Pete's Log: Review: Ecolink Z-Wave Door/Window Sensor (DWZWAVE25)
Entry #2064, (Home Automation)(posted when I was 43 years old.)
I realized yesterday morning when it was -6 F out while I was closing the driveway gate that the Z-Wave sensor I use to monitor our driveway gate is worthy of a review. It’s been on the gate for just over a year now and has been working like a champ through all the seasons and weather Illinois has to throw at it.
While it is slightly protected from above by the wood overhang on the gate, it is basically exposed to the elements. When I was looking for a Z-Wave door sensor for the gate, I had a hard time finding any outdoor ones. This one is labeled for indoor use but a couple reviews indicated it did OK outdoors. So I chanced it. And I'm very pleased.
We open and close the gate probably 2-5 times per day and the notification that the gate was opened feels pretty instantaneous. Ecolink promises a 3 year battery life (using a CR123A battery) and right now the battery level is reporting 80%, so I'm inclined to believe them. It's never lost connectivity to the Zooz S2 USB Stick Controller that I use (as far as I'm aware and not counting times the controller was unpowered).
When initially looking at this product, I saw some people complaining that the sensor and the magnet had to be too close together for practical use, but as you can see in the picture above, I have a decent gap when the gate is closed and the sensor has no problem detecting the magnet.
So your experience may vary from mine as far as (mis-)using it outside, but if you're looking for a Z-Wave door sensor, I'm quite happy with this one.