Installing Coop Climate Sensors

The Coop Climate Sensor is a small wireless device that does three jobs in one: it reports whether a door or window is open or closed, the ambient temperature, and the relative humidity. One device, three readings, one mounting location.

What it does

• Open/closed contact — the sensor pairs with a small magnet half. When the door or window is closed, the magnet is near the sensor and the contact reads closed. When the door swings or slides open, the magnet moves away and the contact reads open. The contact works on any door geometry — hinged, sliding, vertical, horizontal.
• Temperature — every few minutes, the sensor publishes the ambient temperature at its location.
• Humidity — published alongside temperature on the same schedule.

Each sensor is its own atmospheric reading point. A sensor on a south-facing window tells you the south wall’s conditions; a sensor on a nest box lid tells you what the birds feel at nest height.

Mounting on a human door or window

Pick a door you want to know about — the human-entry door to the coop, a coop window, a nest box lid, a hatch, or a run gate. The mounting pattern is the same in each case.

1. Place the sensor body on the fixed frame, oriented so the side of the sensor with the small molded notch faces the door or window panel.
2. Place the magnet half on the moving panel directly across from the notch. The two pieces should sit within a quarter-inch of each other when the door is closed.
3. Secure both halves with the included metric screws or with the adhesive backing if you prefer not to drill into the frame. The screws are the more durable choice; the adhesive is convenient on smooth interior surfaces.

When the door closes, the magnet half should swing or slide so it ends up immediately next to the sensor body. When it opens, the magnet half should move at least an inch or two away.

Mounting on a coop wall as a temperature-and-humidity reading point

If you want a temperature and humidity reading from a spot in the coop that does not have a door, mount only the sensor body — leave the magnet half in its packaging or use it elsewhere. With no magnet present, the sensor reports open permanently, which is fine for a wall-mounted reading point; the Portal will show it as an always-open sensor, and the temperature and humidity readings are independent of contact state.

When you mount on a coop wall:

• Use the included non-conductive isolation pad between the sensor body and a metal surface. The pad keeps the sensor’s antenna from being detuned by the coop’s structural metal, and it protects the housing from a cold or wet surface.
• Avoid direct sunlight if the sensor will see it through a window or vent — direct sun warms the sensor body itself and biases the temperature reading high.
• Keep the sensor inside the coop. The Coop Climate Sensor is not rated for unsheltered outdoor exposure.

Pairing confirmation

The Coop Climate Sensor pairs automatically with the Controller — there is no button to press. After you mount the sensor and the Controller is plugged in and online (solid green on the Controller’s status lights), open the Portal. Within one to two minutes, the sensor should appear under your Controller’s device list, showing temperature, humidity, and contact state.

If the sensor does not appear after a few minutes, see Sensor not reporting.

Last updated: 2026-05-14.