Ring Mailbox sensor

Shockwave199

Shockwave199

Known around here
Mar 13, 2014
1,007
548
New York
Ring owners, this new sensor is great so far. It seems like a retrofit from a regular ring motion sensor with a hookup for the antenna. Seems like a packaging rush job to get this thing shipping. Lacks paper instructions. Weird. But I have to say, this thing is awesome. It's 65' to my mailbox and sucks when I go out for a useless trip, especially in shitty weather. No more! It's the next best thing to the old AOL you got mail lol.
 

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Could they have made that thing any bigger lol.

I assume their door/window sensor wouldn't work in a metal mailbox? What about a non-metal one?
 
I know right? It takes 3 AAA batteries so the size accommodates that. And yeah, a regular motion sensor doesn't cut it in a metal box. Signal can't get out. Tried it. Plastic maybe though. I put a room sensor in my glove box and it works but it's way closer to the base station.
 
Now if we can only figure out how to make it talk with BI to send a command to the PTZ to pan and zoom in to the mailbox!
 
So I got mine and got it put in - is there no way to make it "chime" the base unit when the sensor goes off? I get the notification on my phone, but would like the option to have the base unit chime as well.
 
I don't think it can do that. It might be able to make a custom announcement on Alexa or echo though. Phone is plenty for me.
 
Wonder why they used a pir when a simple reed sensor would have sufficed.
 
Exactly - in experimenting, at night unless you stick it on the door or they reach their hand in, the sensor doesn't pick it up. And the cable isn't long enough to get it to the back of the mailbox - the sensor would detect motion from back there. I don't want to stick it on the door and let some thief or some kid steal it, plus my mailbox is made out of some weird material that I don't want to drill into it.

And what is up with this bridge thing for this sensor and lights - would be nice if it were truly integrated with the alarm system and not need a secondary unit, but I guess they wanted to appeal to those without the alarm.
 
Yeah the bridge thing and forcing the MBS into a light group is weird. I have a feeling they will change that in the app though. I also have it linked to my doorbell so it records the whole event. Of course my real cameras get all that too. With the sensor being a rather large fat ass, the thing I'm waiting to see is how it goes when the box is stuffed to the brim with mail. With a lot of mail and a small box and /or bags that can happen sometimes. Then what, the door can't fully close because of the sensor. What if it's raining too? It would be up to the mail carrier to do the right thing at that point and bring the package to the door. My carriers tend to be lazy and stuff the box when they can. And I tend to be lazy too, which is why I got the MBS. I don't mind walking but not for wasted trips. And in this regard, I simply love this sensor, warts and all.
 
Yeah I am concerned about that as well - my mailbox is extended up past the door opening so I was able to tuck it up there so that if mail can fit in the box, this sensor will not block it, but then that means someone just opening the door in the middle of the night is not detected. May not be an issue for most and probably not for me either, but I would like to know if it were opened so I could check cams.
 
Do you have a pic of your mailbox? I don't get what you describe. Yes, aside from knowing you have mail it's for knowing when the box gets open at any time.
 
Too lazy to go outside LOL, but found an image of a similar camera on Google LOL. You can see that there is a "decorative top" above the door opening so I could tuck it up there because that is wasted space from a mail perspective so to speak as it is above the opening of the door, so a box that could fit in the mailbox cannot get thru the door opening LOL. So I tucked it up there looking straight down.

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Still curious about your actual install. Pics of it would be cool. Are you sure you won't get motion at night? That has to be some recess up in that roof to fit the bulbus sensor, man. These things are designed to optimally work being attached to the door for sure. One other pain that I can see with this thing is the batteries. It takes 3 AAA and I've had it installed since approx 11/10 and the batteries are down to 88%. That's almost 100% of it being activated twice a day- delivery and retrieval. As the cold weather takes hold here now I'll have to see how long the batteries last as cold temps definitely affect battery life. And that is why it's best to install the sensor on the door for easy access to change batteries when needed. Whoops, just got mail! I do love this thing though, lol!
 
I'll snap a pic when it tells me I have mail LOL. I just taped it to the inside roof looking down.

Yeah, I opened and closed it plenty of times at night. Would walk away and try again. The only time it would go off would be if I put my hand in it - but an open, look inside, close, nothing during the night.

I was concerned about battery life in cold conditions as well - may need to rewire for a solar charger lol.
 
So here is a poor quality picture LOL, but you can see how the roof inside the mailbox is like a recessed ceiling, so I can tuck it up there so that it doesn't interfere with any mail or packages that could fit through the mailbox opening.

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Tested it twice tonight - first time I opened and closed it, it triggered. 2nd time 30min later it did not.
 
@Shockwave199 - does your Ring app open up to the lights page (where the mailbox sensor is located lol)?

Ever since I added the mailbox sensor, the Ring app doesn't open up on the Dashboard, it opens on the lights page. I tried deleting cache, uninstall and install the app to no avail. Just a minor nuisance, but I would like it to open on the Dashboard and it isn't giving me that option?
 
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