Z-Wave extender with Fibaro Dimmer 2?

[Guest berga_s]

Hi,        

I'm looking for a Z-Wave range extender.

I have the HC2 at the top of a building with 4 floors and I would like to reach with z-wave network the garage at the ground floor.

I've tried with the range test function of Fibaro wall plug and I see that no signal is present in the garage.

I've tested the Fibaro wall plug in the balcony outside the house that is upper the garage and of course there is the direct coverage.

Now I've bought a new wall plug because I would like to test if with one Fibaro wall plug outside the house in the balcony and one in the garage the signal will be present (should be because is just 15-20 meters of free space).

 

If this test will be successful, I'm thinking to install in the waterproof wall case outside the house in the balcony a Fibaro Dimmer 2.

By the specs, this module is z-wave plus with 500 z-wave chip and should have around 50-60% more range coverage (also more than Fibaro wall plug).

 

Should be a good solution just to extend the range till the garage?

Can I install the dimmer 2 without linkage to lights and just to be included in the z-wave network to work as repeater?

[petergebruers 1,268]

FGD-212 requires a load. Otherwise it won't start. If you don't have a load, then you'll have to connect "bypass 2" as a load. It's been tested and it works.

To "guarantee" that your second proposal (the FGD) will work like the first (the plug) is impossible because of the nature of radio waves. Technically, the FGD will work as a repeater in about the same way as any other powered 2-Wave module. But if it's not in the same spot, the signal may suffer from interference and absorption. Or maybe it's the opposite, maybe the new location is even better. To Be Tested.

I think it may be beneficial to have more devices in the mesh. In my case, I have two indirect connections to the garden shed. I didn't design it that way, it's just where the "repeaters" (Fibaro Relays) happen to be...

[Guest berga_s]

Thanks petergebruers!

So for FGD-212 (Dimmer 2), I should connect a "bypass 2" as load... where I should connect it in the module (wiring diagram)?

 

I'm not sure to understand the second point of your answer... If the test with two wall plug (one in the balcony and one in the garage) work well, why should not work with a FGD-212 in the same place in the balcony and other modules in the garage?
Offcourse the modules in the garage will work routed by FGD-212 in the balcony.
In theory the FGD-212 is Z-Wave plus with a better coverage range should work better than wall plug, isn'it?

Instead to use a FGD-212 + baypass 2 as a repeater, is there any other Fibaro module with Z-Wave plus certification?
I mean something more easy than FGD-212 that non need a load to work (i.e. Relay Switch).