I am looking for a smart lock to use on my UPVC multi lock front door and there are many on Aliexpress which look like they may work but there is never a good enough description of how the mechanics work to enable a sensible decision.
As with most of these doors, the lock mechanism uses a lift to lock the multi point locking bars but has a normal latch which holds the door when it is pushed shut.
Firstly, I only want to replace the handle and lock but not the internal mechanism. Secondly, it has to has the wife acceptance factor. The add on units which go over the existing lock just don’t look the part.
I don’t expect the new lock to operate the locking bars but lifting the handle should do this. The outside handle should disengage from the spindle mechanism until unlocked by fingerprint, passcode, etc. so that bar mechanism locking only takes place after acceptance of code. This would mean the door was always locked by the latch whether the main lock bars are operated or not. A mode to keep the lock ‘unlocked’ should be available too.
I know this all seems pretty much but is exactly how my key operated existing lock works.
ZigBee preferred but any lock which works with Home Assistant even with the Internet down is acceptable.
Hopefully, you will all come back to me to say that they all work that way and just pick one but I doubt it. My only other option is to buy a lock and go through the returns hassle if it isn’t right.
I clicked on your clickbait heading and posted the probable answer most might initially have, some from personal bitter experience, and some from watching others.
YES. Once.
You may find purchasing from a vendor that has a support structure and extensive documentation will be your second purchase, and the money spent on your first a good learning experience, not just with futzing around learning the HomeAssistant internals and reverse engineering your (most likely Tuya compatible) cheap Chinese device, but being able to select the device that you now know will definitely meet your needs. You’re replacing a key - the way it has been done for centuries? Consider BLE, NFC, RFID and thumbprint, or more than one method combined, rather than the extended range of ZigBee / WiFi /Thread/Matter to limit your range of vulnerability, and cover that with a 24/7 recording night/day camera for post mortem compromise analysis, or combine that with the HomeAssistant Doberman add-on! Is your existing door latched or deadlocked? Will you be trapped outside or inside if the power fails or there is a fire?
So my revised response on consideration is still the same, YES, once, but with both eyes open.
Update edit: The camera and Doberman can be supplementary on an ongoing basis, but beware of those that phone home base for your video feed, unlocking recognition, and remotely initiated open command, rather than purely local. You may trust them, but will SWMBO do so, now or in the future when it has frequent problems and paranoia sets in?
Good that you have an opinion on this even though it says I should not go the way I was looking.
A cheap Chinese device was not necessarily the end game but so far the other options don’t seem to offer the appearance I am looking for.
ZigBee wasn’t a deal breaker and Bluetooth is fine as long as it interfaces with Home Assistant.
Operation of the handle with the existing multi point lock is the most important feature hence my description of how it needs to work.
If you have moved on to ‘better’ alternatives, what types have you chosen and would they work as described above?
I was looking like you for smart door lock for upvc door and couldnt find any. Even if door lock fits my door it is operated over the cloud. There are zigbee locks but as i know they are all using tuya zigbee module that uses encryption. Tuya will not reveal more data on it and that makes it difficult to integrate it in z2m.
One option can be replaceing zigbee module and flash it with your custom firmware. This maybe could be an option since esphome started to support zigbee.
This is getting fancy! You don’t want encryption for locking functionality?
This can go two ways, a custom design, with drivers, solenoids, rachets, springs, multiple bolts around the perimeter, impenetrable protective barriers, lock position monitoring, your very own interface and firmware - you are essentially building your own lock. Yes, cyanide gas release if you have millions on the premises that you have illegally acquired, in which case you would be asking a local experienced consultant or locksmith for advice and probably getting the Doberman add-on as well as a 24/7 guard, bars and shutters on all windows, and mesh in your roof space to prevent them climbing in.
The other is to raise your budget to meet your expectations, scoping a few well known lock manufacturers that have an electronic or commercial offering, grade 2 or grade 1, a cut above ‘domestic’ that will integrate well with your door. They have standards and reputation to meet. You may find they mostly actually manufacture in China, but it is to their standards and design subject to strict quality control.
Many countries have reputable lock suppliers, home grown, used routinely without much fuss. Low crime rate, simpler locks. High rate, bomb proof.
Again, a local experienced consultant or locksmith for advice.
Lowest price should not be your primary determining factor. I’m glad you are looking at functionality, something that will age well, any higher prices amortised over a far greater period.
Moving forward, i have been looking at the Simpled EF range lock, which is ttlock and is know to work with Home Assistant.
Has anyone got one of these and can confirm it operates as my first post requests.
At around £200 it is obviously more pricy than the Aliexpress pptions but has not reached the silly price range.
I didnt say that. I said that those locks use the same zigbee chip made by tuya. Endpoints are encrypted and tuya will not give any information for it. That is the main reason why those locks cant be integrated in z2m and can be used only over the cloud with a proper hub. There is a hughe thread about it.
I just mention, as an option, replacing zigbee module and flash your own firmware to it. I didnt said it was for general population but could be a way for diy smart lock.
Everything else as i know operate over the cloud and i dont want that.
Have a look here and see if you find anything which suits your specs & budget. Note that these are only supported in Z2M. Some of them might also be supported in ZHA if you search around in blakadder’s zigbee repository, but I suggest searching for recent reviews confirming this before buying.
Looking on the Aqara website, they appear to have dropped the S2 and S2 Pro which is a shame as they looked almost perfect.
Unless they exist elsewhere?
Doubt it since they’re 8 years old at this point. Hopefully someone will add support for their newer door locks eventually.
If you can’t wait, do a search on “Aqara door lock” in these forums. I had a quick look & found: Aqara A100: integrated via Homekit, requires Aqara hub for the initial configuration only. Aqara U300: Requires Thread/Matter, but certified working with HA.
