Troubleshooting very weird z-wave switch behavior

Configuration Z-Wave
1

While trying to figure out a way to setup an automation rule for my loadless Linear Z-wave aux switch, I’ve run into some really, really weird z-wave behavior and I’m stuck on how to troubleshoot it.

Note: all my z-wave devices were previously part of a SmartThings hub. They were properly removed from that z-wave network before being added in to the z-wave stick that I’m using with my HASS installation on a Raspberry Pi.

So here’s what’s going on. I have two of these aux switches, and have setup a couple automation rules. One of the devices (switch.basement_hall_light_aux_switch_14) is intended to simply act like the second switch in a three-way circuit, and the other (switch.basement_aux_switch_switch_20) is supposed to trigger a whole bunch of other switches. Here are the relevant automation rules:

- alias: Basement master light switch off
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.basement_aux_switch_switch_20
      from: 'on'
      to: 'off'
  action:
    service: scene.turn_on
    entity_id: scene.all_off_basement

- alias: Basement master light switch on
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.basement_aux_switch_switch_20
      from: 'off'
      to: 'on'
  action:
    service: scene.turn_on
    entity_id: scene.all_on_basement


- alias: Basement hall light aux on
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.basement_hall_light_aux_switch_14
      from: 'off'
      to: 'on'
  action:
    service: light.turn_on
    entity_id: light.basement_hall_light_level_13

- alias: Basement hall light aux off
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.basement_hall_light_aux_switch_14
      from: 'on'
      to: 'off'
  action:
    service: light.turn_off
    entity_id: light.basement_hall_light_level_13

Now, here’s what’s weird. If I activate either of these switches from the HASS web UI, everything behaves 100% as expected.

However, if I go to the physical switch on the wall, and tap it, I do not get the expected behavior.

In the case of switch.basement_hall_light_aux_switch_14, it does indeed turn on the hall light, but it also turns on what seems to be a random assortment of my other basement lights (the lights that turn on do not align with any group or anything). It will then also turn those same lights all off if I press the bottom of the switch.

In the case of switch.basement_aux_switch_switch_20, nothing happens when I physically toggle the device on the wall. Nothing at all.

In both cases, when I physically toggle the devices in the wall, HASS never sees the activity. It doesn’t show up in the log, and in the case of switch.basement_hall_light_aux_switch_14, none of the lights it turns on show as “on” in HASS.

Yet, again, if I toggle the switches in the HASS UI, everything behaves as expected.

What in the hell is happening and how do I troubleshoot this?

2

Zwave is intended to work without a hub and in particular I believe 3 way switches work by talking directly to each other - it’s possible that ST set up some associations you don’t know about - not sure how or even if that explains anything but may be worth considering as part of the issue.

3

I remember seeing a similar situation somewhere, not sure if in the forums or in a subreddit. Give me some time to research and if I can find the link I’ll post it here. If it turns out to be a dead end, I’ll let you know that too.

Edit: Shit. Found the other thread and just realized it was yours, @rogersmj!! :grimacing:

4

Yeah I had that thought as well, but the behavior I’m setting from the hall aux switch was never setup in SmartThings either. I’m thinking about just completely disassociating them from the network and starting over.

Ha, yeah. I started this thread because that other one was about my config question, and it became clear that I was dealing with some z-wave network problems.

5

This may be way off, but I wonder if using mqtt to communicate the states between the switches would work; something similar to this Harmony piece I’ve been using:

6

Have you tried setting polling_intensity in the customize section of the config?

7

I have a similar problem with my ge switches. The current gen of ge switch dont report status (hail) changes, changing the polling helps a little. Also check the zwave group(s) it belongs to.