Yale Z-Wave Assure Lock 2 - Experiences, Questions

I ordered the YRD420-F-ZW3-BSP from Amazon, having heard that Yale was one brand that did not require the cloud. Turns out there are a lot of “Yale” locks with different features I did not completely understand. This is a brief report on the particular variant in that model number.

It is a Z-wave V3, I think 700 series but not sure (it identifies as Z-Wave protocol 7.16.3 and same SDK build 297).

I’m running ZwaveJS and ZwaveJSUI and it added there trivially, I put in the DSK from the label, powered up, and it was added instantly.

HOWEVER, YOU NEED THE YALE ACCESS APP to completely configure this. It is necessary for DoorSense calibration, as well as fingerprints. I am not 100% sure how operable the lock is if you do not use the app – it did allow me to lock and unlock from HA for example. Of considerably more concern, I worry that if you do not register with the app, anyone can walk up outside and do so (though I am by no means certain of that).

I pulled out an old mobile with no other data; I still had to give them an email and SMS-able cell number (but it did not require it be that phone’s cell number, as that one had no SIM).

Once configured however, it looks like everything but fingerprints work from HA only. I can go into the zwave UI and add codes, I think I can also use the service for the same function. I do not see any zwave mechanism for managing fingerprints.

Note that in the app you tell it whether you are using the app, or an external program, for access codes. To use HA you tell it external. It appears if you use the app however, you can coordinate those with fingerprints, and the access codes are stored in the lock and do not require the cloud in use.

Note that the app will update the lock firmware (it appears to be the lock, not the zwave module). I don’t see another way to do so.

If you set external, the same slots in the device are used, and you can see them in ZWaveJS and probably use the zwave user code actions. It is not at all clear what happens if you switch back and forth – I did, and one actually present in the lock stopped working. I simply removed it and re-added (in ZWaveJS) and it started working.

There is an HA Bluetooth integration for this. I can’t use it as my HA has no BT built in. That may be worth exploring for anyone who picks one up, and is within 25’ or so of their BT antenna. I have not found any HA integration specific to the z-wave feature set.

A very pleasant surprise was DoorSense, which I did not see when I bought it. It allows me to tell if the door is adjar (keep in mind it might be locked but open). I was planning to use little shelly door sensors, but now do not need them. They also allow this to be installed in the jamb and hidden. Very nice.

There are about a dozen extraneous sensors exposed in HA that have no clear purpose, such as “alarmLevel” and “alarmType”, or “Power Management Power Status” (there’s several battery levels separately). I just disabled most of those.

One oddity: I see no way to prevent the lock from locking if the door is open, and then indicating locked. I guess one could write an automation to immediately unlock it. It seems a shame that DoorSense feature is present but not used as a safety check (well, not safety as in injury, but safety as in a locked but ajar door is inherently unsafe). I should add the “auto-lock” (after a period of time) does say it checks that sensor, but for home automations you need to check it separately.

I do have many questions that remain.

  1. It is not clear if there is some coordination needed or expected between user slots, and fingerprint slots. I have read other postings indicating such was needed, but the app allows you to register a user for only a fingerprint so… not sure.

Note it’s one finger[print] per user, however I guess you could register John Smith 2, John Smith 3 for additional fingerprints.

  1. The app provides a Programming Code (which you can change), and I’ve found various documentation indicating how to enter that code (enter like a regular code but instead of check box hit gear). This lights up a few buttons but I have yet to find anywhere that documents them for this lock, except the zwave manual shows inclusion using them. Install manual says it is only needed for “turning on blue tooth” (which is already on?), and re-handing the lock, and changing modules. I wonder if it would allow entry of fingerprints without the app?

  2. Mine has a key. There are no instructions for re-keying. I assume one could remove the cylinder and have a locksmith do it, but do not know. I worry about taking a very electronic lock to most locksmiths and what I would get back.

And of course – what have I missed? Are there better tools, lovelace cards, etc. that might work better with it?

Hopefully these notes will be useful to someone.

No to figure out how to turn off that damn Google PIN requirement…

You can find more information about Z-Wave devices by visiting the Z-Wave Alliance product page. It is the official catalogue of all Z-Wave Certified Devices. After looking up the model number I can confirm it is a 700 series device. Here is the product page. https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/4929?selectedFrequencyId=2

It is not clear if there is some coordination needed or expected between user slots, and fingerprint slots

I have a KeyWe Z-Wave Lock and it supports NFC tags. When I set the NFC tags up they get added to a user. Lets say my pin for user 1 is 1234. Every time I unlock using the pin or the NFC tag. It will generate an event saying that the device was unlocked by user 1. I think when you setup a fingerprint it gets added to its own user then when you unlock with the fingerprint it will say it was unlocked by whatever user is associated with the fingerprint. You should test this to confirm.

There are about a dozen extraneous sensors exposed in HA that have no clear purpose, such as “alarmLevel” and “alarmType”

So the “alarmLevel” and “alarmType” entities generate codes depending on certain events that happen. These codes can tell you things like if the lock was locked manually, using z-wave, a fingerprint, bluetooth, or homekit bluetooth. It can also tell you what user unlocked the door, if youve reached your wrong code entry limit, as well as a bunch of other things.

There are no instructions for re-keying. I assume one could remove the cylinder and have a locksmith do it, but do not know.

Any device that uses radio waves has to get FCC certified before being sold in the US. The nice thing about the FCC certification is that they post internal pictures of every device they certify. This is useful when you need to tear down stuff. After looking at internal pictures of the YRD420 it looks like you can remove the cylinder and have it re-keyed.

Screenshot 2024-09-29 at 02-51-17 Internal Photo Internal Photos

I also noticed that Yale sales cylinders that you can get re-keyed alike so that might be an option as well Yale Deadbolt Cylinder for Assure Lock 2 - Yale Home.

What have I missed?

This lock does support built in Z-Wave schedules. AFAIK Z-Wave JS UI is the only software that allows you to configure them. This allows you to limit when a user can unlock the door. The alternative to this would be keymaster. With keymaster all of your scheduling is done in home assistant. Whenever its time to enable or disable a code keymaster just sends the command to the lock. With the built in schedules the lock keeps track of access times. I tried setting it up on my Kwikset 620 but couldn’t get it to work.

I found those, however the manual for the module is a bit confusing as it says “V2” but there is a ZW, ZW2 and ZW3 part number, and this was ZW3, so wasn’t sure I was arriving at the right place.

There are about a dozen extraneous sensors exposed in HA that have no clear purpose, such as “alarmLevel” and “alarmType”

Yes, enabling and looking at them I see they are mostly re-hashes of either multiple sensors in one, or in some cases events that appear to fire anyway. Thanks.

There are no instructions for re-keying. I assume one could remove the cylinder and have a locksmith do it, but do not know.

I also noticed that Yale sales cylinders that you can get re-keyed alike so that might be an option as well Yale Deadbolt Cylinder for Assure Lock 2 - Yale Home.

I saw those online. Every variant of them is sold out though. As I think about this though, I think my real error was buying one with a key. I’ve got at least three doors I never use (this house has too many exterior doors - seriously) that are keyed that I see no purpose in replacing. I can just carry a fallback key for those, and should have ordered keyless smart locks. Though oddly the same price for less.

What have I missed?

This lock does support built in Z-Wave schedules. AFAIK Z-Wave JS UI is the only software that allows you to configure them. This allows you to limit when a user can unlock the door. The alternative to this would be keymaster. With keymaster all of your scheduling is done in home assistant. Whenever its time to enable or disable a code keymaster just sends the command to the lock. With the built in schedules the lock keeps track of access times. I tried setting it up on my Kwikset 620 but couldn’t get it to work.
[/quote]

Ah… I had not run across Keymaster, I searched HACS for Yale without finding anything. That’s a nice polished version of what I can do in zwavejsui, but as I am only me, no big family or vendors coming and going, maybe no point. But good to know.

I guess in thinking about it overnight my biggest question is whether there is any downside to the requirement of using their app. Off hand it would appear not, as I there’s no WAN connectivity to the lock itself, so they can’t disable it remotely (unless there’s a time bomb in their firmware, which seems doubtful). I was pretty disappointed to see that they have apparently evolved over their 3 or so zwave modules from allowing full local configuration to an absolute requirement of their app. Including a SMS-able phone number DESPITE SMS not being involved in any form or fashion, pure information harvest. For anyone who hasn’t seen it here are its permissions on android as of this note. One can imagine reasons for all of them (e.g. geofencing for the collective ability to track your location at all times), but the idea they could read and download all contacts and all their information, and you would never know. For > $200 you would think they would give you a local-only option to install the lock with its z-wave features.

1 Like

Well, maybe there is something wrong. For the second time, after just sitting a while, the door sense has stopped working. It just shows closed all the time.

It happened soon after I installed it, so I reran the calibration paying close attention. Afterwards I tested it both with the app and to see that HA saw that open indication. All good last night.

This morning I can open it wide open and it still shows “closed”.

I guess time for a support call, and to pause my amazon order for additional locks.

Update: and for no apparent reason (other than sending email to support) now it’s working. Sigh…