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How do I connect motion detectors and reed switches to Satel and Home Assistant?

jdukat 3204 14
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  • #1 21145353
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    Hello,
    Can someone give me some advice on how I can connect motion detectors and reed switches to two receivers?

    The idea is that in my new house I plan to have an alarm installation (probably on Satel devices) and a smart home installation independent of the alarm, based on a home assistant.
    Why separately: the home assistant is a hobby project of mine, it will be done in such a way as to help around the house, but in the event of an emergency everything must also work manually.
    The alarm, on the other hand, must be a simple and reliable installation, which can be serviced by an external company if necessary without having to figure out what the author has carved out in the home assistant.

    However, since the house will already be armed with motion detectors and reed switches for the alarm system, it would be nice to use the same detectors also for light control and other automation. I would like Home Assistant to be able to read out the statuses of all detectors and reed switches.

    The solutions I can think of now are:
    (a) programming the outputs of the control panel and transmitting them to the inputs of the Home Assistant, e.g. via such a device: https://www.kincony.com/esp32-board-16-channel-relay-hardware.html
    Except that there are 16 digital inputs here, and is it possible to connect the control panel outputs to them?
    b) reading the status of the detectors via some API from the control panel, but I'm afraid this will work too slowly. Satel's integration with Home Assistant is based on this, it seems (I haven't had a chance to test it yet).

    The ideal option (c) would be to have the detectors wired directly to both devices (the control panel and e.g. that aforementioned KC868-A16 for digital inputs), but how to solve which device will feed the detector?
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  • #2 21145450
    nowypn
    Level 23  
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    Hello
    I don't know about home assistant but I know a little bit about satel and one of the possible options is to transfer the status of a satellite input to the output of the control panel - you haven't written which control panel you are thinking about and how many sensors (detectors, reed switches) you are going to use. In any case, satellite control panels can be expanded to 256 inputs and you can transfer the status of each input to 256 outputs (hypothetically, you still need to handle alarm signalling etc). The output of the Satel can be the signal source for the home assistant.
    Regards
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  • #3 21145453
    juan cabrillo
    Level 27  
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    You definitely need to power the detectors from the control panel - the control panel has to be alert even when the mains power is out (it has its own buffer power supply/battery backup).
    You only connect the detectors to one system - the control panel. From the control panel, you either output signals to the HA either physically (it is best to use dedicated output modules or relay output modules, if galvanic separation of the two systems is necessary, or OC output modules, if the active status is to be e.g. shorted to ground. And such outputs should be properly programmed), or virtually (API) - there are users in the alarm department who successfully test such applications.
    What kind of control panel do you want?
  • #4 21145466
    nowypn
    Level 23  
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    From what I have been able to read about the home assistant solution, it integrates the Satel Integra control panel via the ETHM-1 plus module by, among other things, reading the status of the control panel outputs. Therefore, it should be assumed that the integration will be able to see the statuses of the Integra control panel's virtual outputs and thus you will not need to install INT-O(output module) modules. If this information is confirmed, you program the alarm system so that it displays the sensor signals you need on its outputs, and in the home assistant you create automation using the integration and the possibility of using signals on control panel outputs.
  • #5 21145923
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    >>21145453 .

    This is exactly what I was thinking of doing as you write i.e. detectors powered from and connected to the control panel. I don't have an idea of the hardware possibilities of the outputs from the control panel (I haven't chosen a specific model yet), ideally the signal to the HA could be given as a digital input and not an analogue one.
    Do I need to pay attention to anything in particular when choosing a control panel, or will any one be better than others in this respect?

    The option of reading the API is what I wrote as point B above, certainly for consideration, only that I do not have the opportunity now to test it, hence my concern, and if I need to lay some additional cables then now I have time to do it :) .

    Added after 1 [minutes]: .

    >>21145450 .
    This will be a house installation, so the number of detectors is probably up to a dozen, reed switches similarly.
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    #6 21146035
    juan cabrillo
    Level 27  
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    Well, the number of available outputs of the control panel and the number of HA inputs you need rather limits the choice to Integra (Integra 32 has the possibility to support up to 32 outputs on the control panel board and in expansion modules, the same for Integra 64 - up to 64 outputs), maybe to Ropam's NeoGSM-IP-64, where there are up to 40 outputs (but Satel is much better described here on the forum :-) ).
    Of course the outputs can work, as digital.
  • #7 21146107
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    >>21146035 .
    Thanks, you've confirmed what I thought at the very beginning that this is how it can be done. Only I still don't know how to electrically connect it. I was thinking of using the KC868-A16 to read the inputs, but for the example of this diagram (digital inputs D01-D16) I assume that the digital output of the panel will go into the digital input Dxx, but what about the GDN?
    How do I connect motion detectors and reed switches to Satel and Home Assistant? .
    Or is it better, as you wrote above, to galvanically isolate the alarm and home assistant installation from each other via some additional module? I'm keen for a robust solution rather than micro savings in installation costs.
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    #8 21146556
    juan cabrillo
    Level 27  
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    There is no philosophy in connecting the low current outputs of the control panel to the HA inputs, you connect like any OC output - via a 1k to 2k2 resistor to the HA supply voltage. If the control panel is programmed properly, the active state is ground (of course, this does not necessarily have to be the case, it can be voltage). No intermediate modules are needed. See topic https://www.elektroda.pl/rtvforum/topic3634411.html
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  • #9 21147442
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    >>21146556 .
    This post what you have linked has brightened me up a lot, but unfortunately my electronics knowledge is still failing.
    From this post I understand that the programmed output from the control panel simply shorts to ground.
    In that diagram I posted above, the digital inputs of the Kc868 also work simply by shorting to ground.
    So directly connecting the output of the control panel to the input of the KC868 would cause the two devices to short to ground - probably not a good idea....
    In contrast, in such a circuit (image from the linked post):
    How do I connect motion detectors and reed switches to Satel and Home Assistant? .
    If I connect point A to the input of the KC868, I will have a current from the 12v supply at the input, even if limited by a resistor, still a current that will go nowhere? This also seems risky to me.... It looks like it might work if I connect A to an analogue input rather than digital?
  • #10 21147571
    juan cabrillo
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    If you are unsure of the connection with the power supply through the resistor then don't connect it. The HA control panel should be able to cope with this, just two small comments:
    - connecting the power supply removes the high impedance condition of the output, which can have an effect on the generation of interference, in extreme cases damaging the ports of both devices;
    - there are some devices which react not to "giving ground" but to "change of signal polarity at the input" and without power supply they simply do not work. But you can check this yourself empirically in your system during installation.
  • #11 21147611
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    >>21147571 .
    Ok, now you've scared me a bit. OK, in that case I guess I'll park the subject of "physical" connection on the cables, and try a software solution to this by integrating Integra with Home Assistant to start with. If that doesn't work, I'll go back to sculpting on the cables and explore the subject further. I'll let you know in a couple of months when I get the electricity hooked up on site and can start installing systems :) .
  • #12 21147632
    juan cabrillo
    Level 27  
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    Don't crack. It would have to be extremely adverse conditions plus potential errors in assembly. Nevertheless, you need to keep all this in the back of your mind and bear it in mind.
  • #13 21148287
    jdukat
    Level 2  
    Posts: 13
    >>21147632 .
    OK, but I'm a bit confused at the moment - which option seems to make the most sense, and does what I wrote in my previous post of 15.55 make sense? Because now I really don't know if I should consider the option with the power supply, or shorting the output of the control panel directly to the input of the kc868 (and then what about the ground connection from the kc868 - ignore it, or what?)
    I'm a bit afraid to experiment with the hardware because I don't know enough about electronics to judge whether a solution that temporarily seems to work in the long term won't cause damage.
  • #14 21562556
    Bart887
    Level 1  
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    Hi.
    I also had a similar dilemma and ended up reading I/O via ETHM-1 plus from the PBX (default assumption that Satel always works). Integration https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/satel_integra/ while with HA I put out bulk signals connected directly from the Satel PBX inputs. The intermediary is Kincony A16 HA -> Kincony A16 -> IO of the Satel PBX. Signals from HA to Satel are e.g. from Zigbee sensors (flood sensor or Zigbee opening sensor). This seems to me the most sensible way to do it. The two systems are somewhat independent with priority on the control panel.

    Edt. One more step by step link
    https://ai-speaker.discourse.group/t/integracja-z-satel-ai-speaker-home-assistant/102/7
  • #15 21562579
    xury
    Automation specialist  
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    There is absolutely no point in physically connecting any Satel Integra control panel sensors to the HA. This is what integration via the ETHM-1 Plus is for and it works superbly.
    Any delays are not the fault of the control panel and the ETHM-1 itself, but the very nature of the alarm sensors, which analyse the event for false alarms before activating motion detection. This can even be seen when the motion detection LED is activated.
    I myself use Satel's integration with HA. Not the official one, admittedly, but the one available in HACS, which allows temperature readings.
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion addresses integrating motion detectors and reed switches with a Satel alarm system and Home Assistant (HA) for dual use: reliable alarm functionality and smart home automation. The recommended approach is to connect all sensors directly to the Satel control panel, which powers and monitors them, ensuring alarm reliability and backup power. Sensor statuses can then be communicated to Home Assistant either via physical outputs from the control panel or through virtual outputs accessed via the Satel Integra ETHM-1 Plus Ethernet module integration. This integration allows HA to read sensor states without additional wiring or output modules. For physical signal transmission, outputs from the control panel (often open collector type) can be connected to HA inputs through resistors, but care must be taken to avoid ground loops or damaging ports; galvanic isolation is optional but not mandatory. The Integra 32 and Integra 64 panels support numerous outputs (up to 32 or 64 respectively), suitable for up to a dozen sensors and reed switches. Alternative panels like Ropam NeoGSM-IP-64 offer outputs but are less documented. Software integration via the ETHM-1 Plus is preferred for simplicity and robustness, avoiding complex wiring and potential electrical issues. Some users employ intermediate modules like Kincony A16 for signal interfacing. The official and community Satel integrations in Home Assistant (including HACS versions) provide reliable sensor status reading and additional features like temperature monitoring. Delays in sensor status updates are inherent to alarm sensor processing, not the integration itself. Overall, the best practice is to maintain the alarm system as a standalone, professionally serviceable installation, while leveraging its outputs or API for smart home automation in Home Assistant.
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FAQ

TL;DR: For Satel + Home Assistant, expose detector states from the alarm panel, not by dual‑wiring. Integra 32/64 offers up to 32/64 outputs, and “Of course the outputs can work, as digital.” This guide shows wiring and ETHM‑1 Plus options. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146035]

Why it matters: You get reliable security and fast automations without risky cross‑powering or flaky hacks, ideal for new builds and retrofits.

Quick Facts

Can I wire motion detectors and reed switches to both Satel and Home Assistant?

No. Wire sensors only to the Satel panel, then publish states to Home Assistant via outputs or API. “You only connect the detectors to one system – the control panel.” This avoids power conflicts and preserves battery‑backed reliability. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21145453]

Which Satel control panel fits many HA‑visible signals?

Use Satel Integra. Integra 32 supports up to 32 outputs; Integra 64 supports up to 64. Outputs are digital, so HA can consume them as on/off states. Ropam NeoGSM‑IP‑64 offers up to 40 outputs, but Integra is better documented in the discussed context. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146035]

What’s the safest physical method to feed detector states into HA?

Program OC outputs on the Satel. Tie each OC to the HA input through a 1k–2k2 pull‑up to the HA supply. The active state pulls to ground. This is simple, avoids backfeeding the panel, and keeps signals digital. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146556]

Do I need galvanic isolation between the alarm and HA systems?

Not strictly. Correctly wired OC outputs to HA inputs work fine. If you require separation, use relay output modules or dedicated output expanders for clean isolation between systems. Program outputs appropriately for stable logic. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21145453]

Is ETHM‑1 Plus integration fast enough for lights and automations?

Yes. Users report excellent performance. Any delay usually comes from motion sensors’ internal anti‑false‑alarm processing, not the panel or ETHM‑1. That delay matches the LED indicator behavior on many PIRs. [Elektroda, xury, post #21562579]

How do I mirror zone states to HA without adding INT‑O modules?

Create virtual outputs on Integra and map zones to those outputs. ETHM‑1 Plus exposes output states to Home Assistant, so HA automations can directly consume them. This avoids extra hardware. [Elektroda, nowypn, post #21145466]

How should I connect grounds when using a Kincony KC868‑A16?

Treat the Satel output as OC. Use a pull‑up resistor to the HA/KC868 supply so the OC sinks to GND on active. This makes a clean digital input for A16 and avoids driving voltage into the panel. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146556]

How should I power the detectors for best reliability?

Power all detectors from the alarm control panel. The panel includes a buffer power supply and battery, so sensing continues through mains outages and service events. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21145453]

Can I send HA events (e.g., Zigbee flood) back into the Satel panel?

Yes. One approach is HA → Kincony A16 outputs → Satel panel inputs. This lets Zigbee or other HA signals arm zones, trigger outputs, or log events in Satel while keeping panel priority. [Elektroda, Bart887, post #21562556]

Is dual‑wiring detectors to two systems ever recommended?

No. It risks power conflicts and troubleshooting problems. Best practice is one system for sensors, then share states. “You only connect the detectors to one system – the control panel.” [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21145453]

How do I expose Satel zone states to HA via ETHM‑1? (3‑step how‑to)

  1. In Integra, program virtual outputs and map each zone to an output.
  2. Ensure ETHM‑1 Plus is on the network and authorized.
  3. In Home Assistant, add the Satel Integra integration and build automations on those outputs. [Elektroda, nowypn, post #21145466]

What is an OC (open‑collector) output in this context?

An OC output is a transistor that sinks current to ground when active. Add a pull‑up resistor to your logic supply so the input reads HIGH when idle and LOW when active. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146556]

What’s an edge case that could damage ports?

Backfeeding or removing high‑impedance conditions by mis‑powering outputs can inject noise and, in extreme cases, damage ports. Test carefully if a device expects polarity changes rather than simple grounding. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21147571]

How many sensors are typical in a single‑family home?

Approx. a dozen PIRs and a similar number of reed switches is common for a house‑scale installation, based on user planning notes. [Elektroda, jdukat, post #21145923]

Should I use analog inputs on KC868 for Satel signals?

Use digital inputs. With an OC output plus a pull‑up resistor, you get a clean digital state change that HA can read reliably. Analog adds complexity without benefit here. [Elektroda, juan cabrillo, post #21146556]

What is ETHM‑1 Plus and why is it useful?

ETHM‑1 Plus is Satel’s Ethernet module that exposes panel states, including outputs, to external systems. Home Assistant reads these for fast, reliable automations. [Elektroda, nowypn, post #21145466]
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