ST connected relay (to close a circuit but NOT connect power)?

I’m trying to trigger a computer controlled device (an Autoslide door motor) that has a signaling input for “switch states” (i.e. open or close the door). The signaling is accomplished by closing a circuit, meaning you can test by literally jumpering two terminals with a wire or tweezers. I’m looking for a SmartThings compatible device that can simply close a contact withOUT applying power. I can’t seem to find anything, so any help is much appreciated.

Also, for the record, if anyone has figured out another way to control an Autoslide door, I’m interested!

Mimolite relay…

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Awesome! I hadn’t seen that yet. I just bought one!

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I just responded to you about this in the UK wheelchair thread, and also mentioned the Mimolite there. :wink: Just make sure that you get one on the EU frequency if you have a UK hub. The US frequency starts with a 9 and the EU frequency starts with an 8. Fortrezz makes the Mimolite in both versions.

There is one more alternative, which is a microbot from Naran, essentially a robot finger which you can set up to push an existing remote button. It has its own Wi-Fi bridge and then IFTTT service/channel. So it can solve some problems that are difficult to solve any other way and doesn’t require any rewiring. I myself am quadriparetic with limited hand function and just got a set of these from my family for Christmas. I’ve installed one on a small blender that has a button that’s very difficult for me to press, and so far it’s working very well.

Setup is a pain, but the device itself is pretty cool. Expensive, but if you have limited hand function it may be worth it. Available on Amazon in both the US and the UK. Ratings are pretty low just because people can’t get it set up easily, but if you persevere it seems to be fine.

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Excellent info, so thanks again! I’ll check my order to see if I can figure out what model number I’ll get. In my case this is not a mobility issue, just a “get a non-connected device fully integrated with ST,” but that robot finger is pretty awesome anyway!

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Hey, just bought one of these and integrated it using a spare SmartPower outlet I had lying around, a USB charger, a USB cord cut apart and run to a 5V relay, which then triggers the “pet” sensor on the AutoSlide.

I just had a question: if you ended up actually proceeding with this, what’d you use for the “sensor” cable? I currently just jammed some jumpers in there, but would like a more permanent solution without paying the arm and leg AutoSlide wants for a massively long cable. I’ve been trying to figure out the connector, but my calipers are at work, so I figured I’d start here!

Thanks!

Yes, I’m using the MIMOlite to close the contacts on the AutoSlide to activate pet mode. I have the devices configured so that as long as the MIMOlite is “on” (contacts closed) the AutoSlide stays in Pet Mode and the door stays open.

There are two significant problems:

  1. The AutoSlide frequently drops out of “ready for pet mode” and goes back to “normal mode.” You just have to push the button on the device to cycle back into the right listening mode… but that requires you be physically present. I hear there’s another contact that can cycle this and, if I were to buy parts again, I’d buy the multichannel MIMOlite so that I have another channel available to cycle the AutoSlide mode.

  2. The AutoSlide has a pretty odd delay on OPEN. Sometimes it is almost instant, other times it delays up to maybe 20 seconds… not sure what’s going on.

Honestly I’m happy with my solution. It’s reliable enough that I haven’t played with it in like a year.

I also have a multipurpose sensor on the door to cross-check if it is open.

Hey, how did you find out where to install the mimolite, I can’t find a wiring diagram, haven’t got the product yet but deciding which mimo to get, more automated functionality the better.

You mean on the Autoslide? I recall the device itself is fairly well labeled… or the paperwork explained which pins were the pet trigger. The device has something like 4 pairs of pins (internal sensor, external sensor, pet mode and…something else), then it has an 8dip switch for various controls. I believe all the header pins are essentially the same in that you just short or open the circuit to trigger “whatever that pin pair does.” If you get the device and can’t figure it out post some pics here and I’ll help you out.

Yeah I seen the three pins four times on the side. Not sure what the fourth set was for either, ok well that’s not hard, just need the cables to tap into, soldering in there might be tricky. So maybe I’ll get a mimo instead for more relays