[INFO] Adding/Deleting z-wave devices and potential issues

[AutoFrank 372]

Hi, 

Like the majority of users I have added many devices to my HC2 and I decided to compile a list of Do's and Don't from my experience.

The usual heath warning applies and users will need to make a judgement call themselves.

 

This post covers my experience and what I found works for me over the last two years.

 

Prep before Including / Adding New Devices

1. Check that you have no devices still reconfiguring, - if so allow to complete or Stop
2. If you have have any devices that appear as "Initialisation Failed" after a restart I resolve these
3. "Exclude/Delete" if physical device still exists
4. "Force Remove" if it was a failed include or if you don't still have the physical device. (see below for more on force includes in General comments
5. Confirm that the system is stable and running well
6. Complete a backup and restart you system - **This provides you with a known good system restore point**

 

Including / Adding New Devices

1. Read the instructions of the device and be clear about the 'inclusion' process, one click, triple click, wakeup for battery, etc
2. For new and existing devices - Perform an exclude/delete and make sure the device can communicate with the HC2 and that the delete is registered

3.  @jimicr - I always have a challenge including battery operated devices. So when they come out of the box I do a factory reset, Usually this makes including a smoother process.

4. if a device has security features like locks, etc then check the Secure Include check box before adding
5. Add the device and follow the instructions exactly (click once if it says once) as doing more can prevent a successful inclusion.
6. Watch what appears ion the small top window of the Web UI
7. After inclusion check that all slave devices have been added (see below if this did not happen) and that they are working 
8. if the include didn't complete successfully, it's best not to keep trying to add it under the same conditions as it will probably me the situation worse.
9. Master device is normally hidden - Name appropriately, assign to room where slaves are located and keep hidden
10. Name Slave devices accordingly and you may need to add a reference to HomeTable if you use that approach
11. I recommend leaving the HC2 for a few minutes before adding another device 

 

Removing devices

1. Bring the device as close to the HC2 as you can and exclude 
2. Force Excluding - You may need to force exclude a number of times to get a device removed, Confirm it was successful by doing a browser refresh after each force exclude

 

Add/Include process did not complete successfully

1. Appears to add device but device ID = 0 in small top console window in UI - If this happens no mater or slave will be 
2. No Slaves added - The master is normally hidden so look here first - If no master is present - perform an exclude and then start again
3. Slave device included by tagged as "Not Configured" - Perform a soft reconfiguration, battery devices will need to be woken up (if successful this will maintain device id)
4. Slave devices missing or #1 above fails - Perform a Reconfiguration on the Master (This may change the device id and may even result in further slaves getting deleted)
5. If all above continues - try bringing the device closer to the HC2 - In some cases I have had to sit the device on top of the HC2

 

General Comments

• NWI option (Network Wide Inclusion) - This is to be used if a normal include fails because the device is far away. I've never had any success with that. My solution was
• Side Impact from device failed adding/inclusion - A failed/partial include can affect you ability to create or import virtual devices but can leave you with the ability to edit existing VD's (not sure why but this has happened to me twice)
• Location: Try and have the device in the location you will use it, if possible move your HC2 to this location.
• Persistent Failures - Try a different device and if successful then it may be an issue with the device - If not successful then, there is something else affecting the process
• Adding devices after crash/recovery - If you need to add a device and you couldn't exclude it from current / other network the devices may need to be very close to the HC2 before it will include successfully
• Adding large # of devices already in situ - It may be worth investing in a spare relay and dimmer - I have some devices for fast replacements. They are already included in my HC2 and categorised under development. After I had the failed backup issue when I had to add in devices that were already connected I included these on the HC2 and then swapped them in. I then took the devices I removed and placed them on the HC2 and included them and just repeated the process. This meant that I didn't need to get the HC2 close to each device to include it back in.

 

Device specific comments

• The "old" Fibaro door/window sensor (with optional temp sensor) was notoriously difficult to include. The new version (with built-in temp sensor) includes/excludes without issues. The old version suffered from (at least) two issues: you need to press the back switch, but after time the foam tape doesn't hold the sensor firmly to the door. And it always had some trouble detecting the rhythm of the clicks. Both of these issues have been addressed in the newest version. I'm telling this, because after monitoring this forum, I'd say there is really only one battery operated devices that is know for its consistent inclusion woes, and that's the older D/W Sensor... @petergebruers

 

 

Comments, suggestions, corrections and improvements welcome as always.

 

Thanks

_f

 

 

Edited June 2, 2017 by AutoFrank

[jimicr 89]

Nice tutorial @AutoFrank.

 

I always have a challenge including battery operated devices. So when they come out of the box I do a factory reset.

Usually this makes including a smoother   process..

 

Jim

[AutoFrank 372]

15 minutes ago, jimicr said:

Nice tutorial @AutoFrank.

 

I always have a challenge including battery operated devices. So when they come out of the box I do a factory reset.

Usually this makes including a smoother   process..

 

Jim

 

Thanks @jimicr

I just added that ....

[kunoch 27]

@AutoFrank, @jimicr:

When I had to 're-include' the door window sensors after installing the temperature sensors, I also noticed, even the remove worked perfect thru the menu on the HC2, devices which were then 'factory-reset' were much easier to include again, so I skipped the remove process and just forced removal, factory reset and added again. It is even less mouse clicks and climbing on ladders.

[AutoFrank 372]

1 hour ago, kunoch said:

@AutoFrank, @jimicr:

When I had to 're-include' the door window sensors after installing the temperature sensors, I also noticed, even the remove worked perfect thru the menu on the HC2, devices which were then 'factory-reset' were much easier to include again, so I skipped the remove process and just forced removal, factory reset and added again. It is even less mouse clicks and climbing on ladders.

 

Thanks @kunoch

[jimicr 89]

Thanks @kunoch I went thru the same process a couple of weeks ago when adding tempsensors afterwards. 

When excluding I usually do a force removal because this works better most of the time. 

I was talking primarily about adding a new out of a sealed box battery powered device. Very odd when I buy 1 that one gives problems, if I buy more, at least one gives me a headache but never all...

 

Jim

[AutoFrank 372]

4 minutes ago, jimicr said:

Thanks @kunoch I went thru the same process a couple of weeks ago when adding tempsensors afterwards. 

When excluding I usually do a force removal because this works better most of the time. 

I was talking primarily about adding a new out of a sealed box battery powered device. Very odd when I buy 1 that one gives problems, if I buy more, at least one gives me a headache but never all...

 

Jim

 

 

@jimicr

It's interesting how we all have developed workarounds and approaches to getting the devices included successfully.

The main thing for me is to give yourself plenty of time, be patient and observe what the HC2 is doing and telling you ...

 

 

 

 

[petergebruers 1,261]

@AutoFrank Nice summary! Maybe one slight issue to put in perspective. The "old" Fibaro door/window sensor (with optional temp sensor) was notoriously difficult to include. The new version (with built-in temp sensor) includes/excludes without issues. The old version suffered from (at least) two issues: you need to press the back switch, but after time the foam tape doesn't hold the sensor firmly to the door. And it always had some trouble detecting the rhythm of the clicks. Both of these issues have been addressed in the newest version. I'm telling this, because after monitoring this forum, I'd say there is really only one battery operated devices that is know for its consistent inclusion woes, and that's the older D/W Sensor...

 

If your network consists of mainly Z-Wave Plus devices, NWI should work (assuming the device you want to include is Z-Wave Plus too). I wonder why nothing seemed to work...

[AutoFrank 372]

1 hour ago, petergebruers said:

@AutoFrank Nice summary! Maybe one slight issue to put in perspective. The "old" Fibaro door/window sensor (with optional temp sensor) was notoriously difficult to include. The new version (with built-in temp sensor) includes/excludes without issues. The old version suffered from (at least) two issues: you need to press the back switch, but after time the foam tape doesn't hold the sensor firmly to the door. And it always had some trouble detecting the rhythm of the clicks. Both of these issues have been addressed in the newest version. I'm telling this, because after monitoring this forum, I'd say there is really only one battery operated devices that is know for its consistent inclusion woes, and that's the older D/W Sensor...

 

If your network consists of mainly Z-Wave Plus devices, NWI should work (assuming the device you want to include is Z-Wave Plus too). I wonder why nothing seemed to work...

 

Thanks @petergebruers

I'll add that to the first post

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[LutzL 0]

Hello,

 

Unfortunately, I get only the following informaion when including my smart device

[09.08.2021] [08:26:11] [TRACE] [ZWAVE]: Controller learn mode started.

[09.08.2021] [08:26:11] [TRACE] [ZWAVE]: DSK: 11310-55499-20304-17396-41421-11875-08190-25929

[09.08.2021] [08:26:35] [TRACE] [ZWAVE]: Controller's learn mode process failed, try again.

 

Generation of the logfile IP:30001 additionally failes

May, You have an idear?

 

Best Regards