‎Entry sensor doesn’t trip until door is closed | SimpliSafe Support Home
 
llgreen05's profile

Friday, January 5th, 2024 2:09 AM

Entry sensor doesn’t trip until door is closed

Hello, my front door sensor does not trip until the door is closed, after it has sat for several hours. The first open of the day and the first open when I get home from work are when I notice it. No flashing, no chime. Once the door is closed, it then triggers the entry delay beeps. Subsequent opens cause flashing and a chime like they should. So in theory, a burglar could be successful if they left the door open…

The system and sensor are about 5 years old. This is the second house I’ve had them in, I’ve been here about 8 months but just started having the issue last week. 

Thanks!

Captain

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6.2K Messages

11 months ago

@llgreen05 The ususal suspects: weak battery, poor connection to the base, or, faulty sensor. Suggest 1. First, try changing the battery. If no go, then 2. try swapping the entry sensor with another one (don't forget to change and update your settings) and see if that fixes the location. If so, replace the faulty sensor. 3.  If you are under the FastProtect top monitoring plan, call and get it replaced at nc. If not, buy a new one.

Or, call support and see if they come up with anything else. Who knows, get a new or really nice agent and possibly they will replace it at nc even if not covered under warranty.

Please post outcome here if you get a chance.  Good luck.

3 Messages

@captain11​ I just feel like any of those things would make it more spotty than it is? It is ONLY happening on the first open after sitting unused for several (8+, when I’ve noticed) hours. After the first use it works fine consistently. So strange. 

Captain

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6.2K Messages

@llgreen05​ If the entry is sensor is less than a year old, SS is going to cover it at nc if it comes down replacement (or you have the FastProtect plan).  Also, read Emily's post as she adds great points I didn't include. 

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

11 months ago

@llgreen05 I agree with Captain11, those recommended troubleshooting steps are a great first place to start. To me, it seems that something it happening with the Entry Sensor's connection to the Base Station, and that first opening event is helping it regain it. But of course, we always want the Entry Sensor and Base Station to communicate. 

First, is this Entry Sensor installed on a metal surface? We don't recommend putting either piece of the sensor on metal, as it could cause it to demagnetize. If this sensor is on metal, I would recommend placing a buffer between both pieces of the sensor and the door; this can be anything like a piece of cardboard, velcro, or an additional layer of adhesive. 

If this sensor is not placed on metal, I would then recommend replacing its battery. You can either use a new CR-2032 Lithium 3V battery, or swap out a battery from another working Entry Sensor of yours. If you still experience this same issue even with a new battery, it could be an issue with the sensor itself. In that case, we would want to replace this sensor - our Support team will be able to help you with that. 

3 Messages

@emily_s​ Wouldn’t I get some kind of error message if it was a base station communication error? I’ve never gotten one. 

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

@llgreen05​ If the Entry Sensor fails to check in with the Base Station for more than 24 hours then you will receive a "Not Responding" error message, but if the sensor regains its communication before that no error message will be received. 

1 Message

1 month ago

Did you ever get this resolved? I have exactly the same issue , but on 2 different doors.

Community Admin

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741 Messages

@marvingray_1 Are these sensors located in the same area of the home, or in different areas?

 

We would first recommend swapping these two sensors out with other ones that do not exhibit this behavior. If the problem sensors work as expected in their new location, that could indicate that interference may be at play.

 

In that case, try moving the Base Station closer to the two sensors if they're located in the same area of the home. But if the sensors are located in two different areas of the home, try moving the Base Station to a more central area. 

 

But if the sensors still do not respond when a door opens in their new location, that could indicate an issue with the devices. If that's the case, reach out to our Support team and they can assist you with further assistance. 

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