Retrofit Standard Deadbolt as Contact Sensor?

I know this topic has been touched on in different threads, but I found a sensor I think could be useful for utilizing a standard deadbolt as a contact sensor. However, I’m not tech savvy enough to figure it out on my own. Please click here: Recessed Door Sensor Gen5 , ZW089-A, by Aeotec, Cert ID: ZC10-14120008 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0151Z49BO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NeJSxb916KH5C.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to convert this into a deadbolt contact sensor?

It’s an interesting idea, but it won’t work as you’re imagining. Typical “contact sensors,” including this one, aren’t really “contact” based at all. They’re actually based on a magnet causing a thin metal reed to move. It is the metal reed that “makes contact” when it moves completing an electrical circuit inside the sensor device. The magnet piece does not need to actually touch the piece with the sensor, it just needs to get close enough to pull the reed magnetically.

So you can’t use a deadbolt to make contact with this type of sensor. Since it’s nonmagnetic, it wouldn’t move the reed inside the sensor piece.

I suppose you could attach a tiny magnet to the very end of the deadbolt and have it move close to the box containing the reed, but then you’d have to be burying The sensor box very far into the wall, the full distance of the deadbolt plus of course the length of the sensor itself. So personally, I wouldn’t use this shape of sensor for that, I’d use the smallest box piece I could find. But you would have constant danger of the magnet being knocked off the end of the deadbolt.

All of which is to say if you’re willing to put a sensor with a reed piece deep into the wall and you buy a magnet and glue it onto the end of the deadbolt you might be able to make it work. But I wouldn’t get this particular sensor, it’s too big.

Is this primarily an aesthetic issue?

I understand. No, I’m just trying to find an effective way of utilizing a typical deadbolt as a door sensor to show when it’s locked/unlocked. The cleaner the look, the better. A recessed contact sensor just seemed to make the most sense, but I was concerned about the size. I have seen others suggest a plunger type, but I’m unfamiliar as to how that would be wired to work.

I am using fibaro door/window sensor with a microswitch on the binary input. And then the deadbolt activates the micro Switch when locked and vice versa when unlocked

I m looking for exactly the same thing. Have a deadbolt, cannot alter it, just need to know what the status is - open/close ie unlocked /locked . Have considered sticking a door open/close sensor but magnet can’t be aligned reliably, even removed the magnet from its plastic casing to get a smaller form factor.

Any ideas… Just need to know if the deadbolt is locked or not at any given point in time…

Much appreciate help!

See this thread from @Timffba:

Put the contact sensor on the deadbolt’s knob where your hand turns to lock/unlock instead of the deadbolt pin.
Not going to be a clean look though.