So the only way to perform a firmware update on the buttons is to start with a mostly full battery. The update takes about 3 hrs and the update will cause a significant drop in the battery 30-60%… So to do the update you’ll need a couple of batteries.
Thats the bad news.
The good news is that since the firmware flash the batteries seem to be working well and the rate of drain does seem to be better.
Update…
Nope Battery drain is still variable and problematic I’m at the end of my rope with this lousy buttons.
To be able to offer suggestions, sadly a battery graph on it’s own doesn’t give us much to work with.
Which remote specifically please?
Where is the nearest mains-powered Zigbee device (i.e. radio range - add more switches)?
Which Zigbee coordinator? (i.e. ZHA, SilLabs, Conbee)
My IKEA TRÅDFRI 5-button Zigbee remotes work well (updated firmware and several mains devices to give a good radio mesh), and there are forum reports the latest 2-button devices also work.
Matter devices aren’t released in volume (yet) and the extra computation needed for crypto might mean larger batteries, at least for the first few generations.
Where is the nearest mains-powered Zigbee device (i.e. radio range - add more switches)?
5 meters away
Which Zigbee coordinator? (i.e. ZHA, SilLabs, Conbee)
SilLabs Skyconnect
By matter I meant the actual matter / problem, not the new SH standard
TBH, I am too lazy to look into it, I will just exchange the ikea stuff, since it is so far only 3 remotes and a few bulbs. The hustle so far was just too high, it is not worth it. Currently trying Tuya and Homematic (pricey).
IKEA Tradfri has probably 5? 7? 10? different remotes… single button, up and down, 4 buttons, 5 buttons, different generations, etc. Providing a model number, along with the firmware version on the remote, would help the conversation here.
If you plow through the entire thread, there are issues with all of the IKEA buttons. Some (the up-down/on-off buttons) work better, some (the 5 button round one) have never really worked with Zigbee2MQTT.
In my case I have 9 of the E1766 buttons on the current firmware 24.4.6 some will last a few months some die after a few days. None last as long as cheap-o Aqara buttons. I’m using a Sonoff 3.0 Plus stick on an up to date Zigbee2MQTT with an up to date HA system
There seems to be an issue with some battery powered IKEA devices bouncing between mains powered IKEA repeaters. This is especially an issue after power outages or if you move the button around the house. Based on my Zigbee2MQTT network map IKEA buttons refuse to use non-IKEA repeaters and IKEA repeaters ignore non-IKEA devices.
There is also an issue with some buttons failing to report their correct firmware level after a OTA update. (one of mine does that) If I link it to the IKEA hub it reports as up to date…linked to Zigbee2MQTT reports it as the previous firmware. This has been reported to Github.
My IKEA roller shades do the repeater bouncing thing too, but because the batteries in them are so large it takes about a month to report the drain normal battery life on the smart blinds is 6 months. The IKEA motion sensors do not seem to have this issue.
No one knows why or how this happens, we are all guessing. Given this has been an issue for over two years now and at least 2 firmware updates I would bet that there is an internal hardware issue that can’t be resolved with a firmware patch.
But, whoever figures out how to get these little Swedes to work should get a Nobel.
.
For me it is really curious how they can still sell this crap. Besides that a lot of theirs devices never changed for almost a decade.
Adding remotes and sensors again to the gateway, after the battery died is the most annoying thing. Anyways, I will sell those little trouble makers soon on eBay and get tuya, silvercrest and homematic for some of my use cases.
It is like my buttons are reading this thread… One died (again) last night. Setup was as above
Less than 4’ to the repeater… Lasted about 4 days.
In my opinion that response that you need lots of repeater with these is not accurate. In my case the button that works best is the one that is close to ONE and only ONE repeater. Buttons that are in rooms (or open areas) with more than one repeater will constantly “wake up” and try the other repeater. the will do this for a few days and then they are dead.
I have “the IKEA remote control battery drain” problem (Y/N): Yes
My zigbee dongle (or hub or bridge) is: **zzh! CC2652R electrolama zStack3x0 **
Firmware version of the zigbee dongle: it’s old… 20201026
HA controller stack (zha / z2m / conbee): Zigbee2MQTT [1.33.1]
The version of the controller stack: zStack3x0
Name / model # of the IKEA Tradfri device: SYMFONISK sound controller (E1744)
Firmware version of the IKEA Tradfri device: 2.3.075 (20210526))
Other things of note (observation, battery drain rate, etc.): I’ve tried two brands of batteries, and have gone through 5 of each at this point. THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING PRIOR TO THE 2.3.075 UPDATE!
The Firmware you report with your device is still about 2 years old. I think the current firmware for that device is (24.4.5) released last May. To do the update put a new battery in, wake the device and then QUICKLY ask Zigbee2MQTT to perform an OTA. It will take about an hour and it will drain the battery by about 40-50%
I have my 5 buttons and on/off buttons on the old firmware. And I don’t have any of the issues you described. So it is not a hardware issue.
Actually that is the reason why I popped in to this thread just to see that has the battery depleting issue ever been resolved with the on/off buttons, but as I see, it has not been.
Name / model # of the IKEA Tradfri device: SYMFONISK sound controller (E1744)
Firmware version of the IKEA Tradfri device: 2.1.024 / 20190710
Other things to note (observations, battery drain rate, etc.):
After just having read through all previous 454 messages, it still seems hit and miss with no concrete solution. I’m here because I’m trying to get a Symfonisk E1744 rotary dimmer (volume controller) to work, but as with most people here, the battery dies after 1 day max. I’ve (only) gone through three new ones. The E1744 is running really old firmware (2.1.024). I have a Sonoff Zigbee USB 3.0 plus v2 (-E model). I have another non-IKEA wired Zigbee dimmer that acts as a router, but according to Zigbee2MQTT’s map nothing is connected to it.
Solution: resolder all components on the PCB of the button.
I haven’t confirmed that they actually did that, they might just be trying to be funny, but it would be interesting to see if that explains why some people are facing issues, and some aren’t. Maybe a hardware issue after all @ur7x
Noting your previous experience and knowing for how long this issue exist, I would just advise stay on the old firmware, if you can. (I have not updated any of those buttons and they don’t have any problem.)
Or, just get the newer generation remotes.
The new Symfonisk remote (gen 2) has better functionality than the old, being 5+ button remote. And the battery can be a pair of rechargable AAA , so no pain with the coin cells.
What a bummer. I got into Home Assistant + skyconnect mainly to migrate all my Ikea buttons, sensors and bulbs. (They have been paired to each other.)
I have added a single button remote (shortcut button), and a two button remote. Both die within days, as opposed to years. (Battery reading goes up and down before they die.)
Firmware should be up to date (0x22008631 on the two button remote). Have tried reconfiguring.
