Securing a sliding patio door?

[mrshanes]

I've done some searching, but can't quite find exactly what I'm looking for. We will most likely have one sliding glass patio door in the house. What is the best type of sensor to use for this? I'm thinking a plunge type sensor, but I know these types of doors usually have a little play in them even when locked. I don't want the alarm triggering with that little amount of play. Are there any plunge type sensors that have adjustable plungers out there? Any suggestions would be great. Pics too if possible.
Thanks
Shane

 

[rfdesq]

Sounds like you're doing new construction. I use the basic press to fit round recessed switches with a rare earth magnet. The heavy duty magnet gives me plenty throw to avoid false alarms. I avoid the plunger types for the reasons you stated and you need a good surface on the sliding door for it to work properly.

 

[russban]

I would agree with rfdesq, the press to fit round contacts are best when combined with a rare earth magnet on a sliding glass door. If budget and aesthetics allow I would recommend a glass break detector in the area also.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

There are 'short gap' and 'large gap' designated magnetic sensors. In this case of course you would use the large gap ones as suggested above.

 

[signal15]

Like others have said, I just use a magnetic reed switch on mine with a rare earth magnet on the door side. I also have audible glass breaks since someone breaking into a door like that will most likely smash the glass instead of prying it open.

 

[Monk]

I've done some searching, but can't quite find exactly what I'm looking for. We will most likely have one sliding glass patio door in the house. What is the best type of sensor to use for this? I'm thinking a plunge type sensor, but I know these types of doors usually have a little play in them even when locked. I don't want the alarm triggering with that little amount of play. Are there any plunge type sensors that have adjustable plungers out there? Any suggestions would be great. Pics too if possible.
Thanks
Shane

Not sure why I mounted this so high but as small as it is, you don't really notice. I have another slider like this one where I put it way at the bottom. They are sort of "cheap" vinyl sliders - east to drill. Note the magnet mounting, I drilled a smallish hole and the magnet fit in maybe 3/4 of an inch - along with some hot glue worked out very well.





I will try to find the part # of the switch - unless someone is already familiar w/it?

 

[blmxm]

I've done some searching, but can't quite find exactly what I'm looking for. We will most likely have one sliding glass patio door in the house. What is the best type of sensor to use for this? I'm thinking a plunge type sensor, but I know these types of doors usually have a little play in them even when locked. I don't want the alarm triggering with that little amount of play. Are there any plunge type sensors that have adjustable plungers out there? Any suggestions would be great. Pics too if possible.
Thanks
Shane

I used this setup from GRI.
http://www.grisk.com/recessed/pdf/MC-25%20...el%20Series.pdf
The magnets fit in the top of the slider well, and are easily slid into the correct location for the reed switch. I have ten latches on 5 sliding door frames in our Florida room. For me it was a retrofit so I have them in three groups left, right, and center slider, and wired the reed switches in a series to a wireless transmitter using it's external contact setup. Three transmitters and the glassbreak were alot cheaper than trying to put wireless on each door.

 

[MrDan]

I've done some searching, but can't quite find exactly what I'm looking for. We will most likely have one sliding glass patio door in the house. What is the best type of sensor to use for this? I'm thinking a plunge type sensor, but I know these types of doors usually have a little play in them even when locked. I don't want the alarm triggering with that little amount of play. Are there any plunge type sensors that have adjustable plungers out there? Any suggestions would be great. Pics too if possible.
Thanks
Shane

I used this setup from GRI.
http://www.grisk.com/recessed/pdf/MC-25%20...el%20Series.pdf
The magnets fit in the top of the slider well, and are easily slid into the correct location for the reed switch. I have ten latches on 5 sliding door frames in our Florida room. For me it was a retrofit so I have them in three groups left, right, and center slider, and wired the reed switches in a series to a wireless transmitter using it's external contact setup. Three transmitters and the glassbreak were alot cheaper than trying to put wireless on each door.

also, if you feel you still want to use a plunger type, GRI does have one where a screw goes in the plunger and is used to set depth. (It is a little on the cheesy side though.)

 

[drvnbysound]

When I wired my home, it was the first time I had done so with a sliding glass door, and honestly really didnt look anywhere for advise so take my advise with a grain of salt

In any case, when pre-wiring, I noticed there was a gap of roughly 1/2"-3/4" between the top of frame of the door and the header (this gap was only visable on the inside, as the trim of the door overhung on the outside). I am not sure if this would also be the case with your installation or not, but given that space, I was able to drill a 3/8" hole through the top of the track. I was able to lay my wire into the space provided by the gap and also installed a flush mounted contact. After doing so, I had originally planned to place a surface mount magnet between the track and the door's frame, however at some point I shoved my fingers up there and noticed there was a hole already drilled into the top of the sliding door. I ended up pulling the sliding door off of the tracks to gain access to the top of the door. The hole was approx 5/16", which I drilled out to 3/8" as well, and installed the flush magnet as well. It has worked out well, and I havent had any issues with not getting a proper contact, etc.

Pictures to help illustrate....

My standard sliding glass door:

If its not obvious, the red arrow points to the flush mount contact, the blue arrow points to the OEM hole on the side of the door. As stated above, there was also a hole on the top of the door (identical to the one on the side). You can see a small part of the flush mount magnet through the hole on the side.

NOTE: If the magnet wasnt strong enough to complete the connection, there is approx 3/4" between the top of the door and the framing above, so I could have just as easily just have used a surface mount magnet placed on top of the door itself.

I am not 100% sure, but I think I may have used this switch/magnet combo, which allows for up to a 1-1/4" gap: https://www.security.honeywell.com/hsc/prod...o/re/19183.html

 

[judge_l]

Sorry, a little off topic, but hopefully useful---
Sliding doors are about the easiest for someone to force open. While it's about the most low tech way to secure anything, putting a stick/dowel rod in the track will keep someone from sliding it open. Some of the doors are designed to be removed from the track by simply by lifting them up (You can see this in the pic above with the red and blue arrows). To stop this, put a couple of drywall screws in the upper track, but let them protrude just enough so the door slides by but can't be lifted up-again low tech, but maybe just enough to keep someone from coming in (at least they'll have to break the glass to get through).

 

[Kevin L]

Like others have said, I just use a magnetic reed switch on mine with a rare earth magnet on the door side. I also have audible glass breaks since someone breaking into a door like that will most likely smash the glass instead of prying it open.

I also have the same magnetic switches the others have. I have twelve 8' tall panels in four different openings with the switches on both sides of the openings. I've been concerned about the breaking of the glass, too, and have motions in each of the rooms the doors are located. I don't have any experience with glass breaks, and don't know what sounds they respond. Since the panels are double-pane safety glass, they just break into hundreds of little pieces. Do glass breaks respond to this type of breakage, and do you think they're necessary if motions are in the rooms? I also have outside cameras covering the lanai area where three of the four openings are (the fourth is on the second floor, so I'm not that concerned about that one). When we're away for more than a day, I close all the hurricane shutters, so they are very secure. Of course, most break-ins happen during the day when residents are at work.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[drvnbysound]

Sorry, a little off topic, but hopefully useful---
Sliding doors are about the easiest for someone to force open. While it's about the most low tech way to secure anything, putting a stick/dowel rod in the track will keep someone from sliding it open. Some of the doors are designed to be removed from the track by simply by lifting them up (You can see this in the pic above with the red and blue arrows). To stop this, put a couple of drywall screws in the upper track, but let them protrude just enough so the door slides by but can't be lifted up-again low tech, but maybe just enough to keep someone from coming in (at least they'll have to break the glass to get through).

A couple of comments..

While I agree that they may be easy to force open (Ive never actually tried), if someone wants to get on the house through that door, they will either force it open or break the glass. In a perfect world, no one would break into my house or yours, but if it did happen (lets hope not), I'd prefer not to have 18+sq ft of glass in embedded in the carpet of my home.

My door, pictured above, is meant to come off the track as you describe, as I took it off the track when installing the magnet. However, to get the door off the track, I had to adjust the depth of the rollers on the bottom, else they would hit the track at the bottom of the frame. You have to have open access to the door, because to adjust them you have to access to both edges of the door (no to mention to lift the door). It wasnt easy to take the door off the track with open access to doing so, I dont think it would really be a viable option to do from the outside. Again - might as well just break the glass.

Also note, that in the case that someone did break the glass of my door, and enter w/o actually sliding the door open, I have a motion sensor in the corner of the same wall which has ~90-deg FOV - this avoided having a motion sensor aiming through a large glass surface. If the reed switch didnt trigger from the door opening, the motion is going to pickup anyone entering the instant they get through the door frame.

 

[mrshanes]

Thanks for all the tips and pix. This will be new construction and our blueprints call for a standard inswing patio door for our breakfast nook. However, in designing the kitchen, we ended up running the cabinets right up to the edge of the door. We were worried about how that would look. Plus, we didn't like the idea of an inswing door swinging into the area where our table and chairs would be. It sounds like my best bet might be to stick with the inswing door and simply move it down the wall a foot away from the cabinets. We will have to mull over that decision, but either way we go, I've got plenty of ideas now.

Thanks!

 

[Kevin L]

Thanks for all the tips and pix. This will be new construction and our blueprints call for a standard inswing patio door for our breakfast nook. However, in designing the kitchen, we ended up running the cabinets right up to the edge of the door. We were worried about how that would look. Plus, we didn't like the idea of an inswing door swinging into the area where our table and chairs would be. It sounds like my best bet might be to stick with the inswing door and simply move it down the wall a foot away from the cabinets. We will have to mull over that decision, but either way we go, I've got plenty of ideas now.

Thanks!

Why not have the door swing out? That's the way I have it in my home, and it's worked out well.

Kevin

 

[signal15]

Like others have said, I just use a magnetic reed switch on mine with a rare earth magnet on the door side. I also have audible glass breaks since someone breaking into a door like that will most likely smash the glass instead of prying it open.

I also have the same magnetic switches the others have. I have twelve 8' tall panels in four different openings with the switches on both sides of the openings. I've been concerned about the breaking of the glass, too, and have motions in each of the rooms the doors are located. I don't have any experience with glass breaks, and don't know what sounds they respond. Since the panels are double-pane safety glass, they just break into hundreds of little pieces. Do glass breaks respond to this type of breakage, and do you think they're necessary if motions are in the rooms? I also have outside cameras covering the lanai area where three of the four openings are (the fourth is on the second floor, so I'm not that concerned about that one). When we're away for more than a day, I close all the hurricane shutters, so they are very secure. Of course, most break-ins happen during the day when residents are at work.

Thanks,
Kevin

The ones I have listen for the thud of something hitting the glass followed by the higher frequencies of falling glass. A ziplock bag full of Legos tossed on the floor sets them off every time. This is one of my son's favorite things to do. Also, loud banging sounds will sometimes set them off. I was assembling a metal shelving system last night and pounded on it with a hammer, and that set it off.

I have mine on 24 hour zones. If someone breaks a window when I'm home, I want it to go off whether or not the alarm is armed.

Just another note on putting switches on sliding doors... Some have a fiberglass frame. Be careful drilling this as you can end up with a mess of a hole since the fiberglass doesn't like to drill very cleanly. When I did mine, the hole was bigger than the bit, and I had to use some epoxy putty to mount the sensor in there tightly.