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Before you post, here are some quick notes about the ring (Updated August 2019), that have been discussed in this forum:

- More important that anything else - AYLOR before you buy as YMMV
- There are two types of Ring Doorbells - those that are battery powered (Doorbell/Doorbell 2/View Cam), and those that are hardwired (Pro/Pro Elite)
- Disabling the Wifi works to prevent recordings, and disabling motion zones won't alert you, but most people still think that ring will still be triggered on by motion
- There are many tools with modern Wi-fi routers - Circle, Google Wi-fi, etc that enable you to cut off your rings Wi-Fi on a schedule or manually
- If you have a hard-wired Ring, you can add a switch to the circuit to completely turn it off before Shabbos
- Some people have a manual switch, others have added a programmable relay.
- Other people cover the doorbell

« Last edited by Yonah on August 05, 2019, 10:34:35 AM »

Author Topic: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos  (Read 70296 times)

Offline thaber

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #20 on: November 10, 2018, 10:40:52 PM »
Sheivet HaLevi 9:69 permits walking in an area where there is a motion sensor that will activate a light, such as those attached to the outside of buildings. He explains that davar she’eino mitkaven refers only to when one does an action that may cause an unintended melacha. If, however, one is walking normally and makes no motion in order for a melacha to occur, it is not even a psik reisha as long as one’s intent isn’t to turn on the light. Orchot Shabbat (p. 79) quotes Rav Elyashiv and Rav Nissim Karlitz who say that since one doesn’t have a direct connection to the melacha and doesn’t care about the light, it’s not called melechet machshevet. The Shabbos Home (p. 489) agrees.

Rabbi Mordechai Willig (“Halacha Engages Modernity Part 8,” min 50-60) challenges this line of reasoning because it should be considered a psik reisha d’nicha lei and turning on a light might be deoraitta. Furthermore, The 39 Melachos (p. 1215) says that if one can’t avoid walking in a place that will turn on a light because of a motion sensor and the streets are dark so that one will benefit from the light turning on, one shouldn’t leave his house! He does permit one to walk past such a motion sensor if he closes his eyes at the time when the light will turn on because in such a case then it is not considered niche lei, even if one will open one's eyes right afterwards.

On the other hand, Rabbi Hershel Schachter (“Electricity on Shabbos,” min 62-8) explains that if one is doing an action that is physically disconnected from where the melacha is occurring, it isn’t considered a psik reisha. Thus, Rav Schachter says that there’s what to rely on to permit walking in an area where there is a surveillance camera or a motion sensor which will turn on a light as long as one doesn’t have intent to be videoed or turn on the light.
This sheivet halevi is known, and considered a big chidush. Once it's something you benefit from that's a game changer. The common psak is to avoid known lights.
Cameras is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Offline how

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #21 on: November 11, 2018, 02:03:38 AM »
I might as well try again here...

Is there a way to program a camera system to shut off for 2 minutes an one random time each day or each week? Is there a outlet that can be programmed to shut off that way?

Offline thaber

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #22 on: November 11, 2018, 02:25:53 AM »
I might as well try again here...
You want random to avoid psik reisha? Why not set the system to not record on shabbos and turn off the monitor?

Offline how

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #23 on: November 11, 2018, 02:29:52 AM »
You want random to avoid psik reisha? Why not set the system to not record on shabbos and turn off the monitor?
they want it on 24/7

The monitor is off. On shabbos it records straight. Trying to find a way to get to shut off at a random time each week

Offline Zevi16

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #24 on: November 11, 2018, 03:44:21 AM »
Hello All,
I recently got a Ring doorbell but realized today that even if I turn off the motion alerts, the device will still record motion and will turn on when someone approaches it.  The only way I can find to turn off the motion detection is by turning off all the zones for motion detection in the "motion zones" section of the app.  Does anyone know of any easier ways to turn off motion detection that would allow me to put it on a schedule rather than having to remember to turn it off every shabbos?  TIA
Even setting the ring on the scheduled ‘motion on/off’ setting, it still has glitches and will record randomly. When fully off it won’t record.

Offline yitrap

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #25 on: November 11, 2018, 05:57:04 AM »
AYLOR.
My father told me ours said it doesn't have to be turned off cause you're running it to record potential robbers you don't care about the recordings of your family...
Before we asked we used a piece of duct tape - most of it covered not to be sticky - and just taped it from the back of the doorbell over the camera every Friday.

Offline stooges44

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #26 on: November 12, 2018, 09:58:26 PM »
Isn't is just the motion detection that's a problem? If so, I see in the app that you can disable the sensor just like searchguy can with the nest hello:

I use the Nest Hello, and there is an option to schedule the camera on/off, which is cool for Shabbos, it works automatically, then you can turn schedule on and off when you are away for Shabbos
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Offline Geshmak25

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #27 on: November 12, 2018, 10:15:20 PM »
Isn't is just the motion detection that's a problem? If so, I see in the app that you can disable the sensor just like searchguy can with the nest hello:

It still marks down the activity in the history log. Does that not matter?
PUTPAC = PITA

Offline Buruch

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #28 on: November 14, 2018, 04:32:09 AM »
Does the Ring siren automatically shut off after a certain amount of time? Where I live the break ins happen 99 percent on shabbos/Yom tov, so I don't want to disable it then.

Offline myi

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #29 on: November 16, 2018, 05:32:07 AM »
... uh... pull out one of the batteries before shabbos, and you should be good :)
Or stick with the old wired door bell.
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Offline myi

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #30 on: November 16, 2018, 05:41:48 AM »
Hello All,
I recently got a Ring doorbell but realized today that even if I turn off the motion alerts, the device will still record motion and will turn on when someone approaches it.  The only way I can find to turn off the motion detection is by turning off all the zones for motion detection in the "motion zones" section of the app.  Does anyone know of any easier ways to turn off motion detection that would allow me to put it on a schedule rather than having to remember to turn it off every shabbos?  TIA
I picked one up not long ago, but ever since I took it out of the box I never ended up wiring it to the existing bell due to my intercom which I would lose, unless there's a way to connect my intercom to the bell as well on the Ring2 or newer models.
 Kept my camera on the counters and set the motion detection off, but to my surprise I still saw all the activity, so been twisting the camera backwards facing the wall now and back around after shabbos.
 Good thing I didn't install it yet.
 Is there anyone here who had an intercom which was connected to the bell and was lost after using the ring doorbell? Or you guys just wired up a 2nd bell and bought the chime, while leaving the existing doorbell with the intercom?   
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Offline Yonah

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #31 on: November 26, 2018, 01:18:24 PM »
Not a wiring expert, but I can imagine you can wire up the bell in parallel with your intercom, the caveats would be:

- If someone presses the ring button, you'd get notified through the app and not the intercom.
- If someone presses the intercom button, you'd be able to speak with them through the intercom and ring would probably capture them with motion sensing.

I assume your intercom is one with a pushbutton for opening the door, or else, you could simply use ring to figure out who was outside

Offline NYHeel

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #32 on: December 07, 2018, 10:35:38 AM »
You can just turn off all of the motion detection zones before Shabbos and it won't detect any motion. Problem solved.

Offline Geshmak25

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #33 on: December 07, 2018, 12:40:13 PM »
You can just turn off all of the motion detection zones before Shabbos and it won't detect any motion. Problem solved.
Yes that was mentioned but OP was looking for a better option that can be scheduled.
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Offline avromie7

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #34 on: December 07, 2018, 12:54:35 PM »
Yes that was mentioned but OP was looking for a better option that can be scheduled.
Look into creating a scheduled task with ITTT (If This Then That) or a similar program.
I wonder what people who type "u" instead of "you" do with all their free time.

Offline Buruch

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #35 on: January 07, 2019, 05:43:02 AM »
Just a heads up for anyone buying the ring system. The contact sensors for doors and windows can't be turned off once enabled unless you open and remove the batteries. Even if you disconnect them from the system, so they don't trigger the alarm or chime, they still flash a light every time the door or window is opened.
If anyone figured out an easier way around removing the battery, please share.

Offline stooges44

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #36 on: January 07, 2019, 10:32:21 AM »
Just a heads up for anyone buying the ring system. The contact sensors for doors and windows can't be turned off once enabled unless you open and remove the batteries. Even if you disconnect them from the system, so they don't trigger the alarm or chime, they still flash a light every time the door or window is opened.
If anyone figured out an easier way around removing the battery, please share.

that is precisely what this thread has concluded several times.
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #37 on: January 08, 2019, 01:19:21 AM »
that is precisely what this thread has concluded several times.
Curios if he read the thread or found a thread which has the same question he was about to ask and asked?
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Offline Buruch

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #38 on: January 08, 2019, 04:23:21 AM »
that is precisely what this thread has concluded several times.

No, that thread is talking about the doorbell/ cameras. I'm talking about the contact sensors.

Offline sr

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Re: Disabling Ring doorbell for shabbos
« Reply #39 on: April 02, 2019, 01:47:41 PM »
Yes that was mentioned but OP was looking for a better option that can be scheduled.
I have Google WiFi routers so I thought scheduling the Doorbell for no access with Family WiFi would be the perfect hands-off scheduled solution... It does work beautifully to stop all recording automatically, however, I noticed that on the Ring 2, there are IR (night-vision) lights that still seem to go on automatically... Anyone know any way around that?