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Installation Guide

Pre-release documentation. CeilSense Mini has not been officially released yet. The design, specifications and firmware can still change until release. Check ceilsense.nl for the current planning.

This guide takes you from preparing the ceiling to a CeilSense Mini that shows up in Home Assistant. You can mount the Mini in two ways: recessed in a cut-out, or on the surface with a mounting plate.

Safety: CeilSense Mini is for indoor use only. It has no mains connection and cannot run on mains.

Read the placement advice at the end of this page before you cut or drill. The Quick Start shows how to test the device on the table before it goes on the ceiling.

Choose Your Mounting

Recessed Surface
Best for A ceiling with a cavity above it, such as plasterboard, wood or sheet material Solid concrete, or a ceiling without space above it
Hole Ø 68 mm cut-out No large hole: only the cable needs to pass through
Held by Spring clips A mounting plate on the ceiling
Space above the ceiling 23.15 mm, plus plugs and cables Installation depth does not matter

Dimensions to Check

Measurement Value
Cut-out Ø 68 mm
Recessed body Ø 67 mm
Visible cap Ø 68.1 mm
Outer rim Ø 85.61 mm
Depth above the ceiling surface 23.15 mm, plus plugs and cables
Height below the ceiling surface 20.48 mm
Maximum ceiling thickness Not published yet, follows at release
Surface-mounted Ø 68.1 mm × 57.78 mm high, including the 20 mm extension ring

The room needed for plugs and cables depends on the connection. For recessed mounting, measure the free space above the ceiling before you start.

Have These Ready

  • For recessed mounting: a hole saw in the exact size for the right material, with a compatible arbor and pilot drill
  • For surface mounting: fixings suitable for your ceiling
  • A suitable drill
  • Tape measure and pencil
  • Cable and pipe detector
  • Stable stepladder
  • Safety glasses, suitable dust extraction, and hearing and respiratory protection as specified
  • CeilSense Mini in the mounting version you chose, plus the power supply and cables you need

Check Before Drilling

  • Locate cables, pipes and structural parts. A detector alone cannot rule out every risk.
  • Use dust extraction, especially with concrete.
  • Reusing a spotlight hole? Measure the opening and the space above it. A hole made for CeilSense V1 is 68 mm, the same size as the Mini cut-out.
  • Removing a spotlight? Switch off the circuit first, and leave mains work and verifying that the circuit is dead to a qualified installer. The Mini cannot use the spotlight wiring.

Prepare by Ceiling Type

Plasterboard With a Cavity

Use a hole saw suitable for plasterboard. First check the clearance above the board for the sensor, plugs and cables. Cut through the board only, not its supporting structure. Plastered concrete is not a plasterboard ceiling.

Wooden Ceilings or Sheet Materials

Choose a hole saw suitable for the material. Check the cutting depth and whether the arbor fits your drill. Use rotary drilling without hammer action and follow the manufacturer's speed instructions. Leave beams and other structural parts intact.

Solid Concrete

Choose surface mounting. It needs no large recessed opening. Use a suitable concrete drill bit, wall plugs and screws for the fixings.

Want to recess the Mini into concrete anyway? Have a specialist assess the structure, the drilling position and the diamond core drilling. Do not drill through reinforcement or prestressing tendons yourself.

Choose Your Power

Power Cable to the ceiling Network Best for
USB-C USB-C cable, 5 V, at least 1 A WiFi, or Ethernet once that firmware is available An existing USB supply, or testing
PoE (IEEE 802.3af) Ethernet cable from a PoE switch or injector Ethernet, firmware planned for release One cable for power and data

A USB-C supply is not included. The current firmware is WiFi only, so for now you use USB-C. Ethernet without PoE will work too: use the cable for data and power the sensor from USB-C. See Network Configuration.

No mains. CeilSense Mini cannot run on mains, so the wiring of an old spotlight cannot power it. You need a USB-C cable or a network cable at the mounting spot.

Route the Cables

  • RJ45 and USB-C are on the ceiling side of the sensor, so the cable has to reach the mounting spot.
  • Recessed: pull the cable through the cut-out before you fit the sensor, and leave enough length to connect it comfortably.
  • Recessed with UTP? Add the length of the plug to the depth.
  • Surface: only the cable needs to pass through. Plan where it reaches the mounting plate before you fix the plate.

Recessed Mounting

Make the Cut-Out

  1. Mark the center of the position with a pencil.
  2. Check the spot with the detector.
  3. Cut a Ø 68 mm hole. Keep the drill straight and use dust extraction.

The maximum ceiling thickness for the Mini is not published yet. It follows at release.

Fit the Sensor

  1. Make sure the power is off.
  2. Connect the cable to the matching connection on the ceiling side.
  3. Press the spring clips in.
  4. Push the sensor into the cut-out.
  5. Release the clips. They hold the sensor against the ceiling.
  6. Check that the outer rim sits flat against the ceiling.

Surface Mounting

Surface mounting uses a mounting plate on the ceiling. It needs no large hole and also works on concrete. Surface-mounted, the Mini is Ø 68.1 mm × 57.78 mm high, including the 20 mm extension ring.

  1. Mark the position with a pencil.
  2. Check the spot with the detector.
  3. Bring the cable to this spot.
  4. Fix the mounting plate to the ceiling with fixings suitable for your ceiling. On concrete, use a suitable concrete drill bit, wall plugs and screws.
  5. Make sure the power is off and connect the cable to the matching connection on the ceiling side of the sensor.
  6. Fit the sensor on the mounting plate.

Step-by-step photos of surface mounting follow at release.

First Start

Switch on the power.

  • The LED ring shows a rainbow during start-up. It fades out when WiFi and the light sensor are ready, at most about 20 seconds after power-on. After that it is off until you use it.
  • The buzzer stays silent.
  • WiFi firmware opens the setup network CeilSense Mini Setup. Follow the WiFi steps in Network Configuration.
  • Presence shows unknown until both radars have reported.

Add to Home Assistant

  1. Open Home Assistant and go to Settings > Devices & services.
  2. ESPHome devices are discovered automatically. Select CeilSense Mini and add it.
  3. If it does not appear, find the IP address in your router and add it through Add integration > ESPHome. The ESPHome connection uses the standard port 6053.

Placement Advice

  • Place the sensor centrally in the room.
  • At a 2.7 m ceiling, count on a ground radius of about 4 m for movement and about 3 m for sitting still with LD2412 or LD2460, and about 3 m all around with LD6002B. See Radar and Sensor Modules.
  • mmWave can notice small moving objects such as pets, fans and moving curtains. Aim for the area where people are.
  • Mirrors, metal furniture and windows can reflect the radar. Keep them in mind when you choose the spot.
  • Radar can see through thin walls. If a wall is close, plan for tighter settings in Calibration.
  • CeilSense Mini is not rated for wet rooms.

Next Steps