Responses (2)

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  CrazyCat

  How often are they triggered? I assume power usage correlates to the sensor being tripped.

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  30-12-2019 02:12:16

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  BobMad

  Actually, door activity is fairly minimal (maybe 3 or 4 cycles a day). Others in system see more traffic, yet don't run down battery so quickly.

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  03-01-2020 01:20:43

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  CrazyCat

  Only other variable I could think of is distance from base station or range extender. Its possible it uses more battery to communicate if farther away from these. This is just speculation since I dont know technically how Zwave functions.

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  03-01-2020 02:47:22

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  CrazyCat

  @Riley More than happy to talk with you. I sent you an email. Thx

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  04-01-2020 01:14:30

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  abc

  I have a brand new Ring Alarm system, installed just 12 days ago. Today one of my contact sensors started sending low battery warnings every few minutes. When I check in the app, the device page shows an empty red battery icon and warns me of a very low battery. I'm pretty sure when first installed the battery icon was full, I would have noticed in the app otherwise as I did study each sensor setup page in detail during installation. The particular contact sensor was purchased in a 6-pack of contact sensors - the other 5 sensors from the same pack all still show full battery status. The door where this contact is installed has never been opened again after the initial installation and testing of the sensor 12 days ago, so it's not in a high usage area. It is also the closest sensor to the base station, perhaps only 8ft away. I deactivated the sensor from my system and removed the battery so it wouldn't keep constantly sending the error message. If I measure the no-load voltage of the battery with a multimeter, it shows about 2.75V. The date code on the battery itself is "01-2029" I'm wondering if I got a defective contact sensor that is either draining the battery excessively, or perhaps just mis-reporting the actual voltage and incorrectly thinks the battery is low. Other than just installing a new battery (unfortunately I don't have a new one handy), is there something else that can be done to check the sensor? or is this perhaps a known defect with some sensors?

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  22-03-2020 01:36:35

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  abc

  thanks @Chelsea\_Ring for the suggestion. Ok so I found another battery to try with this sensor. I did a factory reset of the sensor, then reinstalled the sensor to my system and with the other battery in it seems to be working now, after a couple days the battery icon in the app is still full green. I will see how it goes, checking the battery status over the next while. however one strange thing I just noticed this evening. While sitting here at my desktop computer, I can see the contact sensor which had the battery problem. The door on which it is mounted is fully closed, and the app reports the door is closed. But just now I saw the blue LED on the contact sensor flash quickly a number of times (maybe around 6-10 times in rapid succession). I thought that strange, as the door is still closed solidly shut. Then a few minutes later, it happened again - the blue LED flashed rapidly a number of times then stopped. No door chime, no change in status in the app - nothing to indicate the door was opened or sensor status changed. I've not noticed this blinking before (maybe just obvious now since it's night time and I happen to be sitting near the sensor). I wonder if the contact sensor is acting up and causing unexpected drain on the battery? is there some normal reason to see the blue LED on a contact sensor blink rapidly when the sensor is closed and not moving?? What does that blinking mean? As I mentioned, the door is solidly closed and app doesn't report the contact has ever opened since I re-installed it (and yes, I tested that it works correctly when I re-installed it, and the magnet is mounted well within the specified mounting distance).

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  27-03-2020 04:28:52

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  abc

  Thanks again @Chelsea\_Ring for your reply and explanation about the sensor "checking in". Strangely I've never noticed any of my other 6 contact sensors blinking like this. Meanwhile on two separate days in a row now I've seen this particular sensor do so - each time twice within perhaps 5 minutes, repeated on two separate days now. This sensor is the closest to the base station of all my sensors, BTW so I can't imagine signal strength is an issue. Battery icon is still solid green, though it's only been 4 days on this 2nd battery. Today when I happened to observe the sensor blinking, I watched a little more closely and noticed it blinked rapidly then went solid blue for a moment, just like described [in this other thread I just found](https://community.ring.com/t5/Ring-Alarm/Contact-sensor-blinking/td-p/9897). I wonder if my sensor is defective, like that other person's? re: contacting support - I actually did email support earlier around the same time I originally posted here in the forum. I got a response from Advanced Support asking for further information. I see from the thread I mentioned above that it's possible to do some sort of remote diagnostic on a sensor, so hopefully they can do that. However the only return address on their reply was "noreply@ring.com", and so when I replied to them my email of course bounced. I resent my reply to help@ring.com several days ago but did not hear back again. Is there a better email address to follow up with Advanced Support?

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  27-03-2020 08:00:15

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  abc

  ok thanks Chelsea, understood. I'll try giving support a call instead btw I kept an eye on the sensor for a longer period of time and I notice that every ~5 minutes it does the same thing: rapidly blinks for about 8 seconds then is on solid blue for about an additional 2 seconds. Repeat again 5 min later. It's no wonder it's wearing down the battery so quickly. Update: I just called Ring support and they confirmed they could see remotely that the sensor is abnormally checking in every 5 minutes. Since I've already tried removing/reinstalling the sensor to the system and also factory reset and new battery, he decided the sensor must be defective and is going to send me a replacement. you were right @Chelsea\_Ring that calling in gets a quick response. thanks!

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  27-03-2020 10:45:48

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  abc

  quick follow up. I received a replacement contact sensor via FedEx a few days after talking to phone support. I confirm the replacement sensor appears to be acting normally, no more "checking in" and blinking unnecessarily every 5 minutes. So original sensor must have been defective - returned using the enclosed return label - easy. thanks again Ring for the prompt support.

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  18-04-2020 02:35:55