Sensor for spa motor trigger

[wdeertz]

I need advice from the OP2 gurus on this sight as to an appropriate sensor to trigger an alarm when a 120v motor is turned on.  My scenario is I have a hot tub out back that local vandals are using in the middle of the night and I’d like to catch them in the act (it’s not simply their use of the hot tub but rather the property they are damaging in the process).  I  have plenty of video cameras but there are too many false positives to rely on the motion sensor to know when I need to investigate.  There are two 120v timers, one for the heater and one for the jets.  I’d like to wire into each of these circuits a wireless sensor that sends me a trigger when either circuit is activated.  I have a wireless receiver for my motion sensors but may need to install another to ensure it picks up the hot tub which is maybe 150 feet from the existing receiver.  Presumably the sensor would be on the downside of each circuit and would only activate when the timer is activated to turn on the respective pumps.
 
Any ideas?

 

[ano]

Just get a wireless sensor that has the option of adding an external alarm contact. Many allow this feature.  Then just hook a small 240V relay to the motor or heater and the contacts from the relay to the sensor. But personally I would get something like the wireless RING camera.  Yes there will be occasional false alarms but not many if you aim it correctly.

 

[wdeertz]

Ano, thanks for the suggestions.  I don’t think a ring camera would hold up to the rigors of the elements.  The hot tub is on the ocean and the salt would eat it up.  A sensor can be mounted inside of the equipment shed so it will have some protection from the elements.  I looked on home controls.com website but couldn’t find anything suitable.  I’m obviously looking in the wrong area.  Can you send me a link for what you suggested?  Thanks

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I believe Ano means to get something like this relay:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Functional-Devices-RIB2401B-Enclosed-Relay/dp/B000LEUJU6/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=120v+coil+relay&qid=1572522120&sr=8-6
 
and this sensor (Z-Wave example):
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5HB4U5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Put the white/black and white/yellow wires of the relay to the switched 120 VAC and the orange and yellow wires to the sensor.

 

[LarrylLix]

CAO Wireless Tags. Stick one to the cover and have it ITTT, Push notification, eMail or cell phone app notify you, when the cover get's lifted.
 
Tag and Tag manager about $50.
Range about 700'
Battery CR2032, most report every 8 to 15 months.
Will give you temperature to 0.001 degree resolution, RH humidity, battery voltage, some give Lux, and XYZ position, and cloud charting of all parameters.
Cloud KumoApps are javascript, and easily useful for REST stuffing of parameters into ISY994 HA boxes, or other REST capable HA systems.

 

[StarTrekDoors]

You might also consider using a SSR (Solid State Relay; N.C.) and Leviton Wireless Transmitter 46A00-1.  Connect SSR so that turning on power to the spa opens relay connected to zone 2 and perhaps heater connect to zone 3 terminals of 46A00-1. 
 
Alternatively and although not wireless, if you are using UPB, you could instead use the SSR connected to your power switches as above but for UPB use a Simply-Automated UMI-32 I/O.
 
The first solution assumes you have Leviton's wireless receiver or second solution you must use UPB.