Question

I am installing some outdoor wired speakers on my shop for music. Is there a way to also utilize them for an audible alarm? Smartthings hub is what I have. Thanks

Answer 1

Echo Dot has a headphone jack to use external speakers. Alexa Routines can notify you by voice when a SmartThings contact sensor is opened/closed or a motion sensor detects motion.  

Comments

@unclothe1851 ok so the simplest thing would be to Jack into the headphone jack with the echo. Do I need an Alexa too? And as an example I would say alexa if zone 1 is trigger play let the bodies hit the floor.  

---

@ghiselin "Alexa" is the name of the voice assistant that comes on the Echo. They are basically synonymous. "Echo" is the hardware and "Alexa" is both the voice trigger word and the name of the mobile application you use to set up Alexa Routines. * Get an Echo, install the Alexa app and add the Echo to your account * Add the SmartThings 'skill' to Alexa * Set up an Alexa routine Yes, you can make it say whatever you want based on SmartThings motion or contact sensors.  

---

@unclothe1851 thanks man. I think I should probably pay you lol. Ps I ordered the konnected board and some buck converters as you suggested for my motion sensors.  

---

@ghiselin and relays I hope? Connecting 12v directly to the konnected board could fry it :)

---

You are also more likely to get smartthings-specific advice in the SmartThings Users Group

---

@unclothe1851 I am connecting the 12 volts to the buck converters and then sending 1 to 3 volts to the konnected board

---

@ghiselin ok, thats one way to do it I suppose. you should really use relays though.  

---

Buck converter was for powering the zwave sensor without a battery

---

Ok. This just seemed simpler. And these seem to safe

---

It's not simpler electronically. Relays make sure things are isolated. Power from the driveway receiver "never touches" your konnected. io. Relays have 2 sides - the driveway sensor "side" that you hook 12v to. and the konnected side. When the driveway side gets 12v, it just actuates an electromagnet that closes a circuit on the other side. So the pins on the konnected board are 'shorted together' (thats how it 'knows the sensor is closed'. because it sees the same voltage on 1 pin as it does on the other. ) You are essentially just shoving voltage from your garage sensor to the konnected board pin. (albeit bringing the voltage down first) Anyway. good luck :). Hope you have a multimeter :)

---

I get you. So instead of using the receivers voltage it would supply its own voltage. which would isolate and maybe even lessen the strain on the reciever?  

---

@ghiselin yep

---

@unclothe1851 any relays you would recommend from Amazon?  

---

4-in-1 board .  
https://www.ebay.com/i/262612056810...ver=1

---

Ok so I take the 12 volt signal and wire into this relay. It opens or closes the relay and let's 12 volts through? Does it have a power supply? So I would still need the buck converters because konnected has to be less than 3 volts?  

---

Or is there a "step down" inside this relay?  

---

I thought you had it. :) Guess not.  No, it does NOT let any voltage through. Lets assume Side A of the relay has pins 1 and 2 Side B of the relay has pins 1 and 2  You connect side A pin 1 to receiver ground. Side A pin 2 to receiver output 1 (12v)  You connect side B pin 1 to konnected + voltage Connect side B pin 2 to konnected sensor input  When your receiver applies 12v to side A pin 2, it completes a circuit, and voltage "flows" between side A pins. This energizes an electromagnet. That electromagnet "connects" the two side B pins, making it 100% identical to you running a wire from the konnected voltage pin to the konnected sensor input pin. The konnected board now senses input on the input pin and "closes the sensor"  I recommend searching youtube for "how a relay works"

---

(I don't know if the konnected wants voltage (pull up) or ground (pull down) to detect "sensor closing". if it wants pull down, you just connect konnected ground to side B pin 1)

---

@unclothe1851 contact sensors are ground no voltage

---

Cool. Good to know!  

Answer 2

Becareful using music at a shop bud. There are ( or was ) people on the streets listening for shops playing copyright music or even free to air radio to a public space. As you need a license to so that allegedly. I was a shop owner and never got caught , but it can and does happen