New guy here with 25ish device HA install with hardware reviews... UPDATED after being in use for over 2 years and now 70ish devices

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@tkvtec Thank you for all the information you posted. I’m not sure how I missed this post, but am glad I found it now. Particularly because I am getting ready to install Amcrest cameras and am in the process of buying the network gear for PoE

I also have the First Alert ZCOMBO and am glad they work, though I wish they showed up in HA a bit better so one could tell what alarm was active (CO or Smoke), but at least I know they are active when they are, so I’m okay with it as it is for now.

I also have a Trane ZWave (older one at that) Thermostat that is just not working in HA as I had hoped and have eyed the Ecobee so I am kind of interested in your set up there and impressions and how well it works from HA to Ecobee and then does HA update from the Ecobee.

I have also been looking at the Ubiquiti Unifi Pros (Since I am adding switch capacity to my network for the PoE) but have also looked at Cisco Aironet as well. I just have a pet peeve about having to go to the cloud to configure an AP in my home, which apparently is what has to be done on some Cisco AP’s.

Anyway, just some thoughts, and thanks again for posting all that you did.

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@StormStrikes No problem, just trying to help contribute something to the community that gave me much of the info I needed to get as far as I have with my setup.
An idea for the ZCOMBO, you could maybe setup Input Boolean’s that change based on the status of the ZCOMBO. Setup an Input Boolean for Smoke, one for CO, and one for Test… possibly even one for All Clear? You could then display those in your views for an easier way to identify the status.

The ecobee and HA seem to communicate much better with each other than the ZWave CT30 thermostats I have. Much more reliable. The CT30 shows up as a separate AC and Heat thermostat, the Ecobee shows up as a single thermostat with a range for acceptable temp. You can slide either the low or high independently. Again, limited testing so far, so I can update in about a week with further testing, but so far so good. Exactly what I was expecting for functionality even initially with the other thermostats, which just never delivered. So far, the Ecobee has already paid for itself in the absence of my aggravation and ease of use. I really wish I just spent the money earlier on and saved myself the month of troubleshooting.

The Unifi will need a controller, which I have an ESXi VM for, but can be built in a container in a Docker environment on a Pi or NAS or other simple device… or you could just spend the $100 on the Unifi Cloud Key. Honestly though, if you’ve gotten HA up and running the Unifi Controller setup should be no problem. Of course, you could always use the Windows based controller which is super simple to deploy. I always seem to forget about the Windows one though since I just have laptops that travel with me, and I use to manage other Unifi environments for clients, so I always use an ESXi VM. I’m looking to build one in Docker though.

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Updated original post with new reviews of the Schlage Connect lock system and Ring Pro camera doorbell

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@tkvtec this is good stuff, thanks for sharing.

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Yes it is, but I am puzzled about the Schlage Connect. Everything I find about it seems to indicate it works via an iPhone. eg https://db1736767dbd5e7094bb-d61bbc5d0b342a54145a236e2d5d1ebf.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/Product/4ea15eef-1fa9-4771-9d25-72716ad5d5f2.pdf

@tkvtec seems to be saying it works via Z Wave.

Are there different models? Or am I missing something.

Thanks for any insights.

35

@nickrout there are different models. The Connect is Z-Wave the Schlage Sense is for iPhone (Apple Homekit)

36

I just setup a Schlage Sense into my HA and it works to lock and unlock from HA. I used Homekit automation to get the Schlage Sense lock to follow a switch put on homekit by homebridge from HA. The reverse is done so HA know the status of Schlage Sense. I figure I can do the same to get iphone location in HA.

37

Curious, how long does it take to send each number? When I was using harmony on my firetv it took about 1 full second between sending commands like that. Now I use GitHub - happyleavesaoc/python-firetv to control the firetv over adb, but im curious if the long delay was just unique to the firetv or not?

By the way to anyone reading definately look into that github I linked if you have a fire tv. You can open apps directly with simple http get commands and other stuff like that, its nice!

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I used to get low Speedtest figures, when I went to a pi3 the issues went away.

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@tkvtec

Is your RSM2 updating the status to HASS UI when you turn the load on of off manually ? (I am assuming you have connected manual wall switches as well to you RSM2 relays).

I have lot of this relays as well but there status is not getting updated automatically when I turn the load on/off manually.

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@kvjajoo
Yes the status does get updated in HASS UI. Make sure you have something like below in your zwave configuration.
I find that it works best when adding the refresh_value to the customize section of the zwave configuration in the configuration.yaml (separate from the HASS customize).

zwave:
  usb_path: /dev/usbzwave
  polling_interval: 60000
  autoheal: False
  customize:
    light.sink_side_dimmer_level_2_0:
      refresh_value: true
    light.kitchen_table_dimmer_level_24_0:
      refresh_value: true
    group.outdoor_all:
      refresh_value: true
    group.living_room:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.deck_lights_relay_switch_9_0:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.deck_lights_relay_switch_9_0_2:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.deck_lights_relay_switch_9_0_3:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.front_lights_relay_switch_8_0:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.front_lights_relay_switch_8_0_2:
      refresh_value: true
    switch.front_lights_relay_switch_8_0_3:
      refresh_value: true
1 Like
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@tkvtec

Thanks a lot … You are a life saver … Your configuration worked once I converted it to syntax compatible to latest version of HASS. Following is the configuration that worked :slight_smile:

zwave:
  usb_path: /dev/ttyACM0
  config_path: /srv/homeassistant/homeassistant_venv/lib/python3.4/site-packages/libopenzwave-0.3.2-py3.4-linux-armv7l.egg/config
  polling_interval: 40000
  autoheal: False
  device_config:
    switch.mb_switch_1_switch_2_0:
      polling_intensity: 1
      refresh_value: true
    switch.mb_switch_1_switch_2_0_3:
      polling_intensity: 1
      refresh_value: true
    switch.mb_switch_1_switch_2_0_2:
      polling_intensity: 1
      refresh_value: true
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@kvjajoo Happy to help. The refresh_value: true setting has helped resolve delays with status updates for my Linear Bulbz and the relays as well as my Schlage Connect Lock and my wall plug. I’ve basically added that value to anything that was giving delays or not ever updating the status.

43

Rob would you mind providing a bit more detail on how you accomplished this. I have two Schlage Sense locks currently hooked to my iPhone. I just bought my first set of Hue bulbs, Echo will be here tomorrow, and some Ubiquiti cameras next week. In finding your post it gives me great hope that I won’t have to sell these Sense locks and can somehow bridge to them through HA. Regards…

44

Be aware this will drastically reduce the battery life in a lock; which normally just wakes to notify on a change. By polling these devices I’ve had 40% battery use in 3 days.

45

They key to get a homekit only devices to be controlled by HA is through the homekit automation. The steps I would take are

1) Setup HA with a switch called lock,  it doesn't have to actually do anything when switched.
2) Setup homebridge so that the switch.lock is seen on your iphone in homekit
3) Setup a Schlage Sense lock in homekit.  I called mine back door.
4) Setup homekit so automation works (2 factor authorization) and a ipad / ATV as a hub.
5) Setup 4 automations in homekit 
        a) when back door locks,  turn on switch.lock
        b) when back door unlocks,  turn off switch.lock
        c) when switch.lock turn on,  lock back door
        d) when switch.lock turn off,  unlock back door

You will now have a switch you can control in HA that locks and unlocks your sense and shows status. Do the same for the second sense but use different names. Watch what you call the lock as Siri and Alexa don’t like lock or unlock as an action. They do like, turn on lock, turn on back door.

2 Likes
46

To clarify, I didn’t change anything with polling intervals etc… only refresh_value. My lock has been in use for more than a month and still at 99% battery.

47

Is this because polling_interval 40000 or because of polling_intensity: 1 ?

48

I have problems with a NEo Coolcam motion/light sensor. The motion sensor is ok. The light sensor does not get updated.

What would be a good code to get better updates?

Maybe
refresh_value: true
or polling interval only for that sensor value (how?)
?

49

New Product Reviews and Review updates after 2+ years of use.
See Original Post