I’m starting to get a good way through my automation stuff I’m working on and I want to do something that I’m sure someone else has done (and has a script for), but I couldn’t find it on the boards with some searching.
I have a door/window sensor that works out in my mailbox. What I want to do is get a notification triggered when the box is opened. However I’d like to set it up so that it only happens during certain hours and so that the scene created by the sensor can only be triggered once a day.
[quote=“mjbok, post:1, topic:185724”]I’m starting to get a good way through my automation stuff I’m working on and I want to do something that I’m sure someone else has done (and has a script for), but I couldn’t find it on the boards with some searching.
I have a door/window sensor that works out in my mailbox. What I want to do is get a notification triggered when the box is opened. However I’d like to set it up so that it only happens during certain hours and so that the scene created by the sensor can only be triggered once a day.
Any ideas?[/quote]
I have a mailbox sensor set up exactly this way. The door/window sensor trips when the mailbox lid is opened. That is detected in Vera as on eof the functions in a PLEG. That event sends a notification to my phone via SMS and severl devices via PushOver (using Vera Alerts.) It also sends a notification to the ImperiHome tablet in the kitchen using TTS to say we may have snail mail. The PLEG also sets a Virtual Switch that prevents this cycle from occurring again. Every day at Noon it resets the switch so that the process will start over on the next mail delivery.
[quote=“clippermiami, post:3, topic:185724”][quote=“mjbok, post:1, topic:185724”]I’m starting to get a good way through my automation stuff I’m working on and I want to do something that I’m sure someone else has done (and has a script for), but I couldn’t find it on the boards with some searching.
I have a door/window sensor that works out in my mailbox. What I want to do is get a notification triggered when the box is opened. However I’d like to set it up so that it only happens during certain hours and so that the scene created by the sensor can only be triggered once a day.
Any ideas?[/quote]
I have a mailbox sensor set up exactly this way. The door/window sensor trips when the mailbox lid is opened. That is detected in Vera as on eof the functions in a PLEG. That event sends a notification to my phone via SMS and severl devices via PushOver (using Vera Alerts.) It also sends a notification to the ImperiHome tablet in the kitchen using TTS to say we may have snail mail. The PLEG also sets a Virtual Switch that prevents this cycle from occurring again. Every day at Noon it resets the switch so that the process will start over on the next mail delivery.[/quote]
I really want to do this… but my mailbox is down the street. I have an outdoor appliance module for my landscape lights that is pretty good line of sight to the mailbox, maybe 50-70 feet away. Think i’ll get reception?
[quote=“tomgru, post:4, topic:185724”][quote=“clippermiami, post:3, topic:185724”][quote=“mjbok, post:1, topic:185724”]I’m starting to get a good way through my automation stuff I’m working on and I want to do something that I’m sure someone else has done (and has a script for), but I couldn’t find it on the boards with some searching.
I have a door/window sensor that works out in my mailbox. What I want to do is get a notification triggered when the box is opened. However I’d like to set it up so that it only happens during certain hours and so that the scene created by the sensor can only be triggered once a day.
Any ideas?[/quote]
I have a mailbox sensor set up exactly this way. The door/window sensor trips when the mailbox lid is opened. That is detected in Vera as on eof the functions in a PLEG. That event sends a notification to my phone via SMS and severl devices via PushOver (using Vera Alerts.) It also sends a notification to the ImperiHome tablet in the kitchen using TTS to say we may have snail mail. The PLEG also sets a Virtual Switch that prevents this cycle from occurring again. Every day at Noon it resets the switch so that the process will start over on the next mail delivery.[/quote]
I really want to do this… but my mailbox is down the street. I have an outdoor appliance module for my landscape lights that is pretty good line of sight to the mailbox, maybe 50-70 feet away. Think i’ll get reception?[/quote]
Mine is on the street, about 50-60 feet from the Vera through a concrete block outside wall and two interior walls and it works fine. (YMMV, Some Assembly Required, Batteries Not Included)
Is it mounted in a metal mailbox or a plastic one? As I fear that may make a difference in connectivity. Also where on the door did you mount it as I have a spare door sensor that I may have just found a use for. As that sensor accepts a wired sensor I’m thinking about mounting it in the back to keep it out of the rain and mount the external sensor on the door. I can protect/fasten the wiring using automotive grade duct tape.
Exactly what I did. I used a EcoLink door sensor mounted in the plastic mailbox all the way at the back. I mounted a alarm reed switch up front and a magnet on the door.
Yeah, with the torrential rains we get in Fla, I don’t feel safe mounting the electronic to close to the door where they can get soaked if my mail person doesn’t close the door fully. I’ll velcro it in the back so I can easily pull it out for eg battery replacements. Also, since one of my cams actually looks at it (it’s covering my drive), I can then set a scene to snap a couple of pics when it opens. Just in case it’s not my mailperson doing so.
@tomgru: Yeah, I got in on the $72 Prime deal a few weeks back and have to stop myself as it’s now way to easy/tempting to order stuff and have it arrive within 2 days at no charge. I believe the ecolink, monoprice and Schlage/Nexia door sensor are actually the same product as teh specs are like 100% the same.
[quote=“clippermiami, post:17, topic:185724”][quote=“tomgru, post:15, topic:185724”]Ordered the schlage. be here by 2pm today - gotta love Amazon Prime!!!
I’ll likely try without any additional sensor attachment first to see how well it works. Hopefully the mailman doesn’t yank it out![/quote]
Our guy figured out out pretty quick… now when he has something to bring to the door he flips the mailbox lid when he arrives :-)[/quote]
So, in thinking through this as I await my Amazon delivery, I realize i’m looking for some slightly different logic than what others are doing… mostly easier.
While knowing that my mail was delivered by a notification of some type is nice… truth is that I get mail every day, almost always at the same time. So this doesn’t really help me. What I really want to know is if someone (e.g. my wife) has already picked up the mail as I drive by the mailbox on my way home from work, so I don’t have to stop.
So i’m thinking something that records the first time the sensor is tripped (mail delivered), then a condition that send an alert if when it’s tripped a second time (someone got mail). that way, if driving by I don’t have the second notification, I know that there is still mail waiting.
As that sensor accepts a wired sensor I’m thinking about mounting it in the back to keep it out of the rain and mount the external sensor on the door. I can protect/fasten the wiring using automotive grade duct tape.
