In today’s article I will be talking about Sonoff’s new Zigbee Motion Sensor. Its official name is SNZB-03P and do not confuse it with the previous Human Presence Sensor that we have seen in previous articles, because, although they look similar, its working principle is different. Anyway, if you want to know all about the differences between these two sensors I leave you the link below.
Clarifying Concepts: Differences between Presence and Motion Detectors
I recommend that if you want you finish this article first before looking at the differences so that you can understand it better.
That said, we start with the topic of today.
What is a Motion Sensor or PIR Sensor?
As I mentioned before, we are in the presence of a motion sensor or PIR sensor.
A motion sensor or PIR sensor is nothing more than an electronic device designed to detect changes in the level of infrared radiation in its immediate environment. PIR stands for Passive Infra-Red… “passive infrared”, and this refers to the method used to detect motion.
These sensors contain a pyroelectric crystal that generates an electrical signal when heated by infrared radiation emitted by moving objects within its field of view. When a moving object, such as a person or an animal, passes through the area monitored by the sensor, the variation in the pattern of infrared radiation activates it.
These types of sensors are commonly found in security systems, automatic lighting, and other devices that require motion detection.
Sonoff Zigbee Motion Sensor Technical Features
We have already seen what a PIR sensor is and its working principle. Now let’s go a little deeper into the features of this new zigbee motion sensor from Sonoff.
The first thing I would like to comment is that this motion sensor is ZigBee 3.0, something that I personally like a lot for all the advantages that gives this communication protocol, but that makes us have to have a Zigbee HUB to connect and control this type of equipment. This for me, far from being negative is a plus, since you need additional equipment to link it, but you will gain a brutal connection stability and will not affect your internet connectivity.
Also note that it is a wireless sensor, which works with batteries, specifically a 3 volt CR2477, so we will not have to worry about having a plug nearby to operate it. According to the manufacturer we will have a useful life of up to 3 years with this battery, so to know if it is really true we will have to wait.
Sonoff Zigbee Motion Sensor Physical Characteristics
Physically it is a device with a good finish and a rather peculiar oval shape. We will only have this version in white which is accompanied by a fairly powerful magnetized base, which together with this form of the sensor will provide us with a rotation and movement of our sensor much greater than in previous versions. If to this capacity of rotation and movement of up to 110 degrees, we add the detection range of 6 meters, we will have a fairly well covered area for the operation of our device.
In the box we have the sensor itself, its magnetic base, instruction manual and wall mounting accessories, either with screws or 3M double-sided tape.
SNZB-03P compatibility with other platforms
One of the quite interesting particularities that this Zigbee motion sensor has, is the ability to integrate seamlessly with other home automation platforms. We are talking about the fact that apart from being compatible with Sonoff Zigbee HUB’s like the Sonoff Zbridge, the NS Panel Pro or the Sonoff iHost, we will be able to link it directly with devices like the Amazon Echo 4th Gen, the Echo Show and Echo Plus 2nd Gen and the Smart Things HUB. Something that comes in handy if you already have any of these devices with their respective control applications.
Obviously we will have compatibility with Home Assistant, so if you are one of those who prefer to use the sensors with this platform, you can do so without problems.
An important detail to take into account in case you are going to use it with a HUB other than Sonoff’s, is that even though they guarantee the compatibility of operation, there are specific functionalities such as historical records, detection configurations or some of the automations that may not work correctly. So keep this in mind.
How to mount, link and configure the new Sonoff Zigbee Motion Sensor?
Let’s get our motion sensor up and running and in my case I will do so by linking it to my Sonoff Local HUB: the iHost. By the way, if you don’t already know about the Sonoff iHost you have an article here on the Blog, so be sure to check it out below.
Sonoff iHost: First Impressions
I will also create a small automation for us to see in practice how this device works and everything we can do with it to get the most out of it.
Well, the first thing we will have to do is open the battery cover of our sensor, located at the bottom and remove the plastic that prevents the operation of our device. Once this is done the sensor will go into pairing mode. Now to link it you just have to add a new device and scan the QR code from the eWelink application. In my case, I will do it directly from the iHost and scan for a new Zigbee device. Once detected, I name it and add it to the room where it will be located.
So that’s how simple it is to link this new Sonoff Zigbee Motion Sensor.
Lighting Automation with the Sonoff SNZB-03P Zigbee Sensor
Now what I will do will be to control the switching on and off of a Sonoff smart bulb every time it detects movement, simulating for example the lighting of a corridor where we only want it to turn on when we pass through this area.
An interesting feature of this sensor to make automations, is that it will take into account the lighting in the room to turn on or off the lights. That is, it will be able to distinguish whether the light is bright enough or not to turn on the lighting when it detects movement. In this way, we can save even more electricity and extend the life of our lighting, since it will only really turn on when it is necessary.
Now I simply create the automations. In my case I select the sensor, we set its trigger which will be if it detects movement and then on which device we will act, for the actuator we will select the Sonoff smart bulb that I mentioned earlier. Finally, we parameterize the states and triggers for the on and off conditions and at this point, everything should work correctly.
But as I have seen before, I thought that the best way for you to know and see how to do these automations is in a step by step video so you can replicate it. In addition, you can do it at your own pace and if you have doubts about something or you get stuck you can always leave me a comment and I will gladly help you. I leave the video link below for you to take a look.
Youtube: Transform Your Home with the Sonoff SNZB-03P Zigbee Sensor
Price of the New Sonoff Zigbee Motion Sensor
Well, this zigbee motion sensor from sonoff can be found on their Official Website for $11.90. Not bad for a device with these features and performance. But if you have reached this point I have a gift for you. And is that the friends of Sonoff have given me a discount coupon for ALL products on their Official Website and so you can buy all their equipment with a 10% discount in addition to any current offer. I hope you don’t miss it. Below is the direct link to this device and the lifetime coupon for an extra 10%.
🔗Sonoff SNZB-03P
🎁10% Discount with the Code: AXLMSONOFF
Conclusions
We have reached the end of this analysis and I would like you to leave me a like if you liked this article. Share it with anyone who likes home automation and wants to start saving money on their lighting. If you need any specialized advice do not hesitate to contact me through our website or any of my social networks.
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Thank you very much for staying until the end. I send you a hug and I hope to see you soon.
