happens if the sensor is able to successfully report the open/close event to the hub.
If I set one up near my hub I can walk away, opening/closing the contact, and at a certain distance the green ring stops flashing. As I move back towards the hub it starts again.
Ive tried it where they will be used and also in close proximity to the hub (~5ft). No lights flash on the unit at all. One was working fine last night when I set it up and the other hasn’t worked at all. Now both are seemingly inoperable.
The green light flashes when I press it so the battery is OK.
There was only one report of this prior and he was able to fix by rejoining the device. I’ve got a very large number now and the only real issue I have is battery life especially the original ones that come with the device. I’ve replaced most of mine with Panasonic ones now.