wall scene controllers: makes/models - good, bad or ugly experience -

[AutoFrank 372]

Hi All

 

There have been a number of threads going back a while on scene controllers/masters. These are mainly wireless zwave devices such as the latest Remotec ZRC90,  GE 45631 Zwave controller keypad or the cooper aspire keypad, anything that is available with the europe frequency. (excluding remotes lime the octan nodon, minimote, philio button and swipe for now)

 

The post is an invitation for people to share their experience (good, bad and downright ugly) with these types of devices. hopefully we can get to a list of devices like we have IP cameras and other HA devices.

 

Now - who wants to go first

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Thanks

-Frank

 

 

 

 

[patfel 0]

wow, it's a pity this didn't get any resopnses!

[kunoch 27]

I use the following:

devolo wall switch (No. 09808,

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). There is no template available from Fibaro, but the default works ok, just keep in mind that button 3 and 4 are represented by button 5 and 6 in the default template. Confusing at first as it is represented with 8 buttons.

z-wave.me ( ZME_WALLC-D-KIT there is no presentation of this product on their homepage) 4 button wall switch, which is detected as Popp & Co: it is represented with 8 buttons and 1 to 4 are working as expected.

I use both as simple tiggers for scenes or with direct connection to the 'actor'. so far no problem. I only think the reaction is very slow, can take up to two 3 seconds for a reaction, even with direct connection to the actor.

design is average but ok (I do not care that much about it).

It would really be good to have a list with supported devices as it is always trial and error.

[Solvik 1]

This one works very good! 

 

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[jakub.jezek 350]

Using Nodon Wall switch and Nodon Octan. These work quite well.

 

With Nodon switches we replaced Wall Switches from Z-Wave Europe (POPP). Those Z-Wave Europe and Popp had quite a disadvantage. The did not have any paper strip protecting battery and customer brought them back for warranty few months after buying it, because of low battery level.

[Sankotronic 2,091]

I make order for one Remotec ZRC-90 to replace faulty Fibaro swipe. Will share my experience with it when I install it and start using it.

The rest remotes I use are two Fibaro Buttons, two KeyFobs and one Swipe. All working ok except one button and above mentioned swipe that was faulty from first inclusion.

 

 

[lennypenny 4]

I use only one Fibaro Button and for all other instructions, I use Amazon Echo Dot Voice instructions.  Ohhhh  the freedom of getting away from buttons

[AutoFrank 372]

Hi @lennypenny, do you use the official skill or the HA bridge solution. I'm trying to find out if teh HA solution supports lua scenes as it looks like the official skill only support block scenes....

[Bodyart 229]

I have ugly experience with Fibaro Button, one is totaly defective, the other is less responsive than expected and that's why i considder it less reliable.

I have reasonable experience with Fibaro Swipe, but i'm using only 4 swipes and didn't succeed to install swipe sequences. There is also often a recognition problem with circular swipe movements.

Very good experience i have with Remotec ZRC-90 and with Fibaro Keyfob, which are both responsive and reliable for me.

 

 

 

[matt1981 37]

26 minutes ago, AutoFrank said:

Hi @lennypenny, do you use the official skill or the HA bridge solution. I'm trying to find out if teh HA solution supports lua scenes as it looks like the official skill only support block scenes....

I posted on the BWS systems main issues forum to also find out if there is a HA solution that supports lua scenes.  i know that that you need an ID to control physical devices through http commands on the ha bridge, but i don't see an ID for virtual devices via LUA scenes... once i find ou the answer i be sure to post it here.

 

Matt

[kunoch 27]

The Popp or z-wave.me wall controllers I bought all had the battery protection assembled when delivered. However the clip in into the part guled or screwed to the wall is not that well done and one side always snaps back to the PCB and does not hold the electronics on the plastic. The devolo is much better in this aspect and looks absolutely identical.

Anyone ever thought about creating a list of devices and the known issues and usability of the available templates? OK, creating is one thing maintaining it another

[Dugbi 9]

Hi All

I have 2x Remotec ZRC-90 units which are used mainly for emergency lighting and All on and All Off functions. Installed them due to the wife struggling with the whole automation process so I had to simplify. At first they were a complete night mare due to the templates in Homecentre2 not being correct but in recent updates that seems to have been sorted. As far the controller goes they are sturdy and work well. I light the fact that they are removable aswell. Another great product has been the Aeotec 6in1 Sensor unit. I have 14 installed in the house and they operate with no issues. Highly adjustable and look the part. The Homecentre2 template is getting better but it still has issues with fire warnings and transmit times. The lumens sensor is very fidly and doesnt have much of a threshold but its good enough to detect night and day. I would also have to recommend the Remotec IR controller. I have 5 of these units and they are fantastic. I can now controll all my aircons and heaters via the automation system and they work very well. The inbuilt temp sensor is garbage but I use the Aeotec sensors for room temp anyway. To end I would have to say my favorite unit is the Fibaro RGBW. Since I discovered this baby I havnt installed a wall switch. All my lights and power points are controlled by boxes in the roof space that use the RGBW controler to switch relays. This way I can have parallel control over any light, power point and HVAC. I run the units of a dedicated 24vdc supply line powered by solar and a small battery. They can sense Temp and there own power feed so I can get a warning when the solar starts to drop off. I love these little units and have them all over the house. Best thing is for one box you can control 4 different items.

Cheers

Edited May 9, 2017 by Dugbi
Spelling

[jimicr 89]

15 minutes ago, Dugbi said:

Installed them due to the wife struggling with the whole automation process so I had to simplify.

 

Haha I know the feeling

[AutoFrank 372]

2 minutes ago, jimicr said:

 

Haha I know the feeling

 

So much for automation 'making everybody's life easier'

 

[Dugbi 9]

Yeah its funny how I installed the automation system to turn off Aircons and lights because I cant get my family to. Only problem is when it fails nothing works and then my wife is always there to tell me how big a waste of money the whole thing is. But when it works they dont even know and everybody just thinks the house is always warm and the they must have turned the lights off (eventhough I have disconnected the switches!).

Edited May 9, 2017 by Dugbi
Spelling

[lennypenny 4]

3 hours ago, AutoFrank said:

do you use the official skill or the HA bridge solution

Hi @AutoFrank,

I really cannot be bothered right now with the Fibaro version as it is just too flaky.  I use ha-bridge for everything and it is far quicker for block and LUA scenes

 

L

[petergebruers 1,261]

Some alternative solutions. Dimmer 1 or Dimmer 2 support scene activation. One word of caution regarding the FGD-212 aka "Dimmer 2". This device requires a load to start. A bypass can act as a load, but it adds cost and bulk. An alternative that doesn't need a load is FGS-2x3 aka "Switch 2" (supports central scene event). If you happen to have 9 - 30 V DC an FGBS-321 aka "Universal Binary Sensor" is an option (it supports scene activation) - but it's not Z-Wave plus...

[matt1981 37]

1 hour ago, lennypenny said:

Hi @AutoFrank,

I really cannot be bothered right now with the Fibaro version as it is just too flaky.  I use ha-bridge for everything and it is far quicker for block and LUA scenes

 

L

@lennypenny what http commands are you currently using with your Ha-bridge for LUA scenes and Virtual Devices?  ive been racking my brain and searching the fibaro forum and other forums to try and figure this out... 

 

Thanks!

 

Matt

[lennypenny 4]

44 minutes ago, matt1981 said:

what http commands are you currently using with your Ha-bridge for LUA scenes and Virtual Devices

@matt1981,

 

I use it as follows:

 

http://your fibaro_master_username%40whatever.com:fibaro_password@HC2_IP_Address/api/sceneControl?id=your_scene_ID-No&action=start

 

please note that since Fibaro changed master user names to e-mail addresses you have to use"%40" instead of @  so use example  matt1981%40sky.com

The name that you give this entry in HA-Bridge is what Alexa will use after running Discover new Items/devices in the Alexa App

 

I have not used it for VD's

 

L

In case you are going for it all on HA-Bridge, then it may help just to also define the basic ON/OFF/DIM  code to use

Say Kitchen Light = DeviceID = 99 So name HA BRIDGE DEVICE "Kitchen"

On URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=turnOn

Dim URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=setValue&arg1=${intensity.percent}

Off URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=turnOff

 

After you run DISCOVER NEW DEVICES in Alexa App, you simply use the  voice command:  Alexa, turn on kitchen or turn off kitchen or Alexa, turn on kitchen to 75%

 

I use Global changes as in Sankotronic's VD's etc............  I example simply say Alexa, turn on Cinema State and the instruction chnages the the variable to CinemaState or I do same for ProjectorState.

 

What I do not like about the Fibaro Skill is that I have to First Invoke Alexa, the ASK her to tell Fibaro blah blah.  With HA Bridge and also The HUE skill on Alexa I simply tell it to turn on whatever and turn off the same

 

all credit for the above to @morpheus75 from whom I have learnt all the above

Edited May 9, 2017 by lennypenny
addition of credit

[matt1981 37]

14 hours ago, lennypenny said:

@matt1981,

 

I use it as follows:

 

http://your fibaro_master_username%40whatever.com:fibaro_password@HC2_IP_Address/api/sceneControl?id=your_scene_ID-No&action=start

 

please note that since Fibaro changed master user names to e-mail addresses you have to use"%40" instead of @  so use example  matt1981%40sky.com

The name that you give this entry in HA-Bridge is what Alexa will use after running Discover new Items/devices in the Alexa App

 

I have not used it for VD's

 

L

In case you are going for it all on HA-Bridge, then it may help just to also define the basic ON/OFF/DIM  code to use

Say Kitchen Light = DeviceID = 99 So name HA BRIDGE DEVICE "Kitchen"

On URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=turnOn

Dim URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=setValue&arg1=${intensity.percent}

Off URL:    http://lennypenny%40viva.com:[email protected]/api/callAction?deviceID=99&name=turnOff

 

After you run DISCOVER NEW DEVICES in Alexa App, you simply use the  voice command:  Alexa, turn on kitchen or turn off kitchen or Alexa, turn on kitchen to 75%

 

I use Global changes as in Sankotronic's VD's etc............  I example simply say Alexa, turn on Cinema State and the instruction chnages the the variable to CinemaState or I do same for ProjectorState.

 

What I do not like about the Fibaro Skill is that I have to First Invoke Alexa, the ASK her to tell Fibaro blah blah.  With HA Bridge and also The HUE skill on Alexa I simply tell it to turn on whatever and turn off the same

 

all credit for the above to @morpheus75 from whom I have learnt all the above

I appreciate all the info @lennypenny! i follow @morpheus75 on youtube is videos have definitely helped me initially set up my Ha.  Im in the same boat, that i hate the idea of having to "invoke" alexa to ask her to tell fibaro a command.  it just seemes stupid to me.. but i guess it is what it is.  

 

the only thing i still don't understand, is how to create an http command for a Virtual Device's using the HA, because i haven't figured out what or where to find the "device ID" when i generate the Http command for  the HA...

 

[lennypenny 4]

1 minute ago, matt1981 said:

the only thing i still don't understand, is how to create an http command for a Virtual Device's using the HA, because i haven't figured out what or where to find the "device ID" when i generate the Http command for  the HA...

Hi @matt1981

 

When you edit your VD, look up in the address area, it quotes an ID there.........but how to use it in HA I really have no clue as I have not had the need for it yet.

My one VD when I edit is for example - http://192.168.171.15/fibaro/en/devices/virtual_edit.html?id=283     .    Why do you not try the syntax you use for scenes but use the device id.  Worth trying I guess

Have you asked @morpheus75 yet?  He is also most helpful when you ask him