Protecting Outside Items with IOT

eusap

I was thinking of using some type of contact sensor to protect/notify about Outside Items moving e.g. Gas Bottle, Oil Cap, Trailer (if it moved turn on light, send notification)

Has anyone used IOT for this type of project?

bk

Samsungs SmartThings Multipurpose sensor has an accelerometer built in, so I think it can notify you if it is moved *

* I have one myself, but I use them as basic open/close sensors, so I haven't tried it, so you should double check.

Of course you could also use IP cameras overlooking the yard, etc. to record and notify you of movement.

eusap

I have an IP camera system installed, which is on constant record. So at weekend if we are away it would be Sunday/Monday before you notice something is missing from the yard from Friday etc....

It is more a convenience thing, and I like making the home SMART!

bk

eusap wrote: »

I have an IP camera system installed, which is on constant record. So at weekend if we are away it would be Sunday/Monday before you notice something is missing from the yard from Friday etc....

It is more a convenience thing, and I like making the home SMART!

Well you can get cameras that will notify you as soon as they detect motion. So if you would know on the Friday and could view the video remotely.

Only issue is that some cameras can be a little too over aggressive with those notifications. Wind, moving trees might trigger them. More advanced models have specific person detection and only notify you then.

snowstreams

It would be good to have both camera motion detection and accelerometer detection.
So when both trigger you would get a reliable alert.

I am looking at something like that for my oil tank and garage.

lardarse

For oil tanks, you can get some monitors and apps that can notify you have a sudden drop in oil level, (oilpal) Don`t know how good it is, but looking for something like that myself at the moment.

snowstreams

lardarse wrote: »

For oil tanks, you can get some monitors and apps that can notify you have a sudden drop in oil level, (oilpal) Don`t know how good it is, but looking for something like that myself at the moment.

This seems like it would be ideal:

Amazon.com Smart Oil Gauge

Alexa integration with alerts etc

Rew

Are any of the smart contact sensors water/weather proof?

bk

Rew wrote: »

Are any of the smart contact sensors water/weather proof?

Good point, I don't think the SmartThings one is. Though you could cover it, but no guarantees.

wexfordman2

lardarse wrote: »

For oil tanks, you can get some monitors and apps that can notify you have a sudden drop in oil level, (oilpal) Don`t know how good it is, but looking for something like that myself at the moment.

Have the oilpal, just got it last week. It works,but to be honest, it's very limited. For usage graohs and stuff will be usefully, but my primary use case was tonise it as an alert for sudden drop in level (leak or theft). What baffles me, is it does.send.you a notification in case of a sudden drop...by email....

Complete waste of time being emailed to let you know your oil is spilling all over your garden, or someone is theiving it.

And, I am assuming it emails you when it is happening cos there is no way to test it.

bk

wexfordman2, there are a couple of ways to turn an email into a push notification.

IFTTT is one option:
https://ifttt.com/applets/170034p-get-a-push-notification-when-you-receive-an-email-from-someone-important

Another if you use iPhone is to set up the email address as a VIP email address and use push notifications from an Apple mail account. I do this for my security alarm system and it sounds like WWW3 has started when I receive one of those emails

wexfordman2

bk wrote: »

wexfordman2, there are a couple of ways to turn an email into a push notification.

IFTTT is one option:
https://ifttt.com/applets/170034p-get-a-push-notification-when-you-receive-an-email-from-someone-important

Another if you use iPhone is to set up the email address as a VIP email address and use push notifications from an Apple mail account. I do this for my security alarm system and it sounds like WWW3 has started when I receive one of those emails

Oh, I know there are options, but not ideal. Email is not an instant service, there may be a delay and also, i dint know how imediate the emails are sent .

Looking at the monitoring if my tank, I know for example it inky graphs per day, so the instant alert may not be so instant.

I'm just saying, oilpal is a poor imolementation imho.

paulbok

bk wrote: »

Good point, I don't think the SmartThings one is. Though you could cover it, but no guarantees.

The cold will be a problem for most sensors even if you put a waterproof cover over them. I used the Smartthings presence sensor in the car when I set them up first, but battery died within a few months. Read up on it and it was down to temp fluctuations that caused it to drain quickly.
Would like a few outdoor contact sensors for the shed and gates but haven't come across any outdoor rated ones yet.
Have Ring cams but am finding them really unreliable for notifications and false alarms, lights off passing traffic sets them off.

bk

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Oh, I know there are options, but not ideal. Email is not an instant service, there may be a delay and also, i dint know how imediate the emails are sent .

Yep, though there are no guarantees with SMS or notifications either, they are all best effort services. I find if you set up an Apple Mail account just for this use, that it is very fast and reliable, pretty much as good as notifications.

Obviously other mail services may vary (for instance Gmail doesn't support push email!!). But this trick is a handy one to know, it works very well for my Yale alarm system, which all sends notifications, but the incoming VIP email is WAY louder and attention drawing.

paulbok wrote: »

The cold will be a problem for most sensors even if you put a waterproof cover over them. I used the Smartthings presence sensor in the car when I set them up first, but battery died within a few months. Read up on it and it was down to temp fluctuations that caused it to drain quickly.

Yep, cold definitely hits batteries in general. But it doesn't really get that cold in Ireland. I know not ideal, but even if you have to change batteries every 6 months, not too bad.

Though I've found some of the batteries to die even that quickly with SmartThings indoors, with very little swings in temp. I think it can be just a general issue with SmartThings sensors.

paulbok wrote: »

Have Ring cams but am finding them really unreliable for notifications and false alarms, lights off passing traffic sets them off.

Same with the Yi cameras outdoors. I'm guessing you really need person detection for outdoor cameras to reduce this.

eusap

I have tried the last two days with motion detection on the cams, and its not great outdoors even with sensitivity turned down it activates with clouds moving, spiders building webs (created 200 mails).

I might try a smartthings sensor outdoors and put it under the gas bottle etc,.... and see how long it lasts.


I don't have smartthings already, I guess I need a hub for it to work?

bk

eusap wrote: »

I have tried the last two days with motion detection on the cams, and its not great outdoors even with sensitivity turned down it activates with clouds moving, spiders building webs (created 200 mails).

I might try a smartthings sensor outdoors and put it under the gas bottle etc,.... and see how long it lasts.

I don't have smartthings already, I guess I need a hub for it to work?

Yep, I'm afraid so, you need the smartthings hub.

Outdoor sensors and devices seems to be a largely underdeveloped and immature area of home automation.