We're working on a (giant) new door for our house, and I'm exploring HomeKey locks, because I have CarKey on my cars and I love it - but unfortunately, due to Apple and their demands to have the lock and the reader all in a single hardware piece, door locks in Europe with HomeKey are few - and the few available are after market solutions, so not aesthetically WAF-approved. And then, I wondered, how cool could it be to open the garage door with the same HomeKey?
So I went down thru a rabbit hole and then found this:
ESP32 HomeKit Lock with support for Apple Home Key - rednblkx/HomeKey-ESP32
I ordered a couple of things, and started tinkering. After a couple of hours, I had it implemented under Reactor via MQTT and on my desk, turning ON a light when the key is recognized. It costed about 20 bucks per entry, so not bad at all.
We only have iPhones at home, because of CarKeys and CarPlay - but we're not really using Home, so I had to buy an HomeHub in order to share the key - I got an Apple TV 4k that's basically just doing the HomeHub part. I'll eventually expose other things to Siri via Homebridge or HomeAssistant - or maybe not. HomeKey is the feature, for me.
Using Express mode, you just pass your watch/device on the reader and the key is recognized. You get the same key, but different device ID for a different watch/phone.
The logic is MQTT-based, so every time you pass a tag (MiFare is supported, but it's less secure because easily duplicable), you get a message at a given endpoint. You grab the keys via your virtual device, and check if they're valid in your own logic. I have a tag capability mapped to represent the key id, the device id, and a very easy logic to determine if the data is valid and the entry should be open. Remember, Key ID will be the same, Device ID will be unique across your devices (watches, phones) per person (the key is easily shareable in your family). See this screenshot:
e36899f0-2bf2-45b0-9c80-4e7593a0f7ba-image.png
You need to map the virtual lock in Reactor to the real status of the entry it's representing - but that's done using the lock capability of the device mapped via MQTT. See my template for it https://github.com/dbochicchio/reactor-mqtt-contrib
Setup is very easy.
Since the reader itself isn't doing anything special, it's the same security as a ZWave door lock: if they open the case, no contacts is exposed, since this is just a reader, where the security is inside your phone/watch. You have -of course - to use it to drive your real lock. Easy job for the garage, doable for the new proprietary lock for the door, with 12v input to unlock - via ZWave or whatever - and auto-lock feature.
A couple of photos of the various steps - and the final case I found for 5 bucks on Ali, to mount it securely outside (it had the original electronics and I took it apart to insert mine - I recommend a smaller ESP32 if you have better soldering skills than mine).
15b12d35-028e-4e90-8490-21e3eea82dbb-image.png
b9b9d242-211b-40bb-b8f1-6b2181c659b0-image.png
8a5975eb-479d-4937-8b16-53d058023dc1-image.png
cccfacf5-fc85-445a-89a7-70ba0db7cc9f-image.png
I'll mount it with the Garage Door outside - very handy during pool season, since this is the easiest way to the bathroom after some time chilling. It's powered by a 3,3 converter housed inside the house, eliminating the need for the bulky USB connector. The reader is completely covered, so the fact that is not really IP-6x is not a problem: it will not get splashes at all.
Feel free to ask me anything, if you want to embark into a new adventure.
A recent thread on supporting the ZRC-90 Z-Wave scene controller got me to wonder, what does everybody use and like?
I'll start... oh, and no dashboards. I want to hear from you all about dedicated scene controller devices. Dashboards and apps are great to a point, but my experience is that higher WAF is achieved with (a) a dedicated device (b) in a known location (c) with predictable functions and (d) no extra steps to operate (just walk up to it and push a button -- same effort as a light switch/dimmer). She's not wrong. It's a pain to unlock the phone, find the app, open the app, find the device, tap the device, when you can just walk across the room and push a button. Bonus points for something that can be labeled readably (low WAF for stuck-on tape/thermal labels).
I have a ZRC-90 and it's great, but it was temperamental to get working on Vera, and wasn't smooth sailing when it made the move to Z-Wave JS either. A couple of include/exclude cycles were needed to get it fully working on both. Since then, I've done a battery change, and while the buttons work as reliably as ever, the device continues to report the old battery level despite having a measurably fresh battery for over a year now. But I would still recommend it.
I have a Hank 4-button that is probably the best and most reliable battery-operated scene controller I have ever used. It's small and unobtrusive, so it lives on a lamp base in our living room and controls the room's mood lighting. I'm not sure they're still available. RIP.
I just ran across the Minoston MR40Z on Amazon, and I may try one of those. It looks like an installed (in-wall) Decora switch, but the buttons are actually a removable remote that you can pull off the wall and take to the couch. No line power required. Kinda cool. Maybe a good Hank replacement. But, I've never heard of this manufacturer before, and the concern is always "will I be able to buy more/replacements in one/two/five years?"
Among the wired controllers, the Zooz ZEN32 seems to be the most popular modern unit. I like it, but the LEDs are too small for my aging eyes to discern their color in daylight -- they are pin-head sized. Four of the five buttons are too small to label, so low WAF.
When I started my Z-Wave network, I used the Leviton four-button scene/zone controllers (VRCS4 and VRCZ4), and these are still all over my house. They're glitchy first-gen Z-Wave stuff (Vizia RF+ actually, so compatible but with proprietary features that aren't usable). They're now discontinued for Z-Wave. Leviton's newer units are WiFi, so if I go that route, it's HomeKit via Home Assistant for those.
During the pandemic lock-downs, I built a touch-screen scene controller using an Adafruit PyPortal. It had screens with 1 to 8 labeled, colorable soft buttons that could either perform a device function (i.e. publish to MQTT) or take you to another screen, so it was the love-child of scene controller and dashboard. Wife found it agreeable. But it was just a prototype. Memory limitation of the device was an issue because the PyPortal is really an inexpensive teaching device with a big load of Circuit Python overhead, and the graphic display needs a lot of RAM, so it was severely limited. I'm sure it could work out with the right micro and programming closer to the bare metal. Packaging and powering would also need to be addressed. And, at the end of the day, while "cute," it doesn't seem like something I would want to sell with the house if we ended up moving some day.
So, I'm interested in what others are doing and using, or more specifically, what your significant others are comfortable with and willing to use.
Hi.
I have a ton of different Ledvance bulbs, pluggs sensors and lights.
So far everything works fine.
Bot there is one thing I want too figure out.
I can link lights with the sensor so the light turns on when I enter the room.
But I want to put a timer on it.
Like 5 min without movement and the light turns of. I just can't figure out how..
I use LVD app.
Screenshot_20230410_215348_Chrome.jpg
Hello - I'm building a new home with zwave throughout. I want to install a flow detection shutoff, and flow meter for three different areas - a pool autofiller, irrigation system, and the home usage. I'd like to be able to detect any leaks in the system, as well as see the flow/usage by each area. What would you recommend?
hello
i am searching for a universal hub that takes my 433 remotes signals and repeats them 433mhz or converts them into bluetooth, wifi, IR, z-wave etc…basically into all the other signals. so my 433mhz remote becomes a universal remote.
it should have an app to configurate, maybe a learning function as well
i belive the homey pro can do that but it costs like 400$ …right?
so is there a cheap “china” product that works like that for at least 433 into IR, bluetooth, wifi
there are so many chinaproducts and i cant figure out which can do which trick !/ this for example https://de.trck.one/redir/clickGate.php?u=Ha2Rd3xX&m=1&p=9yUI69TI8b&t=kLf5673Z&st=&s=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.techpunt.nl%2Fde%2Fhomey-bridge.html%3Fgclid%3DCj0KCQiA9YugBhCZARIsAACXxeJvViv59ieDen9zOXTP1jhc_OisKQxPlCZOJsPGX20nWo7UROROuJcaAix5EALw_wcB&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hardwareluxx.de%2Fcommunity%2Fthreads%2Fbillige-chinaversion-von-homey-pro-gesucht.1333803%2F
i am working with 433mhz intertechno protokoll remotes .
please help
thanks, christoph
Looking for a simple solution that doesn't require running wire (replacing a switch receptacle is fine)
The problem: the only light switch in my garage is not near a door. So have to walk into the garage to turn the lights on.
Ideal Solution: physical remote I can stick on the wall next to the door to toggle a switch. Is there a product that is a toggle switch to replace the basic switch in the receptacle that I can also operate with a remote?
Is anyone actively developing anything on these IoT chips?
In particular, using NodeMCU for Lua programmability?
Just got a development board to play with myself...
After a fruitless search for WiFI pulse utility meter readers (can't believe I couldn't find anything suitable) and also having resolved a while ago not to include any homebrew hardware in my HA configuration, I've decided in the end to try this out, after all.
Having cut my teeth on Lua, thanks to Vera, it seems promising to use it for development, rather than Arduino programming, and the hardware is SO much cheaper, smaller, and neater than a RPi or the like.
Any experiences welcomed!
AK
Shelly i3 is an unbelievably cheap (9,99 EUR/USD) WiFi device that’s part of the fantastic Shelly family. It supports REST API, MQTT and much more.
https://shelly.cloud/knowledge-base/devices/shelly-i3/ 10
It’s just L,N and 3 inputs. No relays, so it’s a scene controller with bonus point to the fact that you can use your own buttons and keep the aesthetics of your house. Bonus points for WAF. It’s very small, so it will fit in your standard wall box easily.
While I built my own Scene Controller Virtual Device and I’m using MQTT for other devices of the family, Shelly can call your HTTP endpoints on button presses and in this case is more than enough.
The buttons support different actions (press, long press, double/triple press) and you can just call a service endpoint, or update a variable:
f3e509c0-f2a7-4f40-a099-af765e87c9fe-image.png
Go get it if you need a very cheap, very reliable scene controller for your home.
Finally, I’ve found an adequate replacement for my beloved MiniMote four-button remotes (I’ve had nine of them for the last 10 years or so!). I should have realised this earlier, but with four buttons and approximately the same form factor, the Philips Hue remotes are viable replacements…
…however, they are, of course, Zigbee and not Zwave, but this doesn’t matter in my HA environment, which has now completely ditched Zwave and Vera for all lighting and control functions, and replaced them with Hue and Shelly devices. These are all brought together with a Homebridge installation running under Docker on Synology NAS with the Apple Home app as the UI. This gives, of course, both secure remote access and voice control.
The MiniMote buttons I had configured as scene triggers to do whatever I needed, most usually toggling lights. The same functionality is easily achieved within the Home app by appropriate shortcuts.
I’m still using openLuup as a secondary hub which mimics all the various devices using MQTT and the ALTHUE plug-in and logs all device and sensor data using the built-in Historian and viewed through Grafana.
Works for me!
AK
After a long wait for an updated version of the rather crude and unfinished Z-Way integration to HASS, i'm now looking (reluctantly) in to replacing Z-Way with Z-wave JS..
Mind you this is a big existing network, not a new controller stick..
I threw up a docker for z-wave JS UI, and tried to connect it to the UZB stick.. It loads the whole network from the stick, but the driver keeps restarting?
Looking at the logs, I see a lot of Dropping message because the driver is not ready to handle it yet.
It seems like the stick just keeps talking like z-way was still listening? This ends up in the driver crashing repeatedly.. Any ideas to how I can get them talking?
In the code snippet below, you see the driver restarting with the graphic letters, seemingly while the stick is mid-sentence, or because of ACK timeout...
2022-10-02T19:19:59.664Z CNTRLR received additional controller information: Z-Wave API version: 6 (legacy) Z-Wave chip type: ZW050x node type Controller controller role: primary controller is the SIS: true controller supports timers: false nodes in the network: 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 4 7, 48, 52, 55, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83 2022-10-02T19:19:59.765Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [Manufacturer Specific] manufacturerId: metadata updated 2022-10-02T19:19:59.766Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [Manufacturer Specific] productType: metadata updated 2022-10-02T19:19:59.767Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [Manufacturer Specific] productId: metadata updated 2022-10-02T19:19:59.768Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [+] [Manufacturer Specific] manufacturerId: 277 2022-10-02T19:19:59.769Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [+] [Manufacturer Specific] productType: 1024 2022-10-02T19:19:59.770Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [+] [Manufacturer Specific] productId: 1 2022-10-02T19:19:59.770Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [Version] firmwareVersions: metadata updated 2022-10-02T19:19:59.771Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [+] [Version] firmwareVersions: 5.39 2022-10-02T19:19:59.772Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [Version] sdkVersion: metadata updated 2022-10-02T19:19:59.772Z CNTRLR [Node 001] [+] [Version] sdkVersion: "6.9.0" 2022-10-02T19:19:59.772Z CNTRLR setting serial API timeouts: ack = 1000 ms, byte = 150 ms 2022-10-02T19:19:59.792Z SERIAL » 0x01050006640f97 (7 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:19:59.792Z DRIVER » [REQ] [SetSerialApiTimeouts] payload: 0x640f 2022-10-02T19:19:59.815Z SERIAL « [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:19:59.816Z SERIAL « 0x01050106640f96 (7 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:19:59.817Z SERIAL » [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.177Z DRIVER ███████╗ ██╗ ██╗ █████╗ ██╗ ██╗ ███████╗ ██╗ ███████╗ ╚══███╔╝ ██║ ██║ ██╔══██╗ ██║ ██║ ██╔════╝ ██║ ██╔════╝ ███╔╝ ██║ █╗ ██║ ███████║ ██║ ██║ █████╗ █████╗ ██║ ███████╗ ███╔╝ ██║███╗██║ ██╔══██║ ╚██╗ ██╔╝ ██╔══╝ ╚════╝ ██ ██║ ╚════██║ ███████╗ ╚███╔███╔╝ ██║ ██║ ╚████╔╝ ███████╗ ╚█████╔╝ ███████║ ╚══════╝ ╚══╝╚══╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═══╝ ╚══════╝ ╚════╝ ╚══════╝ 2022-10-02T19:21:03.178Z DRIVER version 10.2.0 2022-10-02T19:21:03.179Z DRIVER 2022-10-02T19:21:03.179Z DRIVER starting driver... 2022-10-02T19:21:03.199Z DRIVER opening serial port /dev/zwave 2022-10-02T19:21:03.212Z DRIVER serial port opened 2022-10-02T19:21:03.213Z SERIAL » [NAK] (0x15) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.229Z SERIAL « 0x01090141d39601020201f3 (11 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.232Z SERIAL » [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.233Z SERIAL « 0x01090141d39601020201f3 (11 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.234Z SERIAL » [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.234Z SERIAL « 0x01090141d39601020201f3 (11 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.234Z SERIAL » [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:21:03.261Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.268Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] [unexpected] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.268Z DRIVER unexpected response, discarding... 2022-10-02T19:21:03.268Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.271Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] [unexpected] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.271Z DRIVER unexpected response, discarding... 2022-10-02T19:21:03.271Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.273Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetNodeProtocolInfo] [unexpected] payload: 0xd39601020201 2022-10-02T19:21:03.274Z DRIVER unexpected response, discarding... 2022-10-02T19:21:03.274Z DRIVER loading configuration... 2022-10-02T19:21:03.298Z CONFIG Using external configuration dir /usr/src/app/store/.config-db 2022-10-02T19:21:03.298Z CONFIG version 10.2.0 2022-10-02T19:21:04.284Z DRIVER beginning interview... 2022-10-02T19:21:04.286Z DRIVER added request handler for AddNodeToNetwork (0x4a)... 1 registered 2022-10-02T19:21:04.286Z DRIVER added request handler for RemoveNodeFromNetwork (0x4b)... 1 registered 2022-10-02T19:21:04.286Z DRIVER added request handler for ReplaceFailedNode (0x63)... 1 registered 2022-10-02T19:21:04.287Z CNTRLR querying controller IDs... 2022-10-02T19:21:04.484Z SERIAL » 0x01030020dc (5 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:04.485Z DRIVER » [REQ] [GetControllerId] 2022-10-02T19:21:04.487Z SERIAL « 0x0123000400511a9f039900b834787d066515a4b79c45bb3af55ea7f6203006010 (37 bytes) 80120c84d 2022-10-02T19:21:04.489Z SERIAL « [DISCARDED] invalid data 0x9ef4 (2 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:04.490Z DRIVER Dropping message because it contains invalid data 2022-10-02T19:21:04.490Z SERIAL » [NAK] (0x15) 2022-10-02T19:21:05.488Z CNTRLR Failed to execute controller command after 1/3 attempts. Scheduling next try i n 100 ms. 2022-10-02T19:21:05.591Z SERIAL » 0x01030020dc (5 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:05.592Z DRIVER » [REQ] [GetControllerId] 2022-10-02T19:21:06.596Z CNTRLR Failed to execute controller command after 2/3 attempts. Scheduling next try i n 1100 ms. 2022-10-02T19:21:07.698Z SERIAL » 0x01030020dc (5 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:07.699Z DRIVER » [REQ] [GetControllerId] 2022-10-02T19:21:08.717Z DRIVER Failed to initialize the driver: ZWaveError: Timeout while waiting for an ACK from the controller (ZW0200) at Driver.sendMessage (/usr/src/app/node_modules/zwave-js/src/lib/driver/D river.ts:3980:23) at ZWaveController.identify (/usr/src/app/node_modules/zwave-js/src/lib/co ntroller/Controller.ts:713:33) at Driver.initializeControllerAndNodes (/usr/src/app/node_modules/zwave-js /src/lib/driver/Driver.ts:1207:26) at Immediate.<anonymous> (/usr/src/app/node_modules/zwave-js/src/lib/drive r/Driver.ts:1014:16) 2022-10-02T19:21:08.723Z DRIVER destroying driver instance... 2022-10-02T19:21:08.728Z DRIVER driver instance destroyed 2022-10-02T19:21:08.739Z DRIVER ███████╗ ██╗ ██╗ █████╗ ██╗ ██╗ ███████╗ ██╗ ███████╗ ╚══███╔╝ ██║ ██║ ██╔══██╗ ██║ ██║ ██╔════╝ ██║ ██╔════╝ ███╔╝ ██║ █╗ ██║ ███████║ ██║ ██║ █████╗ █████╗ ██║ ███████╗ ███╔╝ ██║███╗██║ ██╔══██║ ╚██╗ ██╔╝ ██╔══╝ ╚════╝ ██ ██║ ╚════██║ ███████╗ ╚███╔███╔╝ ██║ ██║ ╚████╔╝ ███████╗ ╚█████╔╝ ███████║ ╚══════╝ ╚══╝╚══╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═══╝ ╚══════╝ ╚════╝ ╚══════╝ 2022-10-02T19:21:08.740Z DRIVER version 10.2.0 2022-10-02T19:21:08.740Z DRIVER 2022-10-02T19:21:08.740Z DRIVER starting driver... 2022-10-02T19:21:08.745Z DRIVER opening serial port /dev/zwave 2022-10-02T19:21:08.751Z DRIVER serial port opened 2022-10-02T19:21:08.752Z SERIAL » [NAK] (0x15) 2022-10-02T19:21:08.754Z DRIVER loading configuration... 2022-10-02T19:21:08.755Z SERIAL « 0x01080120c84d9ef40138 (10 bytes) 2022-10-02T19:21:08.757Z SERIAL » [ACK] (0x06) 2022-10-02T19:21:08.758Z DRIVER « [RES] [GetControllerId]Hi,
I have an old analog intercom (Golmar) that has this horrible buzz sound when someone rings my apartment from the buildings front gate. This becomes very annoying at night so I need to make this buzz silent from 10:00pm till 7:00am
I have a "Shelly Plus 1" connected to the intercom. (wire #0 and wire #3 are responsible for closing the circuit for the buzzer).
I have set Webhooks and Scenes, but my wiring does not work. Can anyone tell me what i have done wrong?
Cheers!
Wiring Shelly 1 plus v12.1.png Golmar intercom current wiring.png
Well with all that has been going on with Vera/eZlo, many people are abandoning the Vera hubs and moving on to other solutions, such as Hubitat (my case), HASS, HA, and many other controllers.
In the past, I had already been informed that when the migration was over, my Vera would go to the incinerator, or under the wheel of my car, and of course, I did not comply.
So I wanted to open a debate, for those who have not yet sold their Vera on eBay, are with the equipment idle, what destination could be given?
I see many saying that it has become a laboratory, I don't see much sense, since it is becoming obsolete and without a drive. But it can be a destiny. Has anyone thought about whether it is feasible to change the hub's SO so that it becomes a host for MSR, for example? Or even Home Assistance? I have no knowledge, but it seems to me that processor and memory have to do something like that, already has embedded wifi and network.
Does anyone have any idea if it is possible to give this equipment a destination other than a box?
I just started [uncloud] forum to gather in one central place all smart devices working without the cloud, since this is not information easily available on the Internet.
I thought this might interest some users of this forum and any feedback are welcome.
And let me know if you know more devices that I should add to the list!
- Marco
I didn't see an existing Topic for heating-ventilation-air conditioning, so here goes...
Is anyone successfully controlling a "mini split" (i.e. ductless) A/C or heat pump system at home? I will be adding such a system soon to new construction, and wondered if certain brands/models interface better via Z-Wave or WiFi than others in a HA setting.
I know a bunch of these "splits" come with handheld remotes, but having robust Home Automation control (preferably without a dedicated plug-in needed on the Vera side) would be idea.
Happy to hear suggestions. Thanks!
Libra
Hey guys...
Is it just me or the GE/Jasco switch or very sensible to power outage ?
Almost each time we have a power outage, I need to replace at least 1 switch to replace.
Each time, same behaviour, the blue led is flashing rapidely and nothing works.
Last power outage, I got 3 switches. 95% of our switch and dimmer are GE/Jasco.
Scene Controllers -- What are you using?
-
A recent thread on supporting the ZRC-90 Z-Wave scene controller got me to wonder, what does everybody use and like?
I'll start... oh, and no dashboards. I want to hear from you all about dedicated scene controller devices. Dashboards and apps are great to a point, but my experience is that higher WAF is achieved with (a) a dedicated device (b) in a known location (c) with predictable functions and (d) no extra steps to operate (just walk up to it and push a button -- same effort as a light switch/dimmer). She's not wrong. It's a pain to unlock the phone, find the app, open the app, find the device, tap the device, when you can just walk across the room and push a button. Bonus points for something that can be labeled readably (low WAF for stuck-on tape/thermal labels).
I have a ZRC-90 and it's great, but it was temperamental to get working on Vera, and wasn't smooth sailing when it made the move to Z-Wave JS either. A couple of include/exclude cycles were needed to get it fully working on both. Since then, I've done a battery change, and while the buttons work as reliably as ever, the device continues to report the old battery level despite having a measurably fresh battery for over a year now. But I would still recommend it.
I have a Hank 4-button that is probably the best and most reliable battery-operated scene controller I have ever used. It's small and unobtrusive, so it lives on a lamp base in our living room and controls the room's mood lighting. I'm not sure they're still available. RIP.
I just ran across the Minoston MR40Z on Amazon, and I may try one of those. It looks like an installed (in-wall) Decora switch, but the buttons are actually a removable remote that you can pull off the wall and take to the couch. No line power required. Kinda cool. Maybe a good Hank replacement. But, I've never heard of this manufacturer before, and the concern is always "will I be able to buy more/replacements in one/two/five years?"
Among the wired controllers, the Zooz ZEN32 seems to be the most popular modern unit. I like it, but the LEDs are too small for my aging eyes to discern their color in daylight -- they are pin-head sized. Four of the five buttons are too small to label, so low WAF.
When I started my Z-Wave network, I used the Leviton four-button scene/zone controllers (VRCS4 and VRCZ4), and these are still all over my house. They're glitchy first-gen Z-Wave stuff (Vizia RF+ actually, so compatible but with proprietary features that aren't usable). They're now discontinued for Z-Wave. Leviton's newer units are WiFi, so if I go that route, it's HomeKit via Home Assistant for those.
During the pandemic lock-downs, I built a touch-screen scene controller using an Adafruit PyPortal. It had screens with 1 to 8 labeled, colorable soft buttons that could either perform a device function (i.e. publish to MQTT) or take you to another screen, so it was the love-child of scene controller and dashboard. Wife found it agreeable. But it was just a prototype. Memory limitation of the device was an issue because the PyPortal is really an inexpensive teaching device with a big load of Circuit Python overhead, and the graphic display needs a lot of RAM, so it was severely limited. I'm sure it could work out with the right micro and programming closer to the bare metal. Packaging and powering would also need to be addressed. And, at the end of the day, while "cute," it doesn't seem like something I would want to sell with the house if we ended up moving some day.
So, I'm interested in what others are doing and using, or more specifically, what your significant others are comfortable with and willing to use.
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I am currently using the Zooz Zen32, I have about 4 scattered throughout the house. They are nothing remarkable, I do like how in recent FW updates you can now control the RGB light colours to show states of certain things. The buttons are definitely on the smaller side, especially for labelling. I am still trying to figure out a way to etch in the some labels on the buttons but have not come up with a solution yet. Functionality wise they work as you'd expect a scene controller to work so no issues there.
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For Zwave, I used to love the 4 button MiniMote, but for similar functionality (non Zwave) I now use Philips Hue smart switches (detachable for hand held.) Labelling the buttons in either of the cases is a non-starter, really.
For voice control, I can use an Apple HomePod Mini, through HomeKit, but for single buttons I’ve also got some Shelly devices.
For wall-mounted buttons, I use the MK Grid system, with Shelly i4 or relays in the wall box. This has the advantage of being available in 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 wallplate configurations with interchangeable toggle or push buttons, and you can get buttons with etched labels for common functions (fan, etc.)
No really good winning solution here.
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- Remotec ZRC-90 in the hallway on the 1st floor (2nd for us in Europe :D). It has the same issues, but when it works, it works. I just printed some labels with a Dymo. My wife loves it and uses it every day. Batteries are required.
- Shelly i3 on my wife’s night table, with just 2 buttons. Labels indicate functions with a legend (1 = single, 2 = double, 3 = triple). It uses MQTT but is very quick. My wife uses it for one function: changing the roller shutters from bed. In Europe, we have these kinds of buttons, and they're very useful when placed in a box.
- Shelly i4 on my desk, because sometimes I’m lazy. It has two roller shutter buttons (so, 4 independent buttons). It’s the same as the i3 in terms of MQTT and WiFi.
Recently, Shelly in Europe has acquired Qubino, and their new Z-Wave products are amazing. They’re inexpensive (about 15 Euros when on offer) and very easy to use (with OTA support under Z-WaveJS as well). I’ll use a Shelly Qubino Wave i4 for my newly redesigned entry, with the same 4-button layout and labels as the Shelly i4. I may eventually replace my i3s/i4s with Wave i4s because I prefer Z-Wave. No batteries required, and it has some aesthetic appeal, which is important to both my wife and me.
For me, the tablet we have in the Open Space is the best solution. I’m fine with no buttons, especially since my cars are all button-less, and the trend is clear. I’ll probably get a Sonoff NSPanel Pro for my desk and/or the 2nd floor hallway, as I could add a dashboard via HTML/Fully Kiosk and do more than just use buttons. Overall, we use Alexa a lot for scenes. Shelly has started integrating with Matter, and I’m curious to see how that works. I have Hue lights but no controller at the moment; a couple of friends love them.
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I like the Heat-it z-push wall controller. You can use it with one, two or three paddles mounted that can be used as switch and scene controller. The design fits with my normal wall power outlets and operate like a normal switch to anyone who does not know (or care like the misses). They are 800 devices and after a year the battery still shows at 100%
Cheers Rene -
I have a Sonoff NSPanel connected to HASS via NSPanel_HA_Blueprint in the hallway where the physical buttons are remapped from the relays to just publish MQTT messages to left or right garage door, appreciated by the whole family. Weather and QR code for guest WiFi also used by some but the rest is just for fun and as @toggledbits said, more of a dashboard rather than a scene controller but it was mentioned
We have Xiaomi Aqara Mini Switches in each bathroom/toilet for manual override of the extraction fan if needed.
My only Shelly i3 is connected to a cheap dumb twilight switch so Reactor can control which lights to turn on/off rather than the actual relay.
We have some IKEA Tradfri wireless dimmers, I had an idea to use one for manual start/stop of our Wallbox charger but it never happened as we found ourself use Siri for that when needed.
