I have a sliding patio door with a standard lock that is often left unlocked. I placed a small magnet on top of the lock and used a Wyze contact sensor to monitor if locked/unlocked and paired with ST via Alexa Switch.
I would like to find a ST compatible sensor to replace the Wyze sensor. I have tried Sonoff, Linkind, SmartThings 2016 sensor and none seem to pick up the backset magnet. Wondering if anyone has any other suggestions?
Edit: in US on V3 hub
Nice idea. Looks like you have the same door/doors that I have.
I think there are “skinnier” versions that would fit nicely in that space.
There seems to be loads of the Xfinity Zigbee sensors on Ebay. You can search the model numbers on this forum to get an idea of how well they work.
XHS2-TY or MCT-350 for instance. I think XHS2-UE is essentially the same, with maybe a different battery.
Have you considered trying a stronger magnet? That’s the usual field tech trick for bridging a gap.
Also you may need to experiment with the positioning to make sure that the magnet is properly aligned with the leverage point on the reed inside the sensor. There’s usually a little notch on the case of the sensor which tells you where to line up the magnet horizontally. I can’t tell from your picture if you’re expecting the sensor to report closed in that position or if the magnet is going to move up higher when the door is locked.
Ring door/window sensor senses at about up to 1 inch
The lock is recessed in the handle and has a small indention for your finger to move it up/down. The magnet is taped to the top of the lock casuing it to be recessed. When the lock is unlocked it moves down and reports as open, locked moves up and reports closed.
The magnet I have will trigger the Sonoff, Linkind, SmartThings sensors when placed even with the sensor but not in the recessed position sitting on the lock. I tried a larger magnet but it interfered with locking/unlocking the door. The sensors just seem to be too thick to be trigger by the magnet while in the recessed position. Any idea where to get a dime sized magnet that is stronger?
The Wyze sensor has worked really well in this set up reporting open/closed for several months now. I’m looking for replacement options before I actually need it due to some Wyze issues. I have been having a lot of issues with Wyze connectivity and the bridge lately which is what prompted the search for a new sensor before I actually need it.
Amazon has lots in Industrial & Scientific. Just search for “strong magnets.“ A typical iron magnet will have a remanence of about 0.4 Tesla. A nickel-coated neodymium magnet will probably be 1.2 Tesla, maybe even 1.4. Other kinds of rare earth magnets will fall somewhere in between.
If you do go with the rare earth magnet, be aware that these are a very serious health hazard if swallowed by a child or pet (or an idiot teenager who thought they could do a faux tongue piercing with them. It happens 
). Also make sure you get one that is coated, as otherwise they can shatter. And never just throw these away in the regular trash because of the health hazard issue: you have to recycle them as hazardous materials.
That’s not to say never use them, they are very popular these days in all kinds of different products including laptops, cordless power tools, even jewelry clasps. Just be aware of the hazards.
Happy to report that a stronger magnet and the Xfinity contact sensor are working.
Thanks for the suggestions! @JDRoberts and @blkwll
The Xfinity XHS2 with a 15mm neodymium magnet taped to the lock seem to be working well. The sensor is thin enough not to interfere with the door handle and the magnet is thin enough not to interfere with manual locking and strong enough to activate the sensor in the recessed position.
If I ever upgrade my door, I may try the patio door lock @RBoy linked to.
Thanks for the feedback!
I really wish I could mark 2 posts as a solution
You could try a smaller sensor like from Aeotec, Monoprice or others which can be attached to the black door jamb area and on the white separately. You can also get some ideas here: [FAQ] SmartThings Sliding Door Lock & Patio Door Lock with Keypads User Codes / Access Control
I just noticed that Xfinity sensor didn’t scale things down by much, if at all. I was imagining those being quite a bit smaller. But if it works…
Yeah, like RBoy says there are much smaller options if you want to pretty that up.
But glad it’s working, and thanks for sharing your idea.
Cool idea! FWIW the Sengled contact sensor is pretty small and may be more unobtrusive. But the battery life isn’t great since it uses a smaller coin cell.
Yeah, it’s bigger than the Wyze sensor but it’s close to the same depth. The problem I’m running into with the smaller sensors is that the Depth increases. Any suggestions on sensors similar in size to the Wyze? The only 1 I’ve found close is the Nyce but I’m not paying $50.
Dimensions reference:
Wyze contact sensor
Height: 1.1" (30mm)
Width: 0.78" (20mm)
Depth: 0.4" (10mm)
Xfinity contact sensor
Height: 2.3" (59mm)
Width: 1.02" (26mm)
Depth: 0.5" (12.7mm)
Sonoff snzb-03 contact sensor
Height: 1.8" (45mm)
Width: 1.1" (28mm)
Depth: 0.6" (16mm)
Linkind contact sensor
Height: 1.5" (40mm)
Width: 1.2" (30mm)
Depth: 0.6" (15mm)
Not sure, Ive also been looking at the Iris 3320-L on EBay One guy is selling them in lots of 10 (no magnets or batteries), not sure of the dimensions, but they look small. Haven’t seen any singles in a while.
Just another thing to consider.
found this: might give an idea.
If you want invisible sensor, this could be one of the option
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15268
or
I have them on my doors, and nobody can see them.
You could place them next to catch on the frame and have tiny magnet on the latch on the door
UPDATE:
For anyone who is interested, the new Zooz ZSE41 contact sensor from @TheSmartestHouse is the best fitting alternative to the Wyze sensor IMO. I am able to reverse open/close reading which allowed me to relocate the sensor to the center.
Height: 1.9"
Width: 1"
Depth: 0.3"
Good to know, for sure.
I’m thinking the depth would be hard to beat, and also be the most important dimension, as to not interfere with open and closing, for anyone is as ham-handed as myself.
