Hey everyone, I wanted to share an interesting project I’ve been working on using the SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor (MPS). I’ve been trying to detect when the mail is delivered to my mailbox, and I thought this might be a fun challenge to tackle with my existing smart home setup.
So, here’s the deal: I’ve been using the MPS’s built-in accelerometer to sense when the mailbox is shaken or moved. The idea is that whenever the mailman opens or closes the mailbox door, the sensor picks up the movement and sends a notification. It’s not perfect, but it’s been working surprisingly well.
I mounted the sensor on a wooden mailbox pole, hidden in a small alcove to keep it out of sight and protected from the weather. I used some 3M VHB tape to attach it, which gives a solid bond but is still removable if I ever need to take it down. The sensor is oriented right-side up, which helps with moisture drainage.
The good news is that the accelerometer in the MPS is incredibly sensitive—it picks up even the slightest movements. This means that most of the time, when the mailman delivers the mail, the sensor detects it and sends a notification. However, there are times when it doesn’t work as expected. For example, if the mailman is particularly gentle when closing the mailbox door, the sensor might not register the movement.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that the sensor’s Zigbee signal can be a bit unreliable, especially over longer distances. My mailbox is about 50 feet away from the house, and the sensor has to send its signal through a brick wall to reach the SmartThings hub. To improve this, I tried placing a Samsung SmartThings Outlet on the window sill inside the house, and that helped boost the signal strength significantly.
I also compared the MPS’s accelerometer to the one in a Z-Wave Aeon gen5 Multisensor 6, and I have to say, the MPS’s sensitivity is on another level. It’s definitely the better choice for this kind of application.
While this setup isn’t 100% reliable, it’s been a fun project to work on, and it’s given me a good excuse to dive deeper into the capabilities of the SmartThings ecosystem. I’d love to hear if anyone else has tried something similar or has any tips for improving the reliability of the sensor.
Happy tinkering! 