‎Why no freeze sensor alarm behavior options? | SimpliSafe Support Home
 
J

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 5:31 PM

Why no freeze sensor alarm behavior options?

I would like to see an option in the device settings for freeze sensors to allow the user to select either "secret alert" or "alarm" when the sensor is triggered.  As it stands now, if the temperature at the sensor is outside the allowed range, an "always on" alarm is automatically triggered and monitoring staff are notified to call the user's phone.  While this is a good procedure in many cases, I would prefer to have the option to have a "secret alert" sent to my phone.  
In my case, I am monitoring the temperature in my storage shed with one of my freeze sensors.  If it goes below freezing or above 120, I'd like to be alerted but it does not require urgent action and I don't want to be alerted in the middle of the night by a loud alarm or phone call.  On the other hand, I also have a freeze sensor in my well house where I have a heater to protect the pipes and equipment in winter.  For that, an "alarm" setting is appropriate if a freeze is imminent.  So it would be nice to have the alarm behavior be selectable for each freeze sensor - just as it is for each entry sensor.  
Comments from other users about this topic (work-arounds, or something I don't know about) would be appreciated.

Captain

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6.2K Messages

4 years ago

@ johnm55 good suggestion, one that I never thought I would need, your needs case is a good one.  SS has a very long feature request list (wish there was a Customer Resource Center so I could see a list of what was requested and status of each,,,HO HO HO) but at least now SS will see yours.

248 Messages

4 years ago

Potential work-around:  Use an entry sensor with a thermostatic switch wired to the sensor contacts.  You would have to crack it open and void the warranty, but they aren't that expensive.  

The switching part can be thermostatic switches, or a couple of cheap heating/cooling thermostats, wired in-series.  Advantage of the cheap thermostats is you could adjust your upper and lower limits.  

For thermostatic mechanical switches, there is cheap Chinese stuff to be had for $2.51 each, pick your temperature.  At that price, you could run several in-series to decrease the odds of a fail-badly.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/352532552630

For the cold side thermostat, you would get a special low-temperature thermostat, which look to run $25-30.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Home-Vertical-Non-Programmable-Thermostat-with-Low-Temperature-Range-CT50K1028/202039852
Not sure that one will have the required normally-closed contacts, so might have to re-purpose a replacement (or salvaged) refrigerator thermostat.

Curiously, looks like a water heater lower thermostat would be the right choice for the hot side.  It is adjustable and will go to 125 F where a wall thermostat won't, and only costs $6.  
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Lower-Thermostat-Therm-O-Disc-08123/301427027

5 Messages

@simplistuckon,  Thanks for the clever design idea and for tracking down those parts.  I do have a couple of spare entry sensors.  Some day when I have some time for tinkering I might try to rig up at least the low side.  The high side I am less worried about, but good to know a 125 degree thermostat can be had.  I would never have thought of that.
Check Honeywell's Lyric T6 Pro. According to manual it should have ability to work in NC mode.

19 Messages

2 years ago

The temperature alerts are impossible to live with.  My greenhouses are set to warn of temps below 40 degrees.  Once an alert, it repeats every hour all day and night long. It is impossible to go to bed with this system because it'll wake you up all night long.  There should be an option to not repeat alarms until the temperature reset above the trigger point occurs.  I only need one freezer alarm to know to go take care of it. But alarms all night long means nobody sleeps.

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@BillAggie​ thanks, that's a great suggestion.

Honestly, the Temperature Sensor was intended more for indoor use - say, to guard against freezing pipes or to make sure that a room doesn't get too hot if you have a pet or a child in there. i.e. situations where you'd want to fix the problem right away.

So that's different from a greenhouse situation where the temp may stay outside of the threshold for a long period of time, and it might not necessarily be an emergency.

A snooze option would be really useful, though!

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