What is the Single Coolest Thing You Do with HomeSeer?

[sdanks]

... I have tried nearly EVERY sensor out there. .

So I use an M1Gold alarm panel. On an older home, I just wired up the gates with an overhead garage door contact that was weather proof. Then I wired it into the Elk M1 alarm panel and told the alarm panel to ignore the input for security reasons but allow it to be watched by UltraM1 plugin. This worked flawlessly for me. Everything outside was in metal conduit and the sensor was sealed. Just a thought. I dont know if you use the Elk alarm panels or not, but they have an Elk M1-EZ8 that is the little brother to the "Gold" version and I have used both.

[racerfern]

outbackrob I agree the Aqara sesnors are great. I'm in downstate NY with extreme cold, heat and humidity. I'm also facing sea water so salt corrosion affects everything here. I have one attached to an outside gate not even sealed and it's on its third year without changing or replacing anything. I have the same sensors on a freezer door and on the refrigerator doors. They're indoors but it seems the batteries last forever.

Just my luck, now that I mention it they will probably all need new batteries soon enough.

[outbackrob]

What do you use and how connected to monitor the gates? I am also looking for a way to monitor my gates. Thanks!

Sorry for the delay! (This is entirely too long of an answer, but I have had far to much coffee this morning...) I have tried nearly EVERY sensor out there. Started with DS-10's in a sealed box with an attached outdoor reed sensor. (That was the longest and best solution, but I don't have a W800 anymore so I had to ditch the DS-10's.) Seriously, there isn't a Z-Wave door/window sensor out there that's available in the US of any variety that I haven't tried. NONE of them have lasted more than a few months. I live on the Texas Coast so the heat and the humidity are brutal on outdoor electronics. I even tried dipping them in Plasti-Dip and just toss them when the battery ran out, but the dip seemed to have blocked the signal or something and they were never very reliable. So then I figured WTH, I will try a different protocol. Zigbee. I found a thread here I think about the Aqara Door and Window Sensor. Folks were happy with them. I bought a few to try out. They are not rated for outdoor, but I caulk up the battery disconnect slot and that seems to be all that is needed. That and a decent Zigbee network. I am using the Nortek USB interface. It is located in the center of the house. My important gates are on either side of the house about 100 feet away. That required a few extra Zigbee devices to create a strong network. Used some higher rated smart plugs from Amazon. So far the Aqara have lasted about 6 months out of their 2year battery lifespan. They made it through a freeze and freezing rain in February. It's just now getting hot and rainy here so we will see how they do.

[avpman]

I helped someone with a Node-RED flow who simply used Door/Window Sensors to tell if their gates were open. The flow then closed the gates after it was open for a given amount of time, depending on what was used to open the gate. In their case the gates worked on a simple momentary push button type switch and they had automated them with a dry contact closure which was closed for a second.

I got the door sensor part. I was trying to find out what type of device they're connected to HS with.

[ksum]

What do you use and how connected to monitor the gates? I am also looking for a way to monitor my gates. Thanks!

I helped someone with a Node-RED flow who simply used Door/Window Sensors to tell if their gates were open. The flow then closed the gates after it was open for a given amount of time, depending on what was used to open the gate. In their case the gates worked on a simple momentary push button type switch and they had automated them with a dry contact closure which was closed for a second.

[avpman]

I think it's VERY cool! We do very similar here. There are a number of things I either must keep track of or hate keeping track of. Doors/Locks, gates, windows, batteries, ...and rodents. If a door is not closed and/or locked numbers 7 or 6 blink the color for the door. 5 is for gates. Before letting the dogs out I can check to be sure the gates are closed. 4 is for windows. Different color for different section of the house. 3 is for groups of device batteries when they report being low. 2 is open now but is slated for outdoor motion. 1 is for rodent traps. New neighbors brought several cats so the bottom light might free up soon! I agree that 7 green status lights are a bit bright! :-) I turn the OK status off when we turn in at night. I absolutely LOVE this addition to the switches/dimmers!

What do you use and how connected to monitor the gates? I am also looking for a way to monitor my gates. Thanks!

[rmasonjr]

I really like the disabling of the alarm via the schalge link keypad. makes life a bit easier.
Best Diagnostic Centre in Lucknow

Yep - the wife loves that she doesnt have to enter a code on the door, then enter another on the keypad - I just use the pinpad on the door lock and it disarms the alarm for her.

I really like the disabling of the alarm via the schalge link keypad. makes life a bit easier.
Best Diagnostic Centre in Lucknow

[outbackrob]

Not really cool, but very useful.... I use the HS-WD200+ dimmer switches to provide status for certain aspects of the home.....

I think it's VERY cool! We do very similar here. There are a number of things I either must keep track of or hate keeping track of. Doors/Locks, gates, windows, batteries, ...and rodents. If a door is not closed and/or locked numbers 7 or 6 blink the color for the door. 5 is for gates. Before letting the dogs out I can check to be sure the gates are closed. 4 is for windows. Different color for different section of the house. 3 is for groups of device batteries when they report being low. 2 is open now but is slated for outdoor motion. 1 is for rodent traps. New neighbors brought several cats so the bottom light might free up soon! I agree that 7 green status lights are a bit bright! :-) I turn the OK status off when we turn in at night. I absolutely LOVE this addition to the switches/dimmers!

[KBF100]

Not really cool, but very useful.... I use the HS-WD200+ dimmer switches to provide status for certain aspects of the home. Mainly for when I go to sleep. I can look over at the switch panel and determine if everything in the house is off, closed and secured.

During the day, the LEDs will be GREEN if status is OK, solid BLUE (if a certain light is ON), flash YELLOW (if a door is open or unlocked) or flash RED (if motion detected) for abnormal status of devices. Each indicator (up to seven) has a different meaning associated with one or more devices. During the evening, because the LEDs are bright when sleeping, I reduce/combine the status indicators to a single LED which is either GREEN, solid BLUE if light is ON, flash RED for motion, or flash YELLOW if doors or locks are not secured.

Nothing like waking up, nervous, to a noise in the middle of the night with the LED flashing RED, to find out the cat is up!

[spiceagent11]

HSTouch has been the 'coolest' hit in my house - I'm up to 4 tablets now: weather forecast, TV channel changing, basic lighting control, etc.

Before HSTouch, motion detection coupled with lighting control was big. https://vidmateapp.win | bluestacks 3 | hdmoviearea

[TeleFragger]

Jeff - maybe this would work? https://shop.homeseer.com/products/s...plugin-for-hs4

saw that...

Looking it over.. I can do all that plugin does now with just google. If I ever get to the point of wanting those color changing devices or voice announcements..then I see a need. I have a feeling I will, but later..
thx

[macromark]

Just got a washer and dryer ... LG WIFI... and they are in ThinQ app and it is pretty cool. Also Google Home has them.. so I can say.. hey Google, what is the status of the dryer and it will say... The dryer is running and has 15 minutes left.... need to see if I can integrate into HS...

Jeff - maybe this would work? https://shop.homeseer.com/products/s...plugin-for-hs4

[TeleFragger]

I have been lacking much interest in HA, since I have been just too busy... MMA 2-3x a week, taking my kid to MMA 2-3x a week, college 6 assignments a week, work, just swapped an 02 8.1L aka 496BBC into my 78 squarebody... still finishing swap... my son with his twin turbo tahoe 5.3L in an 04 nissan 350z was almost done and caught on fire.. bad but not totaled but $10k in and $3500 trashed...

anywho...

My stuff are not awesome.. corny.. hah.. but I gotta get back into this...

Just got a washer and dryer ... LG WIFI... and they are in ThinQ app and it is pretty cool. Also Google Home has them.. so I can say.. hey Google, what is the status of the dryer and it will say... The dryer is running and has 15 minutes left.... need to see if I can integrate into HS...


Corny - This year I added an Oregon TCH-138 to my pool cuz I wanted to know how hot it was! hah...

Next up...
I am missing devices in HS.... so need to get them going again
Just got everything in for my Brultech GreenEye so need to start setting that up....

then can tinker some and maybe get somewhere...

[outbackrob]

Halloween. Kids can choose Kid Friendly (or whatever we call it each year) or Scary. Just haven't figured out how to automate the candy, yet. 2020 was VERY different, but used HS3 to "decontaminate" each trick-or-treater, then, occasionally we found a contaminant causing a 2319!! HS3

Halloween 2020 Decontamination - YouTube
Halloween 2020 -2319 Test - YouTube
Halloween 2019 - YouTube
Halloween 2012 - Our Front Door - YouTube
Halloween 2011 - iPhone video - YouTube
Halloween 2010 - Our Front Door - YouTube