In the now famous section Alexiens are cool, or Tuto, today we will help you to install a Konyks Senso or opening detector. We will see a standard installation, but also involve theone of our most active members of Alexians group, Alexandre (a predestined name) alias Dédé la Bidouille or the McGyver of AI!
What is the point of this type of product? There is one that immediately comes to mind: securing your home by putting these sensors on your doors or windows. As soon as they are opened or vandalized, you receive a live notification but also set up routines to be notified on your smartphone or your devices Alexa. The options are multiple because we will see together setting up the Senso in a letterbox to find out if you have received a package.
We will focus on setting up, connecting and pairing it with the Konyks application (available on the Play Store and on theApp Store).
Setting up the Senso
Le Konyks Senso is delivered in a rather nice little box showing the brand and the product in its orange color code. The French Tech is well put forward! What immediately jumps out at us is the quality of the finishes and the small size of the whole (7 cm high, 4 cm wide (including 1 cm for the small part of the module) and almost 2 cm thick ). Suffice to say that it goes everywhere.
You will also find double-sided and screws if necessary, as well as a fairly brief, but well-made installation manual. Note that you will need 2 AAA batteries to put in the main module.
For the installation, it's very simple:
- Open the main box by pressing the small tab at the top,
- Insert the 2 AAA batteries,
- Close,
- The red light will flash very quickly,
- Seeing where to put it helps!
The installation will be done most of the time with the double sided. You can offset the sensor and the module with a maximum space of 1 cm. Ideal if you have a non-recessed door for example.
Download the Konyks app on the store even before starting the installation of the Konyks Senso.
How to install it? It is very simple. Here is an installation idea for BAL, but it is the same (even simpler) for a door or a window.
Pairing with the Konyks app
The Konyks app is based Smart Life, renowned for its reliability. Thereby, pairing is very easy. It will be necessary to have the module recognized by the application in order to use it, as a bulb or a socket. It works on 2,4 GHz Wi-Fi.
First of all, you will need to register using your email address. You will receive a code that you must enter in the application before choosing your password (keep it because it will be needed for the Skill Alexa by Konyks).
You can then define the name of your home and its location :
Once this has been done, you can have your Senso recognized. Be sure the little red light is flashing quickly. Otherwise, press at least 5 s on the small black button visible under the battery cover. Then follow these different images to install your Senso (press the + at the top right before):
Once done, you can change its name. Like, in our case, we're going to put it in a mailbox, well… let's call it “mailbox”.
There you have it, your Senso is installed. We are going to take a look at the interface of the application. It is very simple: a visual of the module in open or closed mode, as well as the notification parameters. It is possible to put everything in notification or choose only certain (opening, closing, low battery and vandalism). Vandalism is an attempt to disassemble the device. It is important to be able to choose to deactivate the opening and closing notifications when you are at home and to reactivate them while you are away so that you are not inundated with unimportant notifications.
What do notifications look like? here they are: in pop-up on your phone but also in the application where you can have access to the history.
And with Alexa what does it give?
First, activate the Konyks skill on the store Alexa. You will be asked for the details of the account you initially created. Pairing with Alexa is done as for a light bulb or a lamp: search for the devices, wait untilAlexa find it and voila! No more complicated than that.
As a gift, here is an example of a routine forAlexa tells you that you have received a package:
You can also request the status of the Senso from Alexa which will tell you if it is open or closed.
McGyver's Corner
Alexandre offers you a hack he has the secret to using your Senso in places a little more difficult to access, or to find out if you have received mail and not a package. That is to say, adapt it to space constraints.
Here is the secret: the Senso works with magnets which close or open the circuit, it is possible to replace the second part of the module with simple magnets and thus save space.
It is also quite possible to do without the smallest module by directly bypassing the system from the main module. So with wires as continuity of the circuit, they will replace the magnets: wires touching = closed circuit, wires not touching = open circuit. Thus, you can put the sensors away from the place of contact if you think that the Wi-Fi will not reach far enough or to avoid making your system accessible. Who says wires, says the possibility of putting a pushbuttons, contact blades, mercury lamps… The possibilities are even crazier.
And now, thanks to this tutorial, you can not only install your Senso in the blink of an eye and configure it, but you now have more ideas in your head for making improbable edits and sticking them everywhere!
Aren't we nice ?!
KONYKS Senso - Wi-Fi opening detector
€24.90
Most
- Very easy to install
- Very good value for money
- Simple and efficient application
- French Tech label
- Many
The lessers
- No return yet Alexa (coming in January 2019)