"Warning - Entry Sensor Open"

It appears the problem was that the keypad was remembering open sensors even after they were no longer open. if I clear the warning on the keypad it does not do it, though it hasn't done it in a while.

Maybe the last firmware update got it..

Don't jinx it though it has been behaving lately... :)

Hi all,

An Entry Sensor will of course be marked as open when the two pieces – the main sensor, and the magnet – are separated. But if you're seeing a persistent open signal, even though your door or window is physically closed, there might be an issue with how the Entry Sensor is able to detect the magnet. You can head over to this Help Center article for tips on troubleshooting.

But the original poster does mention that they've previously experienced "Not Responding" issues. If the underlying cause for that issue has not yet been identified and resolved, it can also result in the persistent "open", since the Entry Sensor is not able to update its correct status. This Help Center article can help with troubleshooting sensor connectivity issues.

It is also my recollection that the system used to say which sensor was open like "Warning - Entry Sensor Open - Stairs" but this does not seem to be the case from todays test.

Hmm so for some it does, some it does not.

I don't recall my system (SS3) base station announcing which entry sensor is open when arming the system, I think it just says something to the effect of "warning, entry sensor open", and there will be a caution icon at top right of keypad display which DOES state which sensor is open.  In test mode, yes, the base announces the sensor names (i.e., "kitchen window" or whatever you named them during setup.  Do you have SS3?  If so, look at the keypad display, it will tell you which sensor(s) are open.  As you went through and open/closed windows or doors, it will clear itself when the sensor and magnet have made appropriate contact.

That said, there could be an issue with how close or too far apart some of your sensors/magnets could be. Ideally, they should be less than 1 inch apart, but everyone's mileage may vary.  When closing a door or window, look at the blue led light on the sensor, it blinks once when opening, twice for closing.  One thing that I'm often guilty of doing is closing a door or window faster than the sensor/battery can sense the connect, so it will think it's still open when in fact it's closed.  Closing a door or window slightly more slower seems to do the trick.  Also check batteries and make sure batteries are good, and seated correctly.  Lastly, perhaps move your base station slightly (inches to feet, however your interior is set up to allow it being moved toward those sensors).  If the problem persists, call SS for tech support, and to troubleshoot your base station/connection.

So naturally it worked fine last night.

Mine does in fact announce some of the sensors - For instance it says "Warning - Entry Sensor Open - Front Door" but only says
"Warning - Entry Sensor Open" for others such as the stairs.

This is very odd behavior to me, to announce some but not others...

Just a theory for this on my part, but by chance do you have a SS lock on your front door? The entry sensor for it is part of the integration to tell if the door is open that prevents the bolt from being extended so you don't damage your frame.

Hi Capt'n - No - no smart locks it is the same entry sensor as all the other doors...

KRStrick, I just tested this, and you're right - I left my front door ajar, armed the system, and the base indeed announced to the effect "armed.....warning, front door, entry sensor open".  (and of course, the icon was already on the keypad display before I armed, it cleared automatically when I closed the door).  But, I do not remember if other sensors have announced their names if one is open when I arm the system.

Don't know if it would help, but maybe go into Test Mode and test all the sensors that are problematic - if you opted for SMS text messages, you should get a text message "Test Signal Received. We have successfully received your SimpliSafe system test signal for (your address, date and time)".  And I guess, if you have actual time to drive yourself insane, test the sensors for real alarms (but if you have pets, please, place them in a room furthest from the alarm, and door closed).  Otherwise, just check the space between the sensors/magnets to be sure they're not too close or too far apart, and check battery seating.  Sorry, I can't explain why your sensors are doing this so sporadically and that some announce and some don't.

For sensors where it announces the name, did you pick a name from a list for the sensor? Or manually enter one? It would make sense that for a list of pre-approved names they could record the name in the alert but if you typed in "Super Secret Safe Room Door" it obviously isn't going to do text to speech. :)

So it did it Thanksgiving night.

Called

Told the lady what was going on and that i had called before. That was now armed and had given me the message ""Warning - Entry Sensor Open" but none were.

She read back the prior call and looked at the system from SS side and said "no entry sensors are open". Yeah - i know thats why were are here. She said "well i don't see any warnings anywhere", i said i know thats why we are here.

So she asked if i would disarm it and re-arm it which i did and it said "Warning - Entry Sensor Open". She checked again and said "all the sensors are closed - tricky"

She wanted me to delete all the sensors and re-add them, I said "No" - I was thinking "if you think i am deleting all the sensors and the re-installing them and renaming them all you've lost your ever-loving mind"... anyway i went around opening and closing doors and arming and rearming and finally it stopped warning me when i did one of the sliders and the porch (kinda hard to do one of those and not the other) so despite the fact that thats the first time ever one of those two doors has made it stop the announcement she's sending me 2 new entry sensors.

Mark my words - this will not fix it....

Worthing - I'm not sure I don't remember which ones had the name available and which did not,.. but you might be onto something as far as why it announces some and not others.

Also i forgot to look a the keypad - I will try to remember that next time it acts up.

Did it again last night.

Diffrent door.

Keypad did not say anything except a warning about a sensor not responding that was resolved earlier in the day.

I have this feeling I'm headed for base station number 3.... BTW moving the base station did not change anything.

I noticed something else...

It seems the keypad is retaining alerts that are no longer present for instance if you go out a door it will say ____ door is open, it will be monitored when closed" but it is in fact closed because you just went out it.

Also i revise the statement of moving the basestation not doing anything - it has increased "sensor not responding" warnings.

As for sensors "not responding", this could be due to battery not seated correctly, or low or dead batteries (I get these frequently from sensors), but they could also be due to being bad sensors.  You can test the problem using a known-working sensor and putting it in the other's place to see if the same warning occurs.  Less frequently, it might be due to some interference (electrical, appliance, other radio-interference in the home or path of the sensor to base station).  Even a wind storm outside that can rattle a door or window with a sensor, can cause these warnings (or if it's darned cold outside and one of your doors or windows has a circulating cold draft around it, might be affecting it or the battery).

Actually, the rep's suggestion to delete and re-add the sensors isn't a bad idea, and has resolved problems for others before.  How many sensors do you have that are currently problematic, would it take too long to delete/add?  

I don't understand why you're on your second or possibly third base station - were all of them replaced due to non-resolvable sensor warnings, or something else?  Do you have the new 4G module installed in your base station?

Again, if you haven't already, go into test mode and test all the problematic sensors, this would at least tell you if they are working correctly and getting a signal (that is, if your batteries are seated correctly and batteries are still good).

Unrelated, but I'm having a couple issues myself last week or so:  Wifi went down but I received no text alerts like I usually do, so didn't even know it was down.  And, a motion sensor 'not responding', but shouldn't be responding anyway, since it's been disabled for over a year.  The latest update seems to have slowed the the time of arming and the base's announcement of 'armed', by a few second delay.  Lastly, I won't repeat the monotonous login problems.

Did it again tonight, different door.

Coltmaster1

The entire system is maybe year old. The sensor not responding is typically from the door that is furterist away from the base and seldom used. Its asl oa metal door, but when it acts up going down there and opening and closing the door restores the sensor. The rep did note that sensor was a weaker signal. This door has not been the one to dismiss the "Warning - Entry Sensor Open" announcement. to the best of my recollection. Moving the base closer to the center of the house seems to have resulted in this door and another stoping responding, the other door almost daily now.

The base was replaced due to it not wanting to update last time.

I've tried test mode and it doesn't help besides and that it hacks me off because is always calls Mrs KRStric even when i'm on the phone Hint - if i just jumped through all the hoops to put it in test, i don't need you to call me and tell me.

If it was actually a sensor open and the same one that's easy enough to test. However when this base reports this  - there is not actually an open sensor - both the app and the SS rep confirmed this all the sensors report closed, but the base announces one is open.

I would be willing to delete and reinstall a few sensors, but all of them - that'll take an hour maybe more if you want me to delete cameras, sirens, water and temp... I might even try that if someone can explain to me technically how in the world that could help: Again

When the base announces "Warning - Entry Sensor Open" and you look at the app, refresh's the sensors from the base they all say "closed" (and are in fact closed) so the problem is not that a sensor is erroneously reporting open, the base is eronioulsly announcing that a sensor is open when it is not and in fact the base says in its app interface that it is not open.

If you are not here to hear it say that there is absolutely nothing to inform you of it anywhere else (nothing in the time line or little bell.

The only other thing i have discovered is that the keypad will sometimes say a sensor is open when it was opened and closed BUT the app correctly reports it as closed.

And yes, now also suffering the alarm status being incorrect on the app if it is disarmed from the keypad.

OK - I installed the new sensors and I reset the base station by removing power and the batteries for a few minutes.

Well see what happens...