Ok I have a large patio door that has an open/close sensor, but that doesn’t prevent the glass being broken. I do have motion detectors protecting that room and the one adjoining it, so am I being a little paranoid? I know I have to add another motion for the bedroom so maybe that is enough. I had a glass break on my old house and it was on every window, I think they were vibration detectors and when there was a storm they would go off. So I eliminated a multi sensor.
which open/close sensor do you have? some have vibration sensing. If glass is hit hard enough to be broken, I’d imagine it would set it off.
I am using the IRIS second generation Zigbee units from Lowes.
It doesn’t look like that one does.
Here might be an option: https://shop.smartthings.com/#!/products/samsung-smartthings-multipurpose-sensor
I tried it and it is way to sensitive goes off with a thunderstorm as the large panels act like a amplifier. I moved it to the attic fan to tell me if it is running.
These actually are true Accelerometers (not just vibration sensors) so a Device Type or SmartApp can be written to require a certain substantial g-force before declaring “active”. I’m surprised this doesn’t exist.
The cheaper alternative are Shock Sensors which use a physical spring and are manually tuned (I think Monoprice haa one…).
If Monoprice has one is there a device type available?
Yes… I ought to dig mine up and check (I never decided where to install)… It’s Z-Wave and registers as a Contact Sensor if I recall correctly (i.e., if there is a vibration shock, it sends an “open” Event).
Thanks for the info, I will do some more searching and make a quick decision. I might be over reacting. I am also looking for some way to send an alarm signal to a central office, but ST is going to have that, but won’t do that until SHM has the delays and the bells and whistles that most alarms have.
This is the Monoprice Device.
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=11988
It is certainly less expensive than a more versatile Multi-Sensor with g-force chip, but the above should serve the purpose if properly physically calibrated (see the reviews). If you have multiple glass panes, you may technically need one on each pane for reliability.
The entire purpose of the SHM feature is as a Trojan Horse to sell monthly monitoring and earn commissions for SmartThings. If they are to do this successfully, they are going to have to improve its features and platform reliability.
The above reason is why there is no official SmartApp API into SHM (and the unofficial API may be pulled from developers currently using it).
Have you looked at this:
I dont have it connected to my Smartthings hub but use a similar sensor wit ATT Digital Life.
Glass Break Detectors really sound great in theory … but do they really work? I gotta wonder how this can be reliable without false alarms, especially in places where glass may fall on carpet or be “just out of audible range”.
Yes I am beginning to think that the motion detectors are the way to go, I will just buy one more ST or the one from IRIS.
I have never broken actual glass to test it but when playing sound of glass breaking on my phone speaker, the detector goes off. I did not have any false alarms since it was installed two years ago.
Note: Make sure the alarm is not turned on you are watching action movies on TV!
A motion sensor is still a good option because the glass detector may not notice if the glass is cut rather than broken.
I have two ST motion detectors now to decide to get one more ST or go with the IRIS one. Ten buck difference I think.
A glass break sensor isn’t going to pick up anything better than a motion sensor could IMO and you get more use out of the motion sensor.
Well… When you are in “Armed - Stay” mode, motion sensors in many rooms are not useful because they will detect the authorized occupants already in the home even though the windows / patio doors are locked.
Glass break detection (and/or shock, vibration detection) will detect an intruder at the point of intrusion only (possibly a good thing).
I hadn’t thought of it like that.
I think I would still use a strategically placed motion sensor in lieu of a glass break sensor for the added temp/humidity for about the same cost.
I have the ST multi at all my doors. I know it will detect broken glass even though it’s a vibration detector from experience with my kids and baseball. It has open/close capability as well so your door doesn’t look like a Xmas tree with all these sensors.
Edit : forgot to mention temperature as a bonus.
All the talk of glas break detectors etc. Presuming this is a double glazed toughened glass patio door, all manufactured in last 10 years are. Has anyone tried putting one through with a rock/brick etc… They just don’t break easily at all unless you are using something like a life hammer and even then it’s still bloody difficult.
I smashed my old patio doors for fun (and to fit it n the skip…but mostly for fun) when replacing with bifold doors. It took as a hell of a lot of time, and after nearly knocking ourselves out with heavier and heavier rocks, we eventually succeeded with a life hammer after 4 or 5 attempts. We also tried with a normal 12oz hammer, no dice.
We tried in the corners where it’s supposed to work better…middle etc but really struggled.
The most common way people make force entry via patio doors is levering and breaking the catch mechanism not smashing the window