Why does my Arlec Grid Connect contact sensor always have a status of closed?

[Scullymj]

2 sensors added succesfully but both show closed when sensor is away from module.

[Akanksha]

Hello @Scullymj,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We're delighted to have you join us and we hope you find this site a great resource for useful D.I.Y. advice and inspiring ideas. 

Thanks for your question on your Arlec Grid Connect contact sensor. Our resident D.I.Y. expert @EricL will be happy to assist you when he's back on the site later today. Let me also tag @CSParnell to see if has any thoughts in the meantime.

Thanks

Akanksha

[CSParnell]

Hi @Scullymj which contact sensors do you have ?

Are they the Grid connect Bluetooth ones that require the Bluetooth hub or are they the Orion wifi ones that don't require the hub?

[Scullymj]

Grid connect and I guess I found the problem 😭.....

Hub....what hub....?

[CSParnell]

@Scullymj I am surprised you picked those sensors up they have been on the Quit S1 list for some time meaning they don't make them anymore.

But don't stress you have some options.

First let's check we are talking about the correct door sensor.

Do they look like this?

 

If so then they require a bluetooth hub like so.

 

Which used to tie into the Bluetooth mesh system for these devices.

 

Now you can either return the sensors as you will more than likely have a hard time finding that Bluetooth hub as it was phased out but you can check your store where you got the sensors from and you might be lucky.

If you return the sensors you can use the Orion Wifi sensors instead that don't require a hub.

The 3rd option is you can turn to Aliexpress and purchase either a straight Tuya bluetooth gateway or a Multi Tuya bluetooth/ Zigbee gateway and this will intergrate right into your Grid Connect software. The advantage if having a multi gateway is that Zigbee creates its own mesh which doesn't cause pressure on your wifi system.

Now zigbee devices are not available for Grid Connect in Australia but there are plenty of Tuya compatible zigbee devices available through Aliexpress just be aware that any mains voltage devices are NOT compliant to Australian Standards so battery /usb only.

 

 

You also have option for Mirabella Genio devices and Brilliant devices to use on the Grid Connect system.

I hope that helps and gives you some options, I'd love to say yes you can just duck down to Bunnings and purchase all you need to solve your issue but Arlec has not done themselves any favours with making the bluetooth mesh network redundant and not replacing it with the Zigbee network when it is available within the Tuya network.

[Scullymj]

Thanks for the detailed information 👍👍

I have a zigbee USB adaptor for home assistant

Regards

Michael 

[EricL]

Hi @Scullymj

It's great that you received a comprehensive recommendation from @CSParnell. Using the Orion Grid Connect Smart Security Contact Sensor is much better as you only need wifi to link it up. Please let me know if you need a hand with the return and exchange of products. 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[CSParnell]

@Scullymj if you already have a Zigbee Mesh and running home assistant you are miles ahead and can be using any of the Zigbee contacts or simply intergrate a bluetooth mesh into your network as well. Have a look at your local Bunnings you might find one of the Arlec ones there.

[CSParnell]

Hey @EricL not always sorry buddy and you know I'm Pro Bunnings but this is poor product release but Arlec.

The reason why choosing Wifi devices over Bluetooth or Zigbee or Z Wave is not always best is that you are continually adding devices to your Wifi network and depending on your modem or Mesh you will eventually hit maximum and things slow right down and become problematic.

A standard modem will only take so many devices before you have to then invest in a wifi mesh to cope with the pressure on the network.

With Zigbee, Bluetooth mesh networks they create their own network and devices communicate under that network then talk to the Wifi via the hub via a central connection and will elevate congesting the wifi network.

Zigbee will also extend its own network through its active devices so you don't need additional hubs as long as the devices are on.

[EricL]

Hi @CSParnell

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on automation. It's good to know that even your wifi can be overloaded if too many devices are connected to it.  

Eric