Wireless outdoor door sensor

[Kevin L]

Hi, All.

I have the Elk M1G with the M1XRF2G. They both have the latest f/w. I have two aluminum screen doors on my pool cage that I have been monitoring with NX-453 slimline sensors. They work great, but unfortunately, do not last outdoors, especially with the daily summer rains in SW Florida. I've replaced them twice already, and don't want to keep doing that. My wife misses the voice announcements that the Pool Cage Door Is Open. Does anyone know of any sensors that can attach to these doors, will last outdoors, and work with the M1XRF2G?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[jwilson56]

Since it is RF based... I would try and find a small plastic enclosure for it or the NX-650 and then seal that with some silicone rubber caulk to keep the moisture out. Just a suggestion.

 

[Kevin L]

Since it is RF based... I would try and find a small plastic enclosure for it or the NX-650 and then seal that with some silicone rubber caulk to keep the moisture out. Just a suggestion.

Thanks for the suggestion, John.

I did silicone seal the last NX-453s I installed, an it still corroded. If I mounted the transformer in another enclosure, will the magnet have enough strength to work? Any suggestions for an enclosure?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[jwilson56]

Since it is RF based... I would try and find a small plastic enclosure for it or the NX-650 and then seal that with some silicone rubber caulk to keep the moisture out. Just a suggestion.

Thanks for the suggestion, John.

I did silicone seal the last NX-453s I installed, an it still corroded. If I mounted the transformer in another enclosure, will the magnet have enough strength to work? Any suggestions for an enclosure?

Thanks,

Kevin

Well if you use the NX-650 you could use an external magnet/reed switch as it supports that. Then you could run the wire and locate it to a better location.

 

[Kevin L]

Well if you use the NX-650 you could use an external magnet/reed switch as it supports that. Then you could run the wire and locate it to a better location.

Hmm, that's a thought. I'll have to see where I could route it without looking too ugly. Thanks for the idea, John.

Kevin

 

[signal15]

Put a pack of silica gel in the housing to remove any moisture, then dip the housing in that Plastidip stuff that's used for coating the handles of tools. I did this with my RFID tags that are attached to my garbage cans, works fine so far. To replace the battery, you'll have to score around the seam with a razor and peel the stuff off.

 

[Kevin L]

Put a pack of silica gel in the housing to remove any moisture, then dip the housing in that Plastidip stuff that's used for coating the handles of tools. I did this with my RFID tags that are attached to my garbage cans, works fine so far. To replace the battery, you'll have to score around the seam with a razor and peel the stuff off.

On the latest set, I coated the entire circuit board with liquid electrical tape, but it didn't work reliably. That's a good idea with the Plastidip.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Steve]

At some point I'm going to need to do the same thing. Besides what you've done and the other suggestions so far that were on my mind, I've been thinking of these other options:

I don't know if this will work for you, or for me for that matter, but if I can get a wire out of the attic on the wall where the frame meets the house (door is probably 6' or less from house in both places) then you can run a wire along the top of the screen and drop it down by the door. This may not be the easiest way with the screen already together but if it were possible would be the cheapest and most reliable.

The other option I was thinking of trying was to use a NX-458. It would meet the hidden and weatherproof requirements but I'd be afraid the aluminum would block the signal. I don't know if it would block the entire signal or not and if the receiver would be close enough to still pick them up reliably.

But are you saying the 453 was fine except it was the circuit board itself that was corroding? If that's the case then certainly the plastidip or epoxy coating should prevent that. The only downside would be RF signal reduction, but nowhere as bad as being in the aluminum rail and I guess that fact that the battery would be coated to, so it would be throwaway and do again after the 3-5 year battery life.

 

[Dave X10]

If you can just mount a reed-switch on the pool cage... then run wire to the sensor.. the sensor can be anywhere. I've extended the switches on DS10A sensors for similar reasons. Finding a good place for [to hide] the sensor is the key. The space between an exterior door and storm door, inside in a kitchen cabinet, a garage, a storage shed, or a fake birdhouse.. are my best ideas.

 

[Kevin L]

At some point I'm going to need to do the same thing. Besides what you've done and the other suggestions so far that were on my mind, I've been thinking of these other options:

I don't know if this will work for you, or for me for that matter, but if I can get a wire out of the attic on the wall where the frame meets the house (door is probably 6' or less from house in both places) then you can run a wire along the top of the screen and drop it down by the door. This may not be the easiest way with the screen already together but if it were possible would be the cheapest and most reliable.

The other option I was thinking of trying was to use a NX-458. It would meet the hidden and weatherproof requirements but I'd be afraid the aluminum would block the signal. I don't know if it would block the entire signal or not and if the receiver would be close enough to still pick them up reliably.

But are you saying the 453 was fine except it was the circuit board itself that was corroding? If that's the case then certainly the plastidip or epoxy coating should prevent that. The only downside would be RF signal reduction, but nowhere as bad as being in the aluminum rail and I guess that fact that the battery would be coated to, so it would be throwaway and do again after the 3-5 year battery life.

Thanks, Steve. I just ordered two of the NX-458s. Let's see how they work. Inside the door frames should shelter them from the rain, which is the biggest problem. In SW Florida, except for this past week, we usually don't have to worry about freezing temps. I'll let you know how it works.

Kevin

 

[Kevin L]

If you can just mount a reed-switch on the pool cage... then run wire to the sensor.. the sensor can be anywhere. I've extended the switches on DS10A sensors for similar reasons. Finding a good place for [to hide] the sensor is the key. The space between an exterior door and storm door, inside in a kitchen cabinet, a garage, a storage shed, or a fake birdhouse.. are my best ideas.

The real problem, Dave, is there isn't a place in the pool cage to hide the box and or wires. Unfortunately, when I was building the house I didn't think about the pool cage doors and didn't run wires. I'm going to try Steve's suggestions with the NX-458. The NX-453s worked fine until they corroded from all the rain.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Steve]

Kevin,

Did you try the 458's embedded in the frame? Did they work?

 

[Kevin L]

Kevin,

Did you try the 458's embedded in the frame? Did they work?

Hi, Steve.

Believe it or not, they did work in the frame and door of one of the aluminum doors. On the other door I had reverse the position of the magnet and the transmitter. However, it rained the same day I installed them and the reversed one got flooded and stopped working. I opened it up, cleaned it out, and epoxied it in. Didn't stay working. The other one continues to work, but not 100% of the time.

I'll have to put in the waterproof boxes and the NX-650's with the remote magnet/reed switch. I just didn't want to go that route because there's no good place to mount it without looking ugly.

Kevin

 

[pete_c]

I'm looking at my pool cage door as I am typing. The door (here) is about 2 feet from the end of the home. The hollow frame of the door runs up to the top of the cage. At the top there is a cross beam going to the eave. (it appears to be all hollow).

Looking at the frame I "could" maybe pass a wire to the eave of the home where I could maybe install it under or inside of the eave protecting a bit from the weather.

 

[Kevin L]

I'm looking at my pool cage door as I am typing. The door (here) is about 2 feet from the end of the home. The hollow frame of the door runs up to the top of the cage. At the top there is a cross beam going to the eave. (it appears to be all hollow).

Looking at the frame I "could" maybe pass a wire to the eave of the home where I could maybe install it under or inside of the eave protecting a bit from the weather.

Thanks, Pete. That's what I'm thinking. When I get it done, I'll post some pictures.

Kevin