There are many forum posts on this topic, and at least three different popular discussion areas .
Adding an inline relay to report
If you want to run it off the existing wire, you can just put a Z wave relay in line with it. That’s a lot of people do smoke alarms. It’s just expensive, because it’s essentially just a duplicate device.
Although the following topic is old, and some of the software methods would be different, the hardware concept is the same and I’m sure the people on that topic would be glad to brainstorm with you .
Use a Thingshield and Arduino
There’s another way to do it which is with the thingshield and Arduino. That way you only need one network device to handle several of your other sensors. I think it’s probably the most common way people integrate with DSC alarms. That’s a whole separate discussion group. Lots of people using that method, you’ll find them in the following thread:
a proposed commercial solution
There’s also a company which is working on making a device to do this, just as you suggested. I don’t know anything about them except that they post to the forms occasionally. I think the devices in very early prototype testing. This is their topic:
battery vs hardwired
As far as battery versus hardwire, the shift in the security industry in the last few years has been towards battery operated, with an idea that they are more secure since you can’t cut a wire. Mostly, it’s just that they’re easier to install. since Smartthings is aimed at the low-end budget section of the DIY home automation market, most of the devices that are compatible with it are also very inexpensive, which means battery-operated sensors.
You’ll see that most of the DSC integrations are based on battery-operated sensors, but the relay solutions are not, The Arduino solutions can go either way, and I honestly don’t know what the new company’s prototype is using.
But at least that gives you some things to look at, and plenty of people to talk to who have done it.
