Outdoor Gate Wireless Security Contact

cruggiero

Member
I have metal fence going around the back yard of my property which has 3 gates. I'm looking for some simple wireless solution to know if they are open or closed.

I was thinking of using a wireless window or door contact to see if that would work, but not sure if there are any I could get that would hold up to the elements. Anyone have a better solution. I have an OmniII Setup and have the wireless hai64 receiver, but don't currently have it installed.

Any help would be appreciated?
 
I have metal fence going around the back yard of my property which has 3 gates. I'm looking for some simple wireless solution to know if they are open or closed.

I was thinking of using a wireless window or door contact to see if that would work, but not sure if there are any I could get that would hold up to the elements. Anyone have a better solution. I have an OmniII Setup and have the wireless hai64 receiver, but don't currently have it installed.

Any help would be appreciated?
You'll need something heavier like these:
http://www.smarthome.com/7455/Garage-Door-...-SM-226L/p.aspx

I tried using a security system contact and the wind would set it off when the gate moved.
 
Rupp - I think it depends on the design and structure of the gate itself. While I can definitely see situations where wind might move a gate quite a lot, with careful sensor placement combined with the use or rare earth magnets, hopefully a normal wireless sensor would work.

It probably means the sensor needs to be place near the latch mechanism. This provides a firm anchor point for the gate - one that hopefully doesn't allow it to move more than 1/2-1" or more without someone physically opening the gate. Using rare earth magnets would allow for a greater gap between the sensor and the magnet before opening the contact.

EDIT - Actually since Gopsu specifically mentioned a metal fence, I suspect the gate portion may sit too far from the fence to provide a contact like that. In other words, I suspect the gate and fence probably sit 1-2" apart from each other. In that case, I think you could put the sensor in the fence portion right where the gate latch would close around the metal fence pipe. Then place the magnet in the gate latch itself rather than on the gate. So when the latch is closed around the metal fence pipe, it would close the sensor contact. Raise the gate latch, and it would break the contact - whether the gate was actually opened or not. That is probably better anyway. Then you know if the latch is closed or not.

Gopsu - since you already own a wireless receiver for the system, I think getting a wireless contact that works with that system is going to be the cheapest solution. There are other solutions (like using some x10 wireless contacts like the ds10a and a WRG800 wireless receiver), but you generally would have to buy some sort of wireless receiver for any system to work. Since you already own one, it makes sense to use it instead of reinventing the wheel. Just my 2 cents.
 
I use a DS10A on my outdoor gate and have the unit itself in a plastic box I got from Fry's. Just drilled a hole in the bottom, ran the cable out of it, and put some goop over it for sealing.

Been monitoring my outdoor gate for over seven years (never replaced the batteries).

Of course, the drawback is you have to use a W800 receiver like Brian stated above.
 
..........
Gopsu - since you already own a wireless receiver for the system, I think getting a wireless contact that works with that system is going to be the cheapest solution. There are other solutions (like using some x10 wireless contacts like the ds10a and a WRG800 wireless receiver), but you generally would have to buy some sort of wireless receiver for any system to work. Since you already own one, it makes sense to use it instead of reinventing the wheel. Just my 2 cents.
I agree. Just put the sensor in a plastic junction box to protect it from the elements. Then wire a remote contact, such as an "overhead garage door contact". I am not familiar with the HAI line, but GE and Honeywell wireless contacts have a built-in option to remote-wire a contact to the sensor. I expect the HAI contacts would have a similar feature.
 
Back
Top