Hardwired sensors

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
21

I have 30 windows
8 doors
2 garage doors
4 smoke alarms
2 co2 detectors

All wired. The slots fill faster than I thought

22

If you plan on eventually selling something, I would advise against posting it here or installing the code into the system at all.

I’m not a lawyer, but SmartThings’s terms of service gives them perpetual global rights to… Everything.

I also have some relay devices I want to build (that could be a solution to the OP problem and similar), but there’s a big risk here that needs legal clarification.

23

Any progress or new products or ideas for hard wired sensors?

24

I was in a similar situation: old alarm system with hardwired door/window sensors.

They were connected to an old alarm panel; 8 zones in all with EOL supervisory resistors. I still used the keypads for its LED status lights (solid green all good, blinking -> zone problem)

In order to preserve that functionality, I ended up wiring octocouplers inline to each zone circuit (6v/1kohm per loop).
If hardwired sensor (or sensors if multiple per zone) is closed, the octopcoupler is energized by the old panel, and the other side of it closes.
the other side of the octocoupler is wired to a schlage nexia sensor. The schlage nexia sensors have an undocumented hardwire header (similar to everspring) to which you can wire any contact sensor(s) making them rather versatile for retrofitting and non-standard applications.

Having 8 z-wave sensors servicing the hardwired zones is bit overkill but it gets the job done. they’re neatly stored in a secondary panel to potentially be replaced with a single multi i/o device if one ever comes out.

25

FWIW, I just thought I’d comment that I’m still looking for someone to create an easy device or kit to use my old wired sensors in my house with my SmartThings hub. I don’t care if it’s from SmartThings or a 3rd party who can respond to this need in a more timely way.

. . . Not something that requires I buy various components from different places, not something that requires I learn how to read and use circuit designs or do Arduino programming, but something that works more like (ideally) “connect wired sensor leads to terminals here” (with pointer to diagram) [and have SmartThings hub find the new device when you supply power]. A cheap wired sensor leads-to-z-wave interface might suffice in low volume of fewer than 4 sensors, but a panel solution would be better if cheaper for handling a couple of dozen or more, but a kit or turnkey solution, not a hack or homebrew project.

If SmartThings isn’t getting “a round tuit” then maybe its a Kickstarter project idea for someone else?

3 Likes
26
A cheap wired sensor leads-to-z-wave interface might suffice in low volume of fewer than 4 sensors, but a panel solution would be better if cheaper for handling a couple of dozen or more, but a kit or turnkey solution, not a hack or homebrew project.

FWIW, it’s not terribly difficult to home-brew something like that using Arduino and a bunch of optocouplers, but I don’t think your situation is typical enough to justify a commercial product development. If you’re not a DIY type, I’d say your best option is to replace your hardwired sensors with wireless ones.

27

I respectfully disagree, iGoControl.

First, I think you are incorrect in your market research. If you take every home that has every had a wired security system as a market segment to attract to SmartThings, it probably adds up to many times as many people that those who own a SmartThing today. What would it take to get them to adopt SmartThings? I firmly believe an easy way to migrate their sensors could make the difference for a lot of them, i.e., an opportunity for SmartThings to not just add to its sales but multiply them.

On the development side if things, great products have come from things that were relatively “easy” technically or even common separate elements but never before put together with such simplicity. E.g., the first iPhone.

28

@twack

I have 30 windows 8 doors 2 garage doors 4 smoke alarms 2 co2 detectors

All wired. The slots fill faster than I thought

Can you please share how you managed to make this work ?

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@twack

I have 30 windows
8 doors
2 garage doors
4 smoke alarms
2 co2 detectors
All wired. The slots fill faster than I thought
Can you please share how you managed to make this work ?

I would also like to know how to do this. I’d really like to connect ST to my alarm system’s hardwired door/window sensors.

30

I would also like to know how this was accomplished. I am trying to find the best way to integrate by Slomin’s System into SmartThings.

I would like the ability to have all the sensors currently tied into the system to be usable individually.

31

Hi guys,

I have a hardwired old FB II alarm system with a 7 zone XL 2Tcontrol panel . I am looking for a module that can take digital inputs and convert to z-wave or zigbee to connect to the hub.

I came across this module online , do you all think that this can be a module that I can consider to wire up my hard wired sensor?

http://www.shjelectronic.com/ZigbeeModules.htm

Thank you,

32

No these won’t work with SmartThings. You can use this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6RZ7MM/

Also, some Z-Wave door/window sensors have wire terminals for connecting external contacts. For example, Schlage RS100HC and Everspring (don’t remember model number).

1 Like
33

Do you know how many inputs it can take? I searched on amazon it says a digital or analog input, does it mean only one input or a bunch? I will search on Fortrezz webpage to see if I can find out more. so is this the solution that can work for integrating current hardwired sensors? is it missing something that others on this topic are looking for? just trying to understand if I am missing something by using this module taking dry contacts only… Thanks for the input.

34

Geko, can you tell me why zigbee modules wont work for the purpose I have defined, any specific reason? I looked up the fortrezz mimo , it has only one digital output and input. It won’t work for me unless there is a different version with many more IOs.

35

ST works works with devices that implement Zigbee “Home Automation” profile. The modules you’re referring to implement vendor-specific “Serial over Zigbee” profile. They’re not compatible.

1 Like
36

Yep, if you want to re-use your hard-wired sensors, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to hook them up to Z-Wave door/window sensors either. You might as well just replace them. Unfortunately, there’s no compatible multi-IO modules I know of. If you’re a DIY type, you could try using Smart Shield to hack something up. Another option would be to leave them connected to the alarm panel and integrate ST with the alarm panel. See this discussion, for example:

http://community.smartthings.com/t/dsc-alarm-integration-and-alarms-in-general/

37

Did some more researching and understood my XL-2T FB-II box control panel more yesterday. It looks like I cannot integrate with the alarm panel directly since it has no serial or other communicating capability. It is a old system with a microprocessor chip and it communicates with the 4 wires LED keypad and phone lines directly. So looks like my other option is to use arduino mega since it takes some digital inputs/outs and has some analogue channels, read directly from the hardwired sensors to mega and integrate mega with ST arduino shield , this helps me to include these sensors in other smart app events etc.,.

Can you tell if I need anything else for this project or I should be able to achieve this project with arduino mega and ST shield to integrate these sensors?

I have some idea what I need to do, but just trying to validate so I don’t buy and then it doesn’t support.

Thank you for all the inputs so far…

38

I believe someone (@wackware perhaps) have done something like that. Search in “Old Forums”.

39

Same here

I have 30 Windows
8 Entrances
3 Garage
about 10 smoke detectors

Would like these hardwire sensors to talk to ST

40 zwave sensors aint cheap

40

I finally connect all my hardwired sensors using –