Hi all,
Open discussion, I’m looking to get some easy to install sensors to detect if doors and windows are open closed. Not looking to reinvent the wheel, just something quick and easy, ideally relatively cheap, minimal fettling required if possible.
Any recommendations from experience? I’m in the UK.
Hi,
I’m using Aqara window / door sensors: Aqara Tür- und Fenstersensor (amazon.de).
As Zigbee Hub I use the Phoscon ConBee II (amazon.de).
openHAB communicates very nicely with the deconz binding.
The only thing you have to take care of is a stable Zigbee network. I use currently Ikea Tradfri sockets to extend the range of my Zigbee network. I write “currently” because I started with Ledvance Plugs (reproducable Zigbee outages) then Blitzwolf (created a short circuit and got destroyed → although no consumer was connected).
Similarly, i have a xiaomi one on my front door.
I’ve changed apartments and I’ve yet to replace that battery 
Also have sonoff ones.
Both zigbee.
For network and communication I have a sonoff stick and use xiaomi smart plugs and both 6 lidl zigbee gu10 bulbs to increase range.
+1 for aqara zigbee sensors (I use them with zigbee2mqtt and the sonoff USB dongle)
Thanks for the comments so far…
I’ve been looking at the sonoff kit as they have quite a few different options, from temp sensors, motion, doors etc. The hub seems relatively cheap and easy set up…
Is the Zigbee protocol the same across brands, ie I could find one hub and it and the devices don’t need to be brand specific?
I’ll take a look at xiaomi and aqara etc…
I have a couple of sensors in use.
Where I was brave I’ve installed ZW187 Recessed Door Sensor 7, great if you want to hide the sensor out of the way. But you need drill a hole in your door.
For those doors that I didn’t want to drill a hole in I’ve used ZD2102-5 Door Window Sensor by Vision. I also use these for my Windows. They can also be used with an external contact as well, so quite versatile.
Yes ZigBee is a standard across multiple manufactures.
Buy a bridge that iscompliant to the standard and supported by openhab or zigbee2mqtt (e.g. hue bridge is for magic reasons not fully compatible and is not supporting all devices).
If individual devices are supported, the following page is a good resource’
Thanks, I’ve found a few hubs that have zigbee and zwave in the same device, is there any reason to get them separately or do fuel devices work just as well?
I use Shelly Door/Window 2 sensors, works local without cloud. Wifi based, no gateway/hub needed.
These sensors works without problems with Openhab via the Shelly Binding.
Very cheap to buy, but expensive to maintain. Extremely poor battery life, maximum 6-8 weeks instead of the promised 2 years. Every sensor needs 2 CR123A battery. I’ve disabled all additional functions and set static IPs.
So no recommendation from my side.
Will switch to another manufacture in the future with Zigbee or Matter (if available).
I find that z wave devices are mostly a US thing. At least in Europe I have yet to see one, or even consider one. Could be wrong though 
We’re in the UK and have a ZigBee network setup in our house using a cc2531 coordinator and zigbee2mqtt. We’ve just bought the Aqara sensors that some others have mentioned (store link), and they arrived just over a week later.
Can’t comment on battery life, but reaction time is sub second - I’m very pleased with these.
I have a Sonoff motion sensor, and I’m very disappointed with its behaviour: check this GitHub issue for details. In a high traffic area it’s basically useless. But it might behave better with other controllers…
Part of this issue is definitively that wifi consumes more power than ble, ZigBee or zwave, therefore I believe changing to a different to of device will definitively solve this.
My zigbee sensors running for more then a great with still the first battery