Z-Wave Home Automation

[VEX]

Fibaro will integrate with Nest so you can go at heating that way if you want (another training course I am booked on)

The Danfoss are brand new, I have pinged Fibaro UK an email to ask more about them and will feed back info here.

Also looking at the HDL range of solutions and Loxone, but a think the wireless retro-fit possibilities are less.

V.

[arun1uk]

VEX said:

Fibaro will integrate with Nest so you can go at heating that way if you want (another training course I am booked on)

The Danfoss are brand new, I have pinged Fibaro UK an email to ask more about them and will feed back info here.

Also looking at the HDL range of solutions and Loxone, but a think the wireless retro-fit possibilities are less.

V.

Danfoss you say.....? Tell me more.

We'll be moving into our new place in a few months so already buying parts to get fitting. Torn between the Fibaro Lite or a mini pc/mac running Indigo

[onlynik]

chockymonster said:

Yes, I do.

DSC Alarm
Fibaro light dimmers
Fibaro RGBW led controllers
Fibaro Relays
Wall plugs etc etc!

I control it using a mac mini and indigo, I looked at the fibaro hc setup but decided on indigo because it's more tweakable, I can interface my Sonos system, AV Amps and other things with it that the Fibaro setup doesn't let me do, plus I run Plex on the Mac for video etc.
I went for a separate alarm that can interface to an HA system instead of using the HA system to do the alarm. Wired PIRs are much more reliable for triggering HA scenes, the wireless ones will fire after a 5 second or so delay as they have to do other checks, then they sleep for period of time.

For the security stuff I used CFSS, Dennis was brilliant at talking through the options.

This is pretty much what I'd like to do. Can you give me the details of your alarm, as I'm struggling to find one that links in to the HA setup?

[VEX]

Well the training course was a real eye opener, amazing tech and levels of control.

Just ordered £2000 (rrp) of demo kit to try out at home and see what it is like, but I have high hopes.

V.

[marctwo]

I am looking for a way to upgrade my current alarm system to be 'smart'. I'm thinking about something that can identify the sound of the alarm, or smoke detectors, and then integrate with an existing automation system to act on it.

Does such a thing exist? It doesn't have to be z-wave.

[VEX]

The easiest and simplest was would be to get one with multiple contact closure outputs either which will close depending on alarm or fire. Then use that to drive relay inputs into the automation system and program it to react as you desire.

The install company should be able to advise further if needed.

V.

[VEX]

The easiest and simplest was would be to get one with multiple contact closure outputs either which will close depending on alarm or fire. Then use that to drive relay inputs into the automation system and program it to react as you desire.

The install company should be able to advise further if needed.

V.

[red_slr]

Any updates anyone?

[Too Late]

I bit the bullet and purchased a few bits to see how I get on

I bought:
VeraEdge controller
1 fibaro motion sensor
1 fibaro dimmer

You can easily create scenes so if a light isn't on when motion is detected. It turns on.

After that you start getting into luup coding or using the PLEG adding (which I am still trying to get my head round).

Home automation is complicated. Scenes sometimes need big chunks of luup coding to work. Trail a d error.

The veraedge does have a fantastic forum with lots of very technical members who give out support..

I have a scene that when I change the mode of the house to night, the bedroom light performs a gradual decrease in light
The code I used was:

local dID = 8
luup.call_delay("delayDim",45,dID)

function delayDim(dev)
local devno = tonumber(dev)
local lls = luup.variable_get("urn:upnp-org:serviceId:Dimming1", "LoadLevelStatus", devno)
local newlls = lls - 1
if newlls < 0 then newlls = 0 end
luup.call_action("urn:upnp-org:serviceId:Dimming1", "SetLoadLevelTarget", {newLoadlevelTarget = newlls}, devno)
if newlls > 0 then luup.call_delay("delayDim",45,dev) end
end

So the light turns on at 40% and decreases 1% every 45 seconds.

[Too Late]

Vex. What did you think of the home centre 2? Have you tried the VeraEdge?

[VEX]

I like the completeness of the HC2 as an installer I can't tinker and spend time custom programming it needs to go in and get added.

It is partial installed, I just need time to tinker and install it completely, also going to change the IP camera system so this I can bring them into the pack, then I think it will be a really powerful cost effective smarthome control system.

V.

[VEX]

I like the completeness of the HC2 as an installer I can't tinker and spend time custom programming it needs to go in and get added.

It is partial installed, I just need time to tinker and install it completely, also going to change the IP camera system so this I can bring them into the pack, then I think it will be a really powerful cost effective smarthome control system.

V.

[mikees]

Quick thread resurrection.

I need a remote/wireless appliance switch like the z-wave below to remotely turn on/off my garden lights. It looks like these are more reliable than the Belkin WeMo ones (bottom link). What do I need to make this work? Doesn't seem clear from the Z-wave site. Some sort of controller?

Cheers
Mike

ps and is z-wave reliable?


http://www.uk-automation.co.uk/z-wave-appliance-pl...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009SA9Z6S/ref...

[Too Late]

EDIT--
Z wave is reliable

You would need a controller to control the zwave device. So a Vera Edge, Vera Edge Plus or a Fibaro Home centre

The Vera Edge can be picked up for £70 odd, simple and easy to use.

I have a vera edge and im very pleased

[mikees]

Thanks Too Late.

So I presume I can connect the vera to my router via ethernet and out speaks to my z-wave switch over the power cables? Is there an issue if I am already using ethernet over 240v?

Cheers
mike

[essayer]

Z-wave is radio so it builds a mesh network amongst your devices. Bit like Sonos does.

[mikees]

Ah that won't help me then - I am out of router range so am using 240v ethernet with an access point plugged in to create multiple wireless networks. Is there another configuration?

Cheers
Mike

[chockymonster]

mikees said:

Ah that won't help me then - I am out of router range so am using 240v ethernet with an access point plugged in to create multiple wireless networks. Is there another configuration?

Cheers
Mike

What do you mean by out of router range?

The Z-Wave gateway plugs into your network. It then communicates with the Z-Wave devices to build a mesh, if you have devices out of range then adding something else between the gateway and the device often helps.
Any mains powered z-wave device can act as a repeater.

[mikees]

chockymonster said:

mikees said:

Ah that won't help me then - I am out of router range so am using 240v ethernet with an access point plugged in to create multiple wireless networks. Is there another configuration?

Cheers
Mike

What do you mean by out of router range?

The Z-Wave gateway plugs into your network. It then communicates with the Z-Wave devices to build a mesh, if you have devices out of range then adding something else between the gateway and the device often helps.
Any mains powered z-wave device can act as a repeater.

I need it 20m from house in workshop.

Mike

[Too Late]

lay an ethernet cable out there and patch in the Vera Edge