How Do I Install a Wireless Door Sensor on a Sliding Patio Door?

You can install a wireless door sensor on a sliding glass by aligning the sensor and magnet so that they become separated when the door is slid open. If possible, the sensor should be placed on the stationary door frame, while the magnet should be placed on the moving portion of the door.

A wireless door and window contact consists of a sensor and a magnet. Inside the sensor is a reed switch. The reed switch activates when the sensor is separated from the magnet. This tells the sensor to send an alert to the alarm system to let it know that the door has been opened. The system will then respond based on the programming settings for that wireless zone.

A contact used with a sliding door follows the same principle as a contact used with a traditional door. The sensor must become separated from the magnet when the door is opened. And the sensor must be in contact with, or extremely close to, the magnet when the door is closed. This is necessary for ensuring the proper working order of the wireless door sensor.

Since the sensor is the more valuable piece of equipment, we generally recommend placing it on the stationary part of the door. Meanwhile, the magnet can be placed on the sliding door's moving portion. For sliding patio doors, it is usually easiest to mount the sensor and magnet using double-sided foam tap instead of screws. Please note that a double sliding door will typically require two sets of door sensors and magnets.

Complete the following steps to install a wireless door sensor to a sliding patio door:

1. Program the sensor. Follow the appropriate steps for the panel to enroll the wireless sensor. Adjust the settings as needed, and save the changes.

2. Mount the sensor. Use double-sided foam tape to mount the sensor to the stationary door frame. This should be a part of the door frame that is in very close proximity with the moving part of the sliding door when the door is closed. This could be the frame directly above the sliding door, or it could be off to the side.

3. Mount the magnet. Use double-sided foam tape to mount the magnet to the moving portion of the sliding door. Most door sensors require that the magnet is within a half-inch of the sensor when the door is closed. Make sure to align the magnet with the sensor as be as possible when mounting the magnet.

4. Test the sensor. With the door closed and the system disarmed, check the panel to make sure that it does not display a fault for the wireless zone used by the sensor. Then open the sliding door and leave it open. Check the panel, and make sure that it shows that the zone has been faulted. Finally, close the door and make sure that the fault has been cleared.

If the zone becomes faulted when the door is opened and clears when the door is closed, then the sensor has been programmed and installed successfully. If not, readjust the positioning of the sensor and/or magnet and try again.