How to analyse window reed contacts in OH 3.1

1

Hi there,

using OH 3 for 4 months now and really like the tool. Use it mainly for some routines and as a gateway to Homekit to make it user-friendly for the family.

Now, we’ve built in new windows in the house with reed contacts so their status if open/closed can be checked and used for security system purposes…in theory. However, I was wondering now how I could now analyse those contacts with OH. Which hardware would be needed and what is the proper binding for it? It probably is a bit tricky to get it running but was trusting somebody here would have the experience to make it work :slight_smile: I am looking at quite a lot of reed contacts (6 windows with 2 circuits each) and one of the main entrance door which.

Cheers,
T

2

To be honest, openHAB is an automation system and not a security system. Commercial security systems design in features like entry delays, tamper detection and dealing with power loss. You might consider your security important enough to use a dedicated alarm system, but choose one that can communicate with openHAB to get extra value from it.

3

You can use the contacts with a lot of different hardware, I use all my wired window and door contacts with my enocean environment. Works pretty well.

I also set up some rules to play an alarm sound, switch on the lights inside and outside the house and send a notification when a contact changes the state to open but only if my „security“ switch is set to armed. This switch is exposed to HomeKit as a security system which automatically arms when the last person leaves and disarms when the first person arrives at home.
So yes you can build pretty easy an alarm system which is better than no system. A dedicated system will still be better and safer, but for me openhab is more than sufficient.

4

Many thanks everybody. @rossko57 - appreciate your feedback; however am looking for just a simple solution to get my window status shown in Openhab. I might use it for alarm systems or just as a reminder to close the windows.

@dirkdirk, would you have a link to the equipment to use? I am pretty unexperienced in what kind of hardware would be needed to analyse the status of the loops.

Cheers,
T

5

Using enocean hardware, for me Eltako, is pretty complex to set up if you are not an electrician. Take a look at the Eltako Series 14 bus system.

Maybe there is another, easier solution how to use the contacts with openhab, unfortunately I’ve got no idea because I use enocean devices only.

6

In other threads, people have used Pokeys devices to provide openHAB-readable interface for multiple “dry contact” type inputs.

I use cheap chinese made Wellpro Modbus modules.

7

sounds like a ESP8266 would be a good choice

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