Pressure sensor to place under couch to keep dogs off?

Community Playground General Discussions
1

I have a stubborn dog that likes to get on the couch when I’m away. The second I leave, I watch the little bastard get on my couch, and the second I’m home, he’s off! If it weren’t for the cameras, and the evidence left from him on the couch, I would never know he was guilty. As such, I was looking into somehow creating a scene that enables my Z-wave siren anytime he gets on the couch. Are there some sort of battery operated Z-wave pressure or weight sensors that I could place under the couch cushions?

Thanks!

2

I don’t believe there is z-wave pressure sensor. Unless you can find a wired one non-zwave one that you can hook up to eg a z-wave door/window sensor.

Since I am outnumbered by my K9’s I am just happy they let me on our couch.

A non z-wave solution may be http://www.amazon.com/EasyAlarms-Pressure-Burglar-Security-System/dp/B001QC98RC

To the ‘little bastard’: Every time dad goes and sits on your couch, nip him in the toes. ;D

3

You can always get a cheap pressure mat similar to this http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/3508-Switch-Floor-Mat-14-Inches-x-30-Inches.aspx That mat is pretty large but it has a 60lb weight trigger limit on it so read the details of one before you buy. It will trigger a Z-Wave sensor. This way you can create scenes and get notifications and video if you have a camera.
You can use this for the Z-Wave sensor as it has a hard wired input on it. Ecolink Door / Window Sensor (DWZWAVE2-ECO) - 007 Systems

4

I guess I don’t follow. How would I be able to use a door sensor as a pressure sensor?

5

I guess I don’t follow. How would I be able to use a door sensor as a pressure sensor?[/quote]
You can’t. But you can buy an inexpensive pressure sensor and connect it to the Z-Wave door sensor.

6

This can be done many ways. The Zwave probably isn’t the best way. I always try to find a way to do things with items I already have around the house. I would use a momentary N.O. toggle switch (this is a spring loaded), mount it on a board that you could tie a string on the toggle and have another board on the other side of the sofa that the string is tied to. The string should be tight so when the dog lays down it will pull the toggle on the switch to make it’s internal contact. The normally open switch would be in series with your siren. It might help if you can extend the length of the toggle of the switch so you have more leverage from the string. The pressure sensor might work as well, but if your dog isn’t heavy or sits on the other side of the sofa it won’t work. A zwave option would be to use a camera with a shield around it, something like an empty TP roll, to target it. Once it see motion it sends a trigger to a zwave outlet that energizes a siren. If your siren is another voltage other than 120v than have the zwave outlet operate a relay or transformer.

I hope this can help you think outside the box.

7

The Fibaro multi sensor includes a “earthquake sensor” (ie. : it detects small vibrations) perhaps you could put one or two under your couch-cushions?

8

I have a couple Fibaro multi-sensors and when paired and configured in Vera (a Vera Edge with the latest firmware), only 3 sensors show up - Motion, Lux, and Temp. Have you (or anyone) gotten the earthquake sensor to show up as an available sensor?

9

I think some training would likely do the job. Put a speaker near the couch and leave with the microphone. As soon as he starts to go onto the couch tell him to get off. Make sure it is nice and loud. A few times an the dog will start to believe you are omnipresent.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

10

I guess I don’t follow. How would I be able to use a door sensor as a pressure sensor?[/quote]
You can’t. But you can buy an inexpensive pressure sensor and connect it to the Z-Wave door sensor.[/quote]

More elaboration? I don’t follow how you could connect a pressure sensor to the door sensor. Pressure will be momentary or similar vs door sensor is magnetic.

11

I guess I don’t follow. How would I be able to use a door sensor as a pressure sensor?[/quote]
You can’t. But you can buy an inexpensive pressure sensor and connect it to the Z-Wave door sensor.[/quote]

More elaboration? I don’t follow how you could connect a pressure sensor to the door sensor. Pressure will be momentary or similar vs door sensor is magnetic.[/quote]

Alot of z-wave door sensors have a 2 wire input to allow for external connection of say another contact or anything really that opens and closes the circuit.

So basically you take the 2 wires coming from the pressure sensor, and hook them to the 2 wire input of the z-wave sensor.

When the pressure sensor is tripped it opens or closes the circuit (depending on the pressure sensor) it then sends that signal to the z-wave device that will change from tripped to untripped or vise versa in vera via z-wave.

More then likely in vera you will see a door icon and it will show open until the dog lays on the sensor, which it will then changed to closed door. You can use this in a scene or what ever to complete you task.

12

I actually just built a similar solution using a pad alarm from http://www.padalarm.com/index.htm.

These are the components I bought:

PADS Bed Pad-11
AC/DC Adaptor ACDC-1
8’ Nurse Call Cable Only

I also got an Ecolink Z-Wave Door/Window Sensor (DWZWAVE2-ECO) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HPIYJWU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1Yfovb10SJE17

I spliced the nurse call cable and connected the leads to the two terminals inside the door sensor. The response is inverted so triggering the pad is the same as opening the door whereas relieving pressure from the pad is the same as door closed. Not a problem as you can use a Scene or PLEG to check for armed and closed.

I use it in conjunction with motion sensors to determine if a person has exited the bed and is walking around.

You can mute the alarm too.

Hope this helps,
Howie

13

[quote=“aviddv1, post:12, topic:187000”]I actually just built a similar solution using a pad alarm from http://www.padalarm.com/index.htm.

These are the components I bought:

PADS Bed Pad-11
AC/DC Adaptor ACDC-1
8’ Nurse Call Cable Only

I also got an Ecolink Z-Wave Door/Window Sensor (DWZWAVE2-ECO) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HPIYJWU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1Yfovb10SJE17

I spliced the nurse call cable and connected the leads to the two terminals inside the door sensor. The response is inverted so triggering the pad is the same as opening the door whereas relieving pressure from the pad is the same as door closed. Not a problem as you can use a Scene or PLEG to check for armed and closed.

I use it in conjunction with motion sensors to determine if a person has exited the bed and is walking around.

You can mute the alarm too.

Hope this helps,
Howie[/quote]

Great info, I didn’t find a bed pad 11 tho. Maybe I missed it or is it the Bed pad 14? 12.00 for a 12x30"?

And is this used for only one side of the bed? Can this tell if both of us are the bed or do I need two? Is the 30 inch running the length of the bed or the with?
I’m thinking about using this to run a scene if both of us are in the bed. You know some smooth jazz… AHAHA j/k nightly lockup and shut off lights.

EDIT: looking closer this doesn’t appear to be what I want. I wanted under the mattress to be out of the way. Looks like I need the “4” x 30" Under Mattress Pad (SUMP-1)" ;D

14

you’re right, @integlikewhoa, they don’t call it 11 on their site. That was taken from my invoice. On the site it looks like it’s called 1 (http://www.padalarm.com/sets_SUA-1.htm). It is only an under-sheet model, not mattress. The SUMP-1 is probably the one you want. It’s not that long so for a queen or larger you’d need two and a little PLEG work. I like the idea of using these to trigger some mood music. Maybe a little PIR and temp sensor to really set the mood. Good luck.