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Note: I am torn between posting this here, SE DIY or SE IoT. Since this is related to powering on my smart devices and the electrical connection I need to use, I finally settled down on SE EE. Please let me know if this is out of scope and I will move it somewhere else

I have a Nuki Smart Lock and I want to do exactly what the manual says not to do:

enter image description here

I would like the USB cable to cross the frame of the door by using a "connector" - a device that would have a set of bare metal endings on both side that can touch and provide a closed circuit, and be disconnected when the door is open. The connector on the Nuki is a USB-C.

My main problem is that I do not know how such device is called in English (now that I think of it I could also post at SE English Learners :)).

Is there a standard way for a USB-C cable to be split that way?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Why not have a longer cable cross the door frame over its top and then come in from the left as intended? \$\endgroup\$
    – user107063
    Commented Jul 2, 2023 at 14:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ Even if such a thing that allows sliding contacts to pass/slide from door frame to door when closed, surely it will exist outside the scope of it being an USB connection. You simply seem to want 5V power, not USB? \$\endgroup\$
    – Justme
    Commented Jul 2, 2023 at 14:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Justme: yes, I need power, but I think that USB also provides intelligent signaling and the Nuki may negotiate something with the charger. If this is not the case then yes, it is simply a matter of 5V and a USB plug on the device side \$\endgroup\$
    – WoJ
    Commented Jul 2, 2023 at 15:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @user107063 for two main reasons: the first one is that the cable will need to be glued/attached somehow to the frame and it will not be particularly aesthetical (I have a Chief Home Officer to appraise), and then this cable will be constantly under stress when the door open /closes (even if I allow a loose loop). These may not be very good reasons but I wanted to explore the gapped connection anyway. My door is placed in such a way that the cable would need to go up, right, up (that parts is the loose one as it connects the door and the wall), left, down and left. Quite a ride. \$\endgroup\$
    – WoJ
    Commented Jul 2, 2023 at 15:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @WoJ If it simply wants 5V from charger and it's standard USB (not Type-C) it cannot and will not communicate anything with the charger. \$\endgroup\$
    – Justme
    Commented Jul 2, 2023 at 15:03

2 Answers 2

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I did a simular thing with my door and I used thin enamelled copper wires sandwiched between two adhesive tapes (the isolating ones).

One thing to watch out for: These copper wires have isolation varnish which could lead you into thinking that you can stick them on bare metal. But as this varnish has a lot of small defects, you will get shorts. So you need isolation on bare metal door frames. I learned this the hard way. 😀

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Unfortunately, essentially all consumer-grade smart locks are junk.

  • If this is your home, then you don't need a smart lock. They are much easier to open than a decent mechanical lock. Some of them are so bad that it takes seconds to open them without much in the way of special tools, maybe a piece of steel wire. Sometimes you look at them wrong and they open.

  • If this is a rental property, look at commercial product suppliers and buy a commercial-grade lock. They are not cheap, but they should be reliable, last a long time, and cannot be opened with a carrot.

If you insist on using such a lock - and it is IMHO a terrible idea - you should install an outlet on the hinge side of the door opening. It will then accommodate any future lock upgrades etc.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ If this is your home, then you don't need a smart lock well, your use case is not the use case of everybody else on Earth. I find my smart lock short amazing and extremely useful. If you think that it is easier to breach than a normal lock then you do not know much about how thieves operate. Not to mention that if you use something like a Nuki you do not change your insert. \$\endgroup\$
    – WoJ
    Commented Dec 1 at 14:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ While I agree 100% with the answer, it does not try to answer the question and solve OPs problem. Not a huge fan of "frame challenge". \$\endgroup\$
    – pipe
    Commented Dec 1 at 14:09

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