ST mult sensor problems

Just installed a multi sensor on my garage door and I have a few issues. I named it ‘garage door’ and then when I went into the settings of the sensor, in the ST app, it asks if I want to use this sensor on a garage door. When I click yes, it seems to render the sensor useless because it just stops sensing whether the door is open or closed. When I go back in, and click no, it works again.

Also, my Echo isn’t discovering it. Is there something wrong, or is it not compatible with Alexa?

When you click on the garage door option it becomes a tilt sensor, so it’s no longer using open/close but using the angle the sensor is at (one for closed, another when it’s openes)

Try moving your door

Kraeg

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Thanks for that info - definitely clears it up. Is there a benefit to having it to specified as a garage door, rather than just a open/close sensor? It seems to be working fine, so if I don’t need to change anything, I’m happy to just leave it as is.

Also - do you know why my Echo won’t discover it?

Changing it means you don’t need the magnetic part of it (sometimes there isn’t anywhere to put that on a garage door). Plus it might be able to tell if the door is part way closed (50% tilt or something) - I can’t confirm as I dont have a garage :slight_smile:

As for Echo discovering it - it won’t…you can’t do anything with it. What do you want Echo to do with it? You cant turn it on/off or up/down etc? It’s a reporting device, not a controlling device (for lack of a better word).

If you want to query the status of the door (like asking “Alexa, is my garage door shut?) you will need something like the SmartApp AskAlexa (search for it, there is a whole thread dedicated to it and good for asking questions)

Kraeg

Thanks, again. I think the way I have it set is good enough for me.

Yeah, that’s exactly it. I’d like to ask alexa if the garage door is open or closed and have it tell me. I’ll look into that AskAlexa smartapp.