Hi - anyone have an idea how to mount a multi sensor on a door that has moulding? The moulding separates the door contacts and Smarthings thinks the door is always open.
Also, how do you mount these sensors to your car door? Trying to get the ridiculously car garage app to work…
For car door, you don’t need to mount it. The Ridiculously Automated Garage Door SmartApp uses the accelerometer and not the open/close sensor. (you don’t need the magnet piece) You can just throw the larger part in the door pocket.
For the door mounting — what type of door are you trying to mount it on — wood, metal, internal, external?
Thanks. The section in the garage app that says car door sensor mislead me. So this is where I would select the sensor that uses the accelerometer?
The door I am trying to mount on is metal since it has to be a fire retardant door (in my garage). The magnet sticks to the door but the molding around the door is in the way of the bigger piece making contact.
What if you counter sink it into the door jam? That’s what I plan to do with mine with a deep inward opening frame and steel door.
Oh that’s not that thick. Can you pad out the one that is on the door? Maybe use some thick Velcro connection tape
That bumps it out that 1/4 of an inch. The other option is trim back that molding a bit and connect the thin piece there.
Or you buy one like this http://www.shop.eclipse360.com/product.sc?productId=27 and drill hole in the jam to counter sink it. Some steel doors have a wood rim around it or at least on the door handle side to screw in strike plate. Can sink the magnet into that.
Thanks. I definitely don’t want to start cutting the mouldingor drilling into the door. The problem is not so much on the door, it’s the moulding where I can’t put either the magnet or large door sensor piece flush. My SimpliSafe alarm door sensors don’t need contact and can be 2-3 inches apart which works fine. I wonder if there are any zWave sensors like that? Or do all of them rely on contact?
Hmm… I have similar molding to you and I didn’t have an issue with mounting my sensors. I’ll set a reminder to take pictures when I get home today.
Thanks @brianlees I would love to see how you did it. Perhaps I am mounting it the wrong way.
The “battery side” of the sensor is at a little bit of an angle and there is a gap, but it still works. Also, make sure that the magnet side (smaller side) is facing the correct direction. That makes a difference as well.
I just installed a multi-sensor on my front door; it has ~1/2inch gap between top of door and molding (therefore 1/2inch space between the sensor contacts). It has been working great for me
That might be part of my problem too. Is there a way to tell which is the right side where the magnet is facing?
I have almost identical trip on my doors (and have metal doors). I use 3M Command Strips to mount the larger part on the trim and then just let the magnet stick to the metal door. One thing I do on doors where I can is mount the Multi on the side of the opposite side of the door (than the one you have shown). I am guessing this would be the outside - in the garage - for @mbhelfman. I am not home right now our I would take a photo, but often it is easier to mount that way.
Thanks, if you can somehow take a picture and show me as well, that would be helpful. I am sure between all of the pictures, I will get this right.
Worked perfect! Thanks Ben.
Thx I mounted like Ben, but didn’t realize you could have a gap as big as that. I think with my moulding the gap was bigger so it thought it was open. Anyway, I am good now.
As long as the magnet side (small, thin part) is facing the correct way, you can get them pretty far apart. I had my daughter hold my phone up to me while I was placing them and testing the distance. I was watching the Things screen to see when it registered open and closed.
To those of you that mounted the magnet portion on the door – doesn’t it bother you that you’re missing out on all the accelerometer-based functionality? I love that I get alerted when someone knocks. I haven’t done it yet, but I could easily take into account how aggressively my door was open, or if someone slammed it against the wall, for example.
If you’re just using open/close functionality, there are far cheaper solutions out there, (even before ST released one the newer o/c module.)
