How to integrate simplisafe wireless system into wired door switches. Simplisafe Hack.

I try to the best of my ability explain how I hacked my simplisafe system, by integrating it into my wired alarm system door switches. Seemed to be a pretty cool project that was relatively quick. I think I spent more time explaining then I actually did the work! (Like usual)

[@GDStuart1]

You deserve a huge pat on the back and probably six-pack for all this effort. Especially when you show the example in such detail including the bloopers, which of course I will also hit. Thank you so much...I showed my wife this video and that's what convinced her to trust my handiwork abilities and go with SimpliSafe instead of replacing the $850 board in our "old-school" system that blew out for no reason. Their commercials are idiotic but their system is the best.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

That's awesome! glad my video helped! Good luck with your new system.

[@da7heaven]

Love the sound of happy babies, no problem with the happy noises...

[@kack7130]

that hidden switch is awesome so basically, you wired to that hidden switch open and close. This is so much cleaner look. It is genius thank you.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

Thank you. Glad you liked it!

[@frankyvee1]

Nice video and thanks for sharing. The one thing I will point out is putting your switches inside the metal box may act as faraday cage and impede some of the radio signal communication with your base station. The switch may work fine when the battery are brand new sitting inside the case but as your batteries get weaker your radio signal will eventually hit a threshold where the signal will not make it to the base station. I would install them where they are not enclosed in a metal box.

[@SteveWinter-tj5cb]

I drilled a small hole in the front of mine so they could easily use the mounting bracket and it slides off the mount to access the battery. I will send some photos when completed.Much appreciated, I like having multiple houses on the same alarm system.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

Good idea!

[@glen2361]

Great information.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

Thank you. Hope it helped.

[@jpthsd]

Thank you! greate work, honestly ,, it is too much ò work :) (if not yet wiring to go with there will be crawling, cabling required ..LoL) - the last time I got it, was ADT wired door sensors :) no more!!

[@bill5206]

Awesome brother!!!!!

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

Thank you.

[@user-kx4tg2zk7r]

I think if you put the door magnets lower on the door it would be less defeated with a stronger magnet on the outside of the door.

[@naftalishmukler9281]

Clever

[@thomasreyes6922]

How did you find the correct set of wires that goes to the doors?

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

Trial and error. I hooked one up at a time and had my son open and close the doors until it beeped.

[@thomasreyes6922]

@@EmpoweringDIYFamily got it! Thanks

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

You're welcome.

[@Accuratecompute]

Yes good application

[@asherrfacee]

Has anyone tried cutting a hole in the side of the door and frame to embed the device into the door?

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

I sure haven't but that sounds neat. And with a router and chisel, it should be easy to do. I'm interested.

[@Accuratecompute]

Sorry I am an electrical engineer and refused to call by it special name there are many types of switches like water level switches. Hoping for the heat sinking of the clip is very important other too much will mess up the connections of the wireless RF chip on that same board. Oh you did mention the antennas and rf chip and other passive circuitry inside. It’s more that a switch or magnetic or reed switch inside.

[@Accuratecompute]

I plan to do the same for a wired doorbell switch outside and wireless SimpliSafe mod on inside becauseI I use the private mode of the sensors for notifications from app constantly.

[@jbo69r61]

Great idea I’m going to hook all 3 living room windows into 1 so I don’t have to buy 3 just 1

[@oO0XuXo0Oo]

Where you able to hook up your living room windows into 1? I have ADT now and I have 5 zones. I prefer to set up 5 sensors for my zones instead of using one sensor for each door and window.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

It should be as simple as wiring them in series. You may not know what window was activated that way but none the less you would know a window was opened.

[@user-ed2sr1td7o]

Try running a hard wire to each device to power it instead of the batteries

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

I thought about it. But it's only 1.5v so I would need to transform it down and add resistors to get it that low.

[@user-ed2sr1td7o]

@@EmpoweringDIYFamily how long does the batteries last for?

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

About 1 1/2 before I had to change any. I just changed them all then.

[@user-ed2sr1td7o]

@@EmpoweringDIYFamily 18 months sounds really good 👍

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

I think so too. Those batteries are cheap too.

[@anthonygiordano1126]

Don’t put the SimpliSafe contact switches in the control box! The box will act like a ‘Faraday Cage’ and block most of not all of the their RF signals!

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

The base station isn't far from there. I haven't had a single issue with that in about a year now.

[@frankyvee1]

@@EmpoweringDIYFamily You will as the batteries start getting weaker. Radio signals get attunuated when enclosed with metal. If anything putting them outside the box will extend the life of the batteries.

[@Accuratecompute]

Solution a plastic door on the metal box or a plastic box at the bottom for the SimpliSafe modules.

[@Accuratecompute]

It’s called a reed switch or magnetic switch not generic switch.

[@EmpoweringDIYFamily]

I agree. Sometimes it's just easier to simplify it. I definitely could.go in the weeds with terminology.

[@Accuratecompute]

@@EmpoweringDIYFamily I understand, In that case mention proper term once and then generic. Many of the wired systems use a magnetic reed switch too even though your wired system uses a push switch.