openHAB generally needs a Switch to send an ‘on/off’ message and a Contact to send an ‘open/closed’ message (these messages are sent from the device to openHAB behind the scenes), but sometimes you will find that a Thing you purchase is sending the opposite messages. In this case you must tell openHAB what message to expect from the device.

To tell openHAB that the messages are not what it expects by default, first access the S.A.R.A.H. Command Center here (from inside your home network). Next, load the home template you previously saved in the ‘Home Wizard’. If you have not yet created a home template, please follow the instructions here.

Once you have loaded the home template, find the Item in your template that is the device you wish to change (you can also add a new one to the appropriate room as needed). Just below the Item and to the right is a dropdown labeled ‘Binary mode’. Click the dropdown and select ‘SWITCH’ if you want the device to send ‘on/off’ or select ‘CONTACT’ if you want it to send ‘open/closed’.

Check the ‘Install config files’ option at the top of the page, if you want to activate the changes you just made, and click the ‘Save’ button.