My First week on Fibaro

[Lifad 1]

My first week with Fibaro:

 

I previously had MyFox for my security system and Home Automation.  Its not a bad system for a beginner, its very easy to use and set up but is quite limited and I really did not like that I can not integrate things like Sonos, Philips Hue, Samsung TV etc, I want one system to control all of that or at least integrate features of those systems.  I also found that they do not use Z-Wave but Chacon/Di-O which I find incredibly unreliable, units like light switches and light fittings fail all the time, I even had a power cut that reset the whole system and deleted the lot. 

 

I looked around and Fibaro seems the most amazing and most adaptable. As a consumer who does not know coding etc, I should have done my research a little better.  The adverts on youtube show some incredible stuff that you just can not do on MyFox and it all looks so easy.

 

That is not really the case.

 

So, I received the unit on Monday along with a door sensor, movement sensor, smoke alarm and one power plug.  My plan after this is set up and running as a security system, I will then start replacing all the light switches, light fittings and electric sockets.

 

Set up was simple, the box was plugged in and connected to the router. I had to set up a user account and also an account at

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so that I can access from the outside via the app etc. Simple.

 

I then added the sensors. My first problem.  Whilst the process is simple enough, there are a LOT of options to each module you add. Great, more choice, in fact way more choice than what I had with MyFox.  However, options can be a little baffling and the advanced user manual as found on the fibaro.com website is out of date.  Options have been added, removed, moved, or changed and the Advanced user manual has not been kept up to date. 

 

With all sensors added, I wanted to then set the system as an alarm. So, each sensor has some talk of the alarm, you have the option to set a delay for arming and disarming the system. Simple. But this seems to be all. There is a section in ‘Panels’ on the Home Control site. But this offers only integration into DSC and Satel security or a modular system by Fibaro, which again does not make much sense and it seems they are dropping support for it anyway.

 

With a lot of fiddling about and I am not sure what we did in the end, the alarm seemed to work, but needed some adjustments.

 

I called Fibaro and asked how I simply set up the alarm.  The response was ‘just add the sensors and the time limits and it will work’ I decided from this, to start from scratch, deleted everything and started again. But the apps on the ipad and iphone when you click on the icon for alarm, just replies that there is no option for alarm.  When I spoke to fibaro they said then that I could create a ‘Scene’ for the alarm. It did not really matter what way I did it.

 

So now, I am stuck with the alarm.  Am I missing something here? Why is this so complicated?

 

I want to remove my old system, but a week later, I am still using the old system because I just can not figure out how to set the system as an alarm.

 

My next issue and this is a big one, another as to why I can not set the system as an alarm, is because half the time I can not even access the system via the iPhone or iPad app.  I would say 60% of the time, when I try to do this, it just comes up with a connection error either via the app or via

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.  I can however access via the address of the box when I am on the home network.  I have opened all the ports to see if this will work but changes nothing.  I returned home Friday and the app was not working, I called Fibaro and within a couple of minutes while talking to them, the app started working.

 

I thought, well I am talking to the professionals here, so he can help me anyway.  I explained this situation and his response was ‘well I can access it fine, so I don’t see the problem’.  I explained that it had just started working again but perhaps he could check and see what the problem could be.  ‘I don’t know, maybe take it to your friends home and connect it there and see if the same problem occurs’.  REALLY?????

 

I have another week left to make up my mind, but more and more I am thinking to just send the lot back and either go back to MyFox or go to another system….or maybe get some help and get this system up and running. 

 

On paper, Fibaro is incredible, on the youtube vids its amazing. In reality….is it really that simple? 

[Cafun 13]

Well.. No.. It's not that simple.

But.. I have to say I now have a pretty stable alarmsystem which is also managing my lights in my house.

 

What I have so far:

• Alarmsystem witch multiple scene's to arm a part of the system, or the whole system (motion sensors when I am not at home). I use a tablet to disarm the alarm when I enter my house.
• Turn off lights when alarm is armed.
• Pushmessage when there is a fire or high CO level detected (well I guess I get a pushmessage, luckly I never had it).
• Led strips to let me know if the alarm is armed and if it is fully armed or partial (only door/window sensors).
• Turn on one light in livingroom and one light on driveway when it is sunset.
• Turn all lights on in livingroom when it is sunset and motion detected.
• Turn on lights in hallway, kitchen, bathroom when it is sunset and motion detected. When there is no motion for 5 minutes, it will turn off.
• Pushmessage when wash machine is ready, based on watt consumption.
• Pushmessage when dryer machine is ready, based on watt consumption.
• Play music on my SONOS Play 1 when I enter my kitchen between 6 and 7 PM.
• Turn on fan when humidity in bathroom is above 70%. Turn it off when it's below 60%

I think I've got them all.. In the future I most likely expanding the system.
Sure, I had my problems with Fibaro. I also had moments I regret my choose for Fibaro, but now I am happy with it.

I now have 38 physical devices, 17 Virtual Devices and 44 scenes.
 

[Lifad 1]

Cafun! First, thank you! It is possible then!

Your set up is exactly what I'm looking to do! Almost to the t! Alarm fully set and partially set and able to do on the tablet on the wall. Now I don't expect you to sit and write instructions but would you mind pointing me in the right direction? How did you find or figure out how to do this? I've looked all over and even the e-learning of fibaro and I'm getting nowhere!

[Cafun 13]

You're welcome!

 

I started with some basic block scenes. Then switched to the Lua based.

I found out really quickly I can't do all with block scenes. I searched on this forum a lot (and still do!). There are a lot of great people here who always willing to help.

I am a Fibaro user for about 10 months. Started with one led strip, one motion sensor and a thermostat with actuator (forgot the thermostat to mention it in my previous post!). Now I am moved to my new house and expanded my home automation system.

So it's not that I "programmed" everything in one month or so. It really takes some time. And trial and error. First I did a restart of the HC2 daily.. But then I found an error in a Lua script and I don't have to restart my HC2 daily

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If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[Lifad 1]

Ok, one last question and again thank you....

To set up an alarm, both full and partial....I have looked in the forum and can not find, is there somewhere here or somewhere else, or another forum that can guide me in doing that? I feel a bit stupid and I don't want to hassle anyone. Just need a little push in the right direction

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[Lifad 1]

I need to call Fibaro tomorrow anyway, as I am still having issues connecting from outside...randomly. I hope they are a little more helpful tomorrow than they were friday....

[Lifad 1]

Ok, for future readers....not read fully yet, but I THINK this will work as a user guide for setting up the alarm:

 

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[HomeSystem.sk 69]

Hi Lifad,

Welcome to Fibaro.

 

First, you did not mentioned if you got the HCL or HC2. That may be the case of the ipod/ipad access problem. But as well - update the apps, the system... to the last version. That may help. As well set your DNS to 8.8.8.8. The remote access may be down sometimes, it used to happen a lot for me with HCL, but with HC2 works much much better.

 

Now the alarm - my advice to you is - dont go to LUA just jet. Take it step by step, adding devices is a good start. Now get to know the devices, the block scenes ... you will get good base for how it works - and the right thinking for LUA too. 

Try first something like - if there is a motion, turn on the wall plug. Then try something more complex - if there is a motion and the lux are lower than xy - turn on something... Really just play with it a bit, it is fun I promise.

 

Then, when you will understand the scenes, go to variables. Hard to explain, but variables helps a lot. Try to create a variable wall plug with values ON and OFF and add the changing of the variables to those scenes. You will get the idea.

 

And then go to alarm. Alarm with Fibaro does not have to be so difficult. I have it all set up only with the alarm panel and 3 scenes, one just for the LED blink red when I arm, one to blink green when i disarm and one for the behavior of alarm which is triggerd by time in past (so it never starts automaticly, only when i send any other trigger to it) - led blinking as police, siren starts,...

 

You dont really need more. Then you go to panels - alarm panel, then you create your partition and in advanced you chose what you want to happen when alarm is trigered. For  example notification... and at the end add your custom scene to it. That is, simple as that. 

I can lock my alarm by app, or i can simple arm any of my sensors... 

 

Few things before - you need to set your PIN in settings before

you need to have the sensors added

you need to have some actors for alarm - wall plug can turn on, or the notification...

 

It is easy, really, if you know the system at least a bit. I really recommend going slow to it, dont jump from beginning to alarm directly, take your time, it will be easier for you later on. And yes, Fibaro is simple, very simple, but you need to get to know the system, the ways it work. 

[Lifad 1]

Sorry, my bad. Its HC2. 

 

Thank you so much, I now have a working alarm

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/emoticons/default_icon_wink.gif" alt=";-)" /> a little bit of fiddling about but it's working. 8.8.8.8 also seems to have worked so far.  

 

LUA at the moment seems a bit beyond my reach, but I will have a play and see what else I can do.

 

Thanks again guys!

[HomeSystem.sk 69]

Kepp us updated of your progress, it is interesting to see how long it takes to get into Fibaro. I usualy say it takes a week to understand block scenes and a month to be confident with system (Except LUA). 

[Cafun 13]

It's like HomeSystem.sk said. First get to know the basics.

However, for the things I would like, I needed Lua. I think 5 of my scenes are block scenes and the rest (39) are Lua scenes.

For example, to receive a pushmessage when wash machine is done, you need Lua, because of the load changes of the wash machine.

 

Keep us updated of your progess!