@Ryu,
Time to add my experience. I also have a distant mailbox and not within site of the house. ZWave signal drops off approximately 30 feet short. in desperation, I installed a MySpool. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XMZDQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
. This is a WiFi device and works with low signal. I will disclose one problem in the three years of use… If the mailman leaves the door open, the batteries (3AAA) deplete quickly. On the plus side, if the mailbox is closed when not in use, the batteries last a year without problem in the winter.
Sence we are not alone on the topic, here is another contender… Downside is it needs its own hub, and there is no information on connecting that into HA.
https://www.amazon.com/YoLink-Outdoor-Waterproof-Notifications-Required/dp/B08P1VQMCR/ref=sr_1_9?crid=1ZQDU9N8BO4KJ&keywords=mail+notification&qid=1653901084&s=electronics&sprefix=mail+notification%2Celectronics%2C74&sr=1-9
@k8gg I just looked it up and it’s the Ring Base that uses Z-Wave. The Ring Bridge uses LoRa. I copied part of what I read and pasted it below…
The Ring Base Station is a hub that translates between Z-Wave and Wi-Fi. It uses Z-Wave to communicate to the devices, and Wi-Fi to communicate to the internet, which includes the Ring app. This gives you the ability to control your Ring Alarm System even while you’re on the go.
In contrast, Ring Smart Lights operate with a long-range connection protocol known as LoRa. The Ring Bridge translates between LoRa and Wi-Fi.
I use an Aqara vibration sensor, though my mailbox has a flap the postman needs open to put mail in.
I was conjuring up all kinds of ideas. and i had two that seems possible.
- Use a pressure plate (light weight) kind of sensor. if weight is not zero there is mail
- use a IR with reflector sensor. (ir led and sensor on top and piece of aluminium foil on the bottom.
if there is no IR reflection there is mail.
These two are both a build your own implementation so far as i know
I have been using a Philips Hue motion detector for many years. It’is perfect.
It is a metal mailbox. And the zwave or rfx modules could not communicate with the gateway. No problem with the philips.
It detects that the door opens or just a letter. No faillure. Maybe when too much wind…
Im using a Yolink door sensor. My mailbox is a couple hundred feet away. I have the sensor inside the mailbox and the signal still gets out and through an electrical transformer right behind the mailbox.
The sensor triggers a timer for 5 minutes. I use 5 minutes in case the mail lady opens the door twice if she forgot to put something in… After that 5 minutes a lightbulb on a table in my living room will light up red.
When I check the mail, the light turns off.
It looks like Ill have to change the battery every 6 months.
My yolink motion sensor worked well for about 2 months but stopped working a few days ago. It is not updating HA. Very frustrating.
Does it update the Yolink app?
Yes it does.
I would delete the integration and reinstall it then. It may just be an authentication error.
OK, I have deleted and re-added the integration. I will see how it goes.
thanks
I use a YoLink LoRa hub for this, with LoRa open/close sensors. When I see an open and a close, I know that the mailman visited.
LoRa protocol has a 1/4 mile range. The sensors are designed for outside use.
Hub: Amazon.com
Sensor: Amazon.com
In my last home I used a zigbee contact sensor but it ate up batteries trying to hold signal.
We have just published our take on a very low power consumption esphome compatible (mailbox) sensor with 2 inputs.
Check ET-SW01 - A very low consumption mailbox sensor - espthings.io
I am using it myself in my mailbox which has a lid and a door and use it to flag new mail and to turn off the flag when the doos has been opened (and the mailbox is emptied).
I cant find this board anywhere?
Is there a newer revision or something?
Looking for something similar 4G ESP32 low power consumption.
Thanks
I have experimented with several kinds of mailbox projects 
.
The principal challenges include power consumption, signal attenuation, and withstanding external elements.
The best solution I’ve found is the LPWAN protocol LoRaWAN, which combines long range and low power consumption.
You can now use either the Helium Network or the TTN Network, both of which are widely deployed. I’m pretty sure there’s a gateway near you.
I’ve described my projects here if you want to dive deeper into this technical solution completly integrated with Home Assitant : LoRaWAN Mailbox
I was ready to go for the Hue indoor motion sensor for my mailbox mail detection, but then I saw that Hue has an Outdoor Motion Sensor that claims to have longer range and wider temp range. Should I go for the Indoor or Outdoor sensor (I’m in Michigan), but didn’t know if the sensing was any different ?
Really wish I had a mailbox setup like what most folks have… I am stuck with a mailbox that is built into a roadside wall with the only open and close access is on the back with a padlock… still trying to think of a way to make a sensor for it.
This thread won’t die! Thanks for the reminder that I’m always thinking about doing this (see my post from July 2021.)
I found what looks like a good option on Amazon. It’s a Zigbee garage door tilt sensor. It claims to work with HA and two reviews confirm this. I’m ordering it and will try to remember to post back here when I’ve had a chance to try it out.
Edit: My tilt sensor came. It seems like a pretty good device. Works great with ZHA. Only problem is it’s not only not weatherproof, but there are vent holes in the top of the case. So if I mounted it inside the door of the mailbox, and the door wasn’t closed tight, it could rain right into it. Since it’s a tilt sensor, there is only one option for mounting which side is “up.”
I stuck it on my garage door, now I’ll know when I forget to close it. And back to the drawing board for the mailbox.