Driveway Sensor

[pete_c]

In the 80's-90's used a photo relay on my then new detached garage and driveway.  It worked OK except when it was much lightning.  
 
 
Ran electric, water, cable TV and gas to the new garage along with low voltage wiring in the 1980's.  Wife worked for Honeywell doing commerical industrial automation at the time and she gave me an commercial underground wiring cluster which I ran from the house to the garage (~ 75 to 100 feet?).  Also purchased an old firehouse bell at the time and put it on the side of the garage.  It was very loud at the time.  I really liked the way it looked.  It did only trigger once in about 30 years and you could hear it from a long distance.
 
Installed a combo security automation panel around 1988.
It just worked with X10 and it did have TTS at the time.  
 
 
I put two Cartel sensors under the new driveway in the 2000's.  (ofset them a bit).
 
BTW and unrelated to OP here using Windows 2016 standard server to manage all windows automation stuff via RDP and noticed that any type of updates are manual and it is much lighter than Windows 10.

 

[olie]

So after buying I/O module (UMI-32) It says "not for outdoor use". I had planned on enclosing it in a junction box on hydro pole. But if it won't withstand that my next best option is to buy a probe with at least 150ft of wire to run to the shop and have the module plugged inside there. I know UPB gets good signal there as I have couple switches.
Anyone have any recommendations for probe with 150ft??

 

[olie]

 NO. You will connect the relay terminal of the driveway sensor to the UMI-32 's I/O INPUT PORT 2 (contact closure) then use the OPII to detect the state of the driveway sensor's relay terminal - if vehicle is sensed, driveway sensor closes the relay which in turn is sensed by the UMI-32 as a closed circuit from with an automation rule would then turn on lights, etc....
 
Something like WHEN Driveway Sensor UPB Link ON, THEN EMAIL MESSAGE ....., THEN house lights on...

Ok so when I add the zone in Upstart (zone 236) I then add that zone and call it driveway sensor in PC Access under (zone 236) hook up red and black wires from driveway probe to Input Port 2 (8 and 9) and then made program line :
WHEN driveway sensor ON 
THEN email message #1
 
Drove past it a couple times, nothing.. something Im missing??

 

[olie]

because this probe I bought only has 2 wires.... am I not able to use it then?

 

[olie]

Do I need to add a power source to it? Im not sure what Im missing here. Just have the probe hooked up directly to the I/O module but its not doing anything. I hooked up just a regular closed loop magnetic relay I had lying around hooked that up in place of the probe and its doing everything its supposed to. Again I'm sure I'm missing something simple, but can't seem to figure it out. Any help is appreciated. Oh btw its a Dakota Alert P-250 probe with 2 wires, not sure if that helps?
 
Thanks

 

[olie]

@Pete_c @startrekdoors
 

Do I need to add a power source to it? Im not sure what Im missing here. Just have the probe hooked up directly to the I/O module but its not doing anything. I hooked up just a regular closed loop magnetic relay I had lying around hooked that up in place of the probe and its doing everything its supposed to. Again I'm sure I'm missing something simple, but can't seem to figure it out. Any help is appreciated. Oh btw its a Dakota Alert P-250 probe with 2 wires, not sure if that helps?
 
Thanks

 

[StarTrekDoors]

I suggest trying a simple test.  Disconnect your driveway sensor and connect two short wires to the same I/O module terminals.  While observing the zone in PC Access, look to see if shorting the wires shows the zone switching states.
 
In PC Access, that is on the Status/Control tab (tab only appears when connected to OP)
 
If yes, then you have OP configured properly so verify installation of your driveway probe. 
If no, check your config again and be sure that the UMI-32 is configured properly to use that zone.

If still having issues, then the receiver box relay that your probe is connected to may not be working. It is necessary to close the circuit or open the circuit to change states.
If you are using the probe without a relay box, it won't work because the probe itself is 800 ohms and simply generates a small voltage when metal passes it. This is not the same as "contact closure" which is shorting of the terminals. If you do have the probe's receive box as recommended by the manufacturer, then check that it's output relay is going from infinity to zero ohms.

 

[olie]

I ended up buying new driveway sensor with relay on it. Then hooked that up to i/o module. Had up n running in no time. Way simpler just unfortunately quite pricey.

 

[pete_c]

Good news @olie that you are all configured now.  

 

[JimS]

Mighty Mule makes an exit sensor for their gate openers that is cheaper than others AFAIK.  Provides a relay output so can be used with other automation.  Similar to Cartel and other sensors mentioned.
 
https://www.mightymule.com/wp-content/uploads/FM138-Mighty-Mule-Wired-Exit-Sensor.pdf