Door Bell Options?

Ramias · May 29, 2014, 1:42am

I’d like to use the doorbell as a sensor to trigger things.

My doorbell chime is visible and in the hallway and there’s no space in side the chime box to add anything (though I could run some wires and have something sit on top of the chime box but that would look tacky).

The doorbell voltage transformer is difficult to get to.

I’m happy to replace my doorbell button and the doorbell chime if it would help.

So does anybody have any suggestions on what to do?

I’d love a doorbell chime with a zwave radio built in (I don’t think they exist). I’d get one of the wireless plugin types if I could make that send a zwave signal or could hook something up to it (I could plug it into a place where some wires sticking out would be less visible).

Thanks

Vodden · May 30, 2014, 7:31am

There are a few options here.

If you have a security system that integrates into Vera, you could wire the doorbell in as a zone. This is what I plan on doing.

Another option to similar to this is the Dakota Alert systems. The doorbell buttons are wireless but they have a relay output built in that easily wires to a security panel or a MimoLite z wave interface.

kiethr · May 30, 2014, 11:17am

Aeon labs is developing a doorbell and a speaker for the doorbell that doubles as a siren.

Sent from my iPhone

dzmiller · May 30, 2014, 12:10pm

[quote=“Ramias, post:1, topic:181328”]…

I’d love a doorbell chime with a zwave radio built in (I don’t think they exist). …[/quote]

It’s odd there’s no chime product, isn’t it? All kinds of garage door products, but no replacement chime. I would like a chime replacement that’s also a siren. Plus a lot of subtle sound choices that I could trigger.
Plenty of proprietary wireless doorbell products on the market. But most people have a working wired doorbell.

Bulldoglowell · May 30, 2014, 12:12pm

Mimo Lite is pretty small, can be powered from the doorbell’s transformer and may even be not noticeable if it sits on top.

Ramias · April 24, 2015, 9:23pm

Ok I am just now coming around to trying to get this to work.

I got my Mimolite to trigger a scene when plugged in to power.

I now have it wired to the door chime – two wires from each door chime terminal; one going to the power port and one to the middle sensor.

When I press the doorbell outside I get events logged in my Vera logs (that I can see from the InfoViewer plugin) but I can’t seem to find a trigger combination that works to get the scene to fire.

I have the Mimolite plugin installed and have tried triggers for when “pulses are greater than 4” and scenes for “when power is less than 1 watt” etc.

What triggers work best when powering the Mimolite from the doorbell? (i.e. it won’t have power except when the bell rings)?

Thanks

This is what shows in my Vera logs – how can I use something like this as a trigger?

41 04/24/15 17:27:40.127 0x1 0xd 0x0 0x19 0x17 0x2 0x25 0x2 0x5 0x0 0x0 0x0 0x0 0x10 0xcc (#\r####%########) <0x2c186680> SOF - Start Of Frame ──┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──────┬──────┘ │ │ length = 13 ──────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Request ──────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ FUNC_ID_ZW_SEND_DATA2 ───────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Device 254=Door Bell Sensor ────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Data length = 2 ────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ COMMAND_CLASS_SWITCH_BINARY ─────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ SWITCH_BINARY_GET ─────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ Xmit options = ACK | AUTO_ROUTE ─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ Routing data ignored ──────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ Callback = 16 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ Checksum OK ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ 24 04/24/15 17:27:40.152 ZWaveSerial::Send m_iFrameID 108 type 0x0 command 0x19 sent ok waiting for 3 ulTime 147151 timeout 2:2000 bWaitingForAck 1 abort 0 <0x2c186680> 42 04/24/15 17:27:40.172 0x6 0x1 0x4 0x1 0x19 0x1 0xe2 (#######) <0x2c586680> ACK - Acknowledge ──┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ SOF - Start Of Frame ──────┘ │ │ │ │ │ length = 4 ──────────┘ │ │ │ │ Response ──────────────┘ │ │ │ FUNC_ID_ZW_SEND_DATA2 ───────────────────┘ │ │ TRANSMIT_COMPLETE_NO_ACK ───────────────────────┘ │ Checksum OK ────────────────────────────┘ 42 04/24/15 17:27:40.173 got expected ACK <0x2c586680> 24 04/24/15 17:27:40.174 ZWaveSerial::ReceiveData got frame type 0x1 command id 0x19 m_iFrameID 109 gwf_sd <0x2c586680>

42 04/24/15 17:27:47.246 0x1 0xc 0x0 0x4 0x0 0x17 0x6 0x31 0x5 0x2 0xa 0x0 0x39 0xe3 (#######1##\n#9#) <0x2c586680> SOF - Start Of Frame ──┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──┬───┘ │ length = 12 ──────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Request ──────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ FUNC_ID_APPLICATION_COMMAND_HANDLER ──────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Receive Status SINGLE ──────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Device 254=Door Bell Sensor ───────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Data length = 6 ───────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ COMMAND_CLASS_SENSOR_MULTILEVEL ────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ SENSOR_MULTILEVEL_REPORT ────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ Sensor Type = General purpose value ────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ Level = Size=2 | Scale=1 | Precision=0 ─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ sensorValue = 57 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ Checksum OK ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ 24 04/24/15 17:27:47.247 ZWaveSerial::ReceiveData got frame type 0x0 command id 0x4 m_iFrameID 112 gwf_ach <0x2

tomtcom · April 24, 2015, 9:54pm

[quote=“kiethr, post:3, topic:181328”]Aeon labs is developing a doorbell and a speaker for the doorbell that doubles as a siren.

Sent from my iPhone[/quote]

I saw that. I read that not every GEN5 requires a zwave+ device like Vera Edge. However, the compatible home controllers doesn’t list Vera at all. Any insight on that?

JS007 · May 5, 2015, 1:15am

[quote=“kiethr, post:3, topic:181328”]Aeon labs is developing a doorbell and a speaker for the doorbell that doubles as a siren.

Sent from my iPhone[/quote]

looks like they are selling soon (June 30th)

BOFH · May 5, 2015, 3:14am

I’m so hoping this thing will work on a Vera 3. If so, I’m not fixing my existing doorbell system (dead transformer at least) but replacing it with this. Thanks for the heads up…

zolakk · May 5, 2015, 5:27pm

I’ll have to keep my eye on this. I tried the whole wiring it up as a zone on my DSC thing but the problem was that the time between opening and closing the zone during a doorbell push is so small that it wasn’t registering as an event

Vodden · May 14, 2015, 3:10pm

I went the Dakota Alert route. I bought it initially as a wireless driveway sensor, but then added the doorbells. I purchased the universal transmitters and wired the existing doorbells to the terminals inside. The DA receiver has relay outputs that can be programmed to trip for different times, so I wired these to the zones in my alarm panel and set them for 10 seconds. I now get an alert on my phone as soon as it they are pushed.

mikee123 · May 14, 2015, 3:19pm

I bought a Nexa doorbell to replace mine. Its wireless and the Rfxtrx picks it up, and I have a device in Vera where I can ring the doorbell on 2 different ringtones (I could have more). Very nice to annoy the other half… ;D I can also trigger events when the doorbell rings, I use that to have my tablets tell my wife to open the door… I did try going down the route of using a dry contact but couldn’t get it to work. The Nexa was a cheap, easy to install alternative. And its wireless. Worth looking into if they sell it in your country (I am in the UK and it was about ?22)