Motion Sensor in Garage?

@ckone0814 I have both a motion sensor and entry sensors in my unheated garage, and I am located in the greater Chicagoland area. Note, that by using SS sensors that way, it does void your warranty and they will tell you the official operating temperature.

I too have two garage doors, and both are protected by a Simplisafe entry sensor, mounted on hinges. The hinge is screwed into the white steel garage door (white hinge of course to make the Mrs happy that it matches) and the magnet, of course, is using a 3 picture hanging tape (16 pounds version) and naturally adheres to the metal garage door.  They have gone through a winter with no issues and connect fine.  For away, they are set to secret alert only, unfortunately, as we have to get into the garage to get into the kitchen for the keypad (don't want to use a keyfob or phone app and can't rely on adult kids to do the same) but for home mode they are armed and on instant alert. When it is armed in home mode we are in bed and not expecting anyone opening the garage doors.  

I have emailed SS to ask for software mod to support garage door sensors.  No word yet that they would do it.

For your install, I would try the motion and entry sensors, but test first extensively with them on "secret alert only". Good luck.


PS: To give credit where credit is due, the idea of the hinge is from a video I saw on youtube, where it was used with another unidentified system.

@ckone0814,

I assume I'd have to disarm before driving into garage?

Yes, if your alarm is on and you trigger the motion detector with your car it will set off the alarm.

Will cold temps (~25f) effect performance of the sensor?

Well the sensors are PIR (passive infrared) so it being super cold outside might make the sensor more susceptible to changes in heat that otherwise wouldn't set it off if it were 80 degrees outside. (I say might because I don't know this from personal experience but the internet seems to agree that very hot or cold weather will affect the sensors.)

Also at that temperature your batteries will die more quickly.

Would sensor on/@ door into house just be better overall and not worry about garage?

My personal opinion would be entry sensors on the exterior door to the garage (not the drive in doors) and the interior door. I don't know that you necessarily need additional sensors but the motion sensor would detect someone walking into the garage if say, you left the door up. You might want to angle them above the doors and down into the garage in this instance so they don't catch all the movement outside.

Just when I thought my homedepot white hinges were cool, I find this on Etsy.

Looks like a good solution, same principle as the hnige.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/881058837/garage-door-bracket-for-current?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=simplisafe+garage+door&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&bes=1

That is actually an elegantly simple and effective design. I really like it. It's also being offered for a very fair price for print AND the STL is available for sale as well. This is fantastic.

It also just occurred to me that this design would work like a champ on the front of a mailbox door also but then you have a this hanging off your mailbox in plain view and it's going to get damaged/stolen as a result. (You'd have to do a more enclosed print to make it more water resistant of course)

Edit: They're even including the fasteners for a fair price unlike a lot of other places!

Edit2: I am buying the STL. Thanks for sharing this!