Favorite Z-Wave brands

[looney2ns]

I've never owned any so, Is there a specific manufacturer of Z-Wave products that have been found to be more reliable than others?

What range can one expect in real world use?

 

[tangent]

Range improves as you add more devices, it's a mesh network.

Depends on what you're looking for, Aeotec by Aeon Labs • creators of Z-Wave products makes a lot of nice things. For basic things like a dimmer switch you actually have to pay attention to how well designed the dimmer circuit. Cooper and Leviton both make good switches and dimmers. Costs to license some lutron patents that recently expired have impacted whether devices broadcast their state or have to be polled. HomeSeer started making some switches that respond to multiple taps to you can make them do lots of different things (like UPB switches): Lighting - HomeSeer Home Automation Systems but I'm not sure they pass the reliability requirement (I think there were some problems early on). The GE/Jasco switches are usually the cheapest, not necessarily the best.

UPB generally seems pretty popular with HAI users. What are you currently using?

 

[Camit]

I just buy ecolink,they have lasted me for over 5 years so far with no issues . And they are one of the cheapest sensors you can find.

 

[hmjgriffon]

I've got an aeon labs zwave USB stick and ecolink sensors, no issues

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[looney2ns]

Range improves as you add more devices, it's a mesh network.

Depends on what you're looking for, Aeotec by Aeon Labs • creators of Z-Wave products makes a lot of nice things. For basic things like a dimmer switch you actually have to pay attention to how well designed the dimmer circuit. Cooper and Leviton both make good switches and dimmers. Costs to license some lutron patents that recently expired have impacted whether devices broadcast their state or have to be polled. HomeSeer started making some switches that respond to multiple taps to you can make them do lots of different things (like UPB switches): Lighting - HomeSeer Home Automation Systems but I'm not sure they pass the reliability requirement (I think there were some problems early on). The GE/Jasco switches are usually the cheapest, not necessarily the best.

UPB generally seems pretty popular with HAI users. What are you currently using?

ALC for the most part, still using a few antique X10 plug in modules. Lightning took out a couple of ALC dimmer switches. I was kinda exploring, as I'm behind in the game from not keeping up with it the past 5-8 years.

 

[logbuilder]

I don't have any z-wave devices but there are several that I am interested in. I currently have about 30 Insteon devices. Mostly lighting control but there are sensors too (door/motion). There are some holes in the Insteon product line when it comes to sensors. I see a lot more selection in the z-wave category.

My HA software is HomeSeer3 running on the same server as BlueIris4 under Win10 home. HomeSeer works well with z-wave devices and plays nicely with BI4.

I have a question about z-wave interfaces/hubs. If I were to add some z-wave sensors, my thinking is that I only need to add a z-stick (USB) to the Win10 server. Aeotec as well as HomeSeer both make products at a reasonable price. Is that all I need?

 

[hmjgriffon]

I don't have any z-wave devices but there are several that I am interested in. I currently have about 30 Insteon devices. Mostly lighting control but there are sensors too (door/motion). There are some holes in the Insteon product line when it comes to sensors. I see a lot more selection in the z-wave category.

My HA software is HomeSeer3 running on the same server as BlueIris4 under Win10 home. HomeSeer works well with z-wave devices and plays nicely with BI4.

I have a question about z-wave interfaces/hubs. If I were to add some z-wave sensors, my thinking is that I only need to add a z-stick (USB) to the Win10 server. Aeotec as well as HomeSeer both make products at a reasonable price. Is that all I need?

Yup

 

[JasonS]

I installed a bunch of lutron caseta dimmers on my wink network and fuckin hate that with wink you can only turn on and off.. no option to dim the lights.
so next project will be a new controlling hub.

 

[tangent]

If I were to add some z-wave sensors, my thinking is that I only need to add a z-stick (USB) to the Win10 server. Aeotec as well as HomeSeer both make products at a reasonable price. Is that all I need?

Decide what software you're going to run and research how well various zwave sticks work with that software.

 

[tangent]

ALC for the most part, still using a few antique X10 plug in modules. Lightning took out a couple of ALC dimmer switches.

I'd keep all your ALC devices that are still functioning. You can't beat a hard wired automation system with cat5 to your wall switches.

 

[JasonS]

I would be very interested to hear what people are using for home automation.

being that wink hub is not cutting it, it's time for me to consider better options.

I have honeywell 9000 thermostats, lutron dimmers, chamberlain garage, nest cams, difinitive technology speakers throughout, and many more things to come.

 

[Camit]

I installed a bunch of lutron caseta dimmers on my wink network and fuckin hate that with wink you can only turn on and off.. no option to dim the lights.
so next project will be a new controlling hub.

You can dim with wink hub

 

[TechBill]

Is there any zwave outdoor PIR sensor on the market?

Also I am looking at some of those PIR with multi sensors for indoor uses, the ones that can detect lights, temperatures and humility etc

I hoping by using indoor pir, i can add s script that if no movement is detected in room for at least half an hour then it'll turn off all the lights in room

I got 4 kids and they all leaves lights on even after leaving the room. I already switch the whole house lighting to LED which helped a lot on the electric bills but I want to save money further on it if I can

 

[Camit]

Is there any zwave outdoor PIR sensor on the market?

Also I am looking at some of those PIR with multi sensors for indoor uses, the ones that can detect lights, temperatures and humility etc

I hoping by using indoor pir, i can add s script that if no movement is detected in room for at least half an hour then it'll turn off all the lights in room

I got 4 kids and they all leaves lights on even after leaving the room. I already switch the whole house lighting to LED which helped a lot on the electric bills but I want to save money further on it if I can

I have not seen any zwave motions that are outdoor rated ip66,67 ect... but I make mine weather proof and install under soffit

 

[Camit]

I got 4 kids and they all leaves lights on even after leaving the room. I already switch the whole house lighting to LED which helped a lot on the electric bills but I want to save money further on it if I can

This is very easy to do with a motion sensor and either a hue bulb or zwave switch.. in my house every room has a motion sensor once you walk in the motion sensor picks you up the lights come on when the motion sensor see no motion for 5 minutes it turns the lights off. I have never seen a hub that can't do this ST,wink,Vera,C3

 

[Camit]

Also I am looking at some of those PIR with multi sensors for indoor uses, the ones that can detect lights, temperatures and humility etc

Again very easy

ZOOZ Z-Wave Plus 4-in-1 Sensor ZSE40 (motion / light / temperature / humidity) Amazon.com : ZOOZ Z-Wave Plus 4-in-1 Sensor ZSE40 (motion / light / temperature / humidity) : Camera & Photo

Fibaro Z-Wave Motion Sensor - FGMS-001 Amazon.com: Fibaro Z-Wave Motion Sensor - FGMS-001: Home Improvement
I got the fibaro it's nice !!!!

Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Gen5 Multi-Sensor (Z-Wave Plus) Amazon.com : Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Gen5 Multi-Sensor (Z-Wave Plus) : Camera & Photo

Got this one too ..

 

[tangent]

Range improves as you add more devices, it's a mesh network.

Battery powered devices don't relay messages like plug in devices IIRC

 

[Arjun]

What about Monoprice?

 

[Camit]

Battery powered devices don't relay messages like plug in devices

What???

 

[tangent]

Is there any zwave outdoor PIR sensor on the market?

Your front porch is pretty sheltered an indoor sensor will probably work ok
TechBill's surveillance build

For your needs though, I'd still choose hardwired like this one in a nice dark grey/brown to match your house:
New GE Security RCR-REX-G Request To Exit Dual Tech Sensor, Grey | eBay

What???

I believe battery powered zwave devices like a handheld remote are transmit only and don't relay messages from other devices like the hard wired devices in the mesh network. So adding a bunch of battery powered devices doesn't improve your zwave network the way ac powered devices do.