Wired recessed door contacts connect to the security panel through terminals or leads, so installers must route and terminate cable during the door or frame installation. Wireless recessed door contacts use a battery and radio communication, which can reduce cabling work, but they must be enrolled with a compatible security system and checked for communication during setup.

Before drilling, confirm that the contact suits the door material, since some recessed door contacts support wood or vinyl, while steel-door models use a larger magnet designed to work through steel. Check the required hole diameter and depth, such as a three-quarter-inch hole for some door sensors or an 11/16-inch hole with a 2 1/4-inch sensor depth and 5/8-inch magnet depth for another design, then align the contact and magnet within the specified gap.

Recessed door contacts can suit steel doors when they use a larger magnet designed to penetrate the metal and activate the contact, such as contacts made for commercial and industrial steel-door applications. For wood or vinyl doors, choose a contact designed for those materials, and confirm the required hole size, mounting depth, magnet gap, and security-system compatibility before installation.

Recessed door contacts connect to wired alarm panels through terminals or leads, with the contact and magnet installed in the door and frame so the panel can monitor open and closed conditions. Wireless versions pair with a compatible security panel or receiver and communicate door status over the system’s wireless network, so verify panel compatibility before installation.