So I am moving over to Home Assistant from my current SmartThings setup. In the transition I am currently using my Monoprice Z-wave multi-sensors, but to be honest, they seem pretty slow to react - I can walk from my front door to the living room and sit on the couch before it turns on the lights for me. It seems like it pings every few seconds, so if you catch it at the wrong time it takes a while. My old ST zigbee motion sensors were pretty instant, so I’m looking for an experience more like that.
I’m looking for what sensors I should go with. I saw some people using Hue sensors (I already have a Hue bridge setup) but I don’t know if those will be flakey if hue changes things on their end. Anyone have any Z-Wave sensors they would recommend?
I use 433Mhz sensor, with an mqtt<->433Mhz bridge, reaction time is about a second.
And those sensor are pretty inexpensive, under 10€ for Kerui ones for example.
I’m using Xiaomi motion senors in combination with the Raspbee. Must say the respond quick. Also really affordable and small. Would advice to buy one that includes the mount.
The Zooz ZSE09 mini sensor is very fast and very sensitive with a lot of configurations for sensitivity. I have one and honestly, it’s too sensitive for my general uses. So until I find a practical use it’s on my desk.
The Zooz ZSE02 is very fast and has a wide field of view. However it is also a large sensor. Diameter wise about the same as an echo dot. It’s a big sensor, but works well.
As already mentioned the Fibaro Motion sensor is really good as well. Takes some tuning to get it setup, but once there it is quick enough and sensitive enough. The light and temp also work very well.
For Zigbee I have two NYCE Ceiling Motion detectors (NOTE!!!) they pair kinda with Home Assistant using a Nortek HUSBZB-1 USB adapter, but DON’T WORK. I’m running them on my VeraPlus and using the vera component. That being said, they are great motion sensors and very discreet. I wish I can some day find something the same size/form and performance but in z-wave.
I have heard from lots of people also that the Iris Motion Sensors are very good. However they are Zigbee as well.
I have the Fibaro and Aeotec Multisensors and both are ok (about 1 to 1.5 second until the light turns on - estimated).
I also have the Hue motion sensor which feels a bit faster (1 second or slightly less).
And I have a nodemcu board with a PIR sensor running ESPeasy, talking to an MQTT server, which feels even faster than the hue sensor.
I have the nodeMCU board placed at a door opening (on the “other” side) and as soon as I open the door, the light turns on, i.e. the door is not even half opened yet. Pretty amazing
Awesome, I ordered one Zooz ZSE09, and also a few NodeMCU boards and PIR sensors. I have a few Arduino boards I’ve messed around with in the past so the NodeMCU stuff should be fun. I’ll see what I can do with those for now.
I have had a pair of Ecolink zwave motion detectors for about 2 years, and they have been solid. I use them to turn on the kitchen lights when I come up from the basement and have never failed me.
Ecolink Intelligent Technology
Z-wave Plus Motion Detector, Easy to install with PET Immunity, White (PIRZWAVE2.5-ECO)
the xiaomi are quick, very quick.
I have one at the top of the stairs (4-5m from the 1st step) and as you put your foot on the 1st step, the landing light brightens. quick
1 in the bathroom, walk just inside the door, lights on
But the integration is kind of a hack with the xiaomi bridge, or?
I always staid away from it because of that, if xiaomi pushes an update, the bridge might not work with ha anymore (or not until ha get updated too).
Or are those sensor not based on that?
You are right that it relies on talking to Home Assistant for the automations. You could always block the bridge from accessing the internet at the router after everything is set up and then you would be sure that no firmware updates could change things.
this is true. I once updated the firmware and switches stopped working how they should. However the firmware isn’t automatically forced onto you, you have to manually update it. So after last time I wait several weeks before I do.
That’s really a trouble, because you’ll then also have to stay with an older home-assistant version.
Then you have to update both at the same time, and since you’re update won’t be as regular (having to unlock the router again, coordinate both and what not), you’ll end up dealing with breaking change of several version at once and might give up on update all-together…
Don’t get me wrong, I know Xiaomi make top hardware for unbeatable price, but the software is often pretty closed and only meant to be used in Xiaomi constellation.
Another way is to use them with another ZigBee bridge, like the ZiGate, but development is still in it’s early stage.
Same here, using the Xiaomi sensors (keep in mind you need the gateway to go with them)
Both pretty cheap - the gateway goes for about 25$ and the sensors are about 10-15$, do go with the sensors that come with the mount as @Try2Fly suggested
Thats why I use the raspbee instead of the Bridge (same as the zigate, and working already with the xiaomi sensors). In the end you’ll always rely on third party software that will be kept up to date
@sebk-666 you get a 1 second delay with the hue motion sensor.
What is your setup?
I just got the hue motion and paired it with the HUSBZB-1 (don’t have a hue hub) and I get a 1 to 5 seconds delay wich is unaceptable when triggering lights. Seems like a scan interval of 5 sec but can’t get to change it.
