How do you add Leviton z-wave dimmer switches (eg model ZW6HD) to HA?

Screenshot 2024-12-22 at 5.49.09 PM

From here I’m lost. I read the setup instructions for the switches, and they seem to have 2 procedures depending on if I want flashing orange LED or flashing green LED . I don’t know which I need to do, so I tried both plus the QR code scan. None of those methods added my switches.

Orange LED method

  1. Press and hold rocker for 7 second until LED blinks orange and release.

Green LED Method

  1. Press and hold rocker up for 7 second until LED blinks orange and release. it eventually turns off on its own.
  2. Press the rocker up once and LED will blink green. it eventually turns off on its own.

QR Code method

  1. Scan the QR code on the bottom left of the switch.
  2. HA says “device added.” Then ( paraphrased ) “Device will be online when powered on.”

That is everything I’ve tried so far. Based on other posts, I have faith that my switches can be added, I’m just doing it wrong.

Teach me how to do it right!

Update 1

Hardware:

  • Zooz Z-Wave 800 USB stick, model ZST39
  • Leviton ZW4SF dimmer switch for my fan in 2nd floor home office.
  • Leviton ZW6HD dimmer switch for my fan’s lights in 2nd floor home office.
  • Raspberry Pi 4 8GB running HA in 2nd floor basement serer room.

I found recommendations to update the firmware on my Zooz ZST39 zwave 800 stick. The instructions have take about an hour and are still going. Link to instructs - How to Perform an OTW Firmware Update on Your ZST39 800 Long Range Z-Wave Stick - Zooz Support Center - I’m using the Windows method by running Windows 11 in a virtual machine on my Macbook. I tried it on my Mac. The Silicon Studio installs but the PC Manager won’t run. At least I tried!

Update 2

Zooz ZST39 firmware is updated to v7.22. No change in the behavior of the Leviton switches, they still are not found by HA. I think the blinking green mode is “network discovery” mode where they look for an existing z-wave network. Sound like the right mode, so I’m using that for testing.

The “add device” dialog has some confusing terms. It says device should be in “Inclusive mode” which I can’t find anywhere in the Leviton docs. It has as 3 security modes for the search , I can’t find the correct security mode setting documented anywhere either.

I’ll keep looking.

Update 3

I moved the rpi running HA from my server room in the basement to 2nd floor where the switches are. HA finally found the switch.

I added the ZW6HD dimmer switch and did an OTA fw upgrade on it. it works fine.

I tried repeating the process for the ZW4SF dimmer switch but HA didn’t detect it. I noted the flashing LED colors look different on this one, more like green/white flashing instead of flashing orange followed by flashing green.

it was closed to 11pm time , so after 6 hours of research and trial and error, I decided to take a break for bed. I put the rpi back in the basement server room and will try to get the ZW4SF dimmer working another time.

Progress!