Zen Thermostat short cycling when using it on ZHA

Configuration Zigbee
1

So I’ve had an intermittent issue where if my Zen thermostat is connected to my Zigbee network via the SkyConnect and ZHA that it will stop reporting states/stop responding to temperature changes/and stop cycling the AC. It ends up short cycling if the AC kicks on at all.

However: when I disconnect it from the Zigbee network and remove it from my HAOS connected devices, then it cycles perfectly fine.

I can try to reconnect it and reproduce errors and get logs if that would help, but I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue?

I’d really love to have it setup so I can schedule temperature changes and then sign up for time of use pricing to save cost on electricity.

2

I think I found the error in the logs:

[homeassistant.components.recorder.util] Error executing query: (sqlite3.IntegrityError) UNIQUE constraint failed: statistics_meta.statistic_id
[SQL: UPDATE statistics_meta SET statistic_id=? WHERE statistics_meta.statistic_id = ? AND statistics_meta.source = ?]
[parameters: ('sensor.zen_thermostat_battery', 'sensor.zen_within_zen_01_battery', 'recorder')]
(Background on this error at: https://sqlalche.me/e/20/gkpj)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1968, in _exec_single_context
    self.dialect.do_execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py", line 920, in do_execute
    cursor.execute(statement, parameters)
sqlite3.IntegrityError: UNIQUE constraint failed: statistics_meta.statistic_id

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/util.py", line 130, in session_scope
    yield session
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/statistics.py", line 680, in update_statistics_metadata
    statistics_meta_manager.update_statistic_id(
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/table_managers/statistics_meta.py", line 316, in update_statistic_id
    ).update({StatisticsMeta.statistic_id: new_statistic_id})
      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/query.py", line 3275, in update
    self.session.execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/session.py", line 2232, in execute
    return self._execute_internal(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/session.py", line 2127, in _execute_internal
    result: Result[Any] = compile_state_cls.orm_execute_statement(
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/bulk_persistence.py", line 1619, in orm_execute_statement
    return super().orm_execute_statement(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/context.py", line 293, in orm_execute_statement
    result = conn.execute(
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1413, in execute
    return meth(
           ^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py", line 483, in _execute_on_connection
    return connection._execute_clauseelement(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1637, in _execute_clauseelement
    ret = self._execute_context(
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1846, in _execute_context
    return self._exec_single_context(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1987, in _exec_single_context
    self._handle_dbapi_exception(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 2344, in _handle_dbapi_exception
    raise sqlalchemy_exception.with_traceback(exc_info[2]) from e
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1968, in _exec_single_context
    self.dialect.do_execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py", line 920, in do_execute
    cursor.execute(statement, parameters)
sqlalchemy.exc.IntegrityError: (sqlite3.IntegrityError) UNIQUE constraint failed: statistics_meta.statistic_id
[SQL: UPDATE statistics_meta SET statistic_id=? WHERE statistics_meta.statistic_id = ? AND statistics_meta.source = ?]
[parameters: ('sensor.zen_thermostat_battery', 'sensor.zen_within_zen_01_battery', 'recorder')]
(Background on this error at: https://sqlalche.me/e/20/gkpj)
2023-07-25 13:32:26.887 WARNING (Recorder) [homeassistant.components.recorder.statistics] Blocked attempt to insert duplicated statistic rows, please report at https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22integration%3A+recorder%22
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1968, in _exec_single_context
    self.dialect.do_execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py", line 920, in do_execute
    cursor.execute(statement, parameters)
sqlite3.IntegrityError: UNIQUE constraint failed: statistics_meta.statistic_id

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/util.py", line 130, in session_scope
    yield session
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/statistics.py", line 680, in update_statistics_metadata
    statistics_meta_manager.update_statistic_id(
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/recorder/table_managers/statistics_meta.py", line 316, in update_statistic_id
    ).update({StatisticsMeta.statistic_id: new_statistic_id})
      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/query.py", line 3275, in update
    self.session.execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/session.py", line 2232, in execute
    return self._execute_internal(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/session.py", line 2127, in _execute_internal
    result: Result[Any] = compile_state_cls.orm_execute_statement(
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/bulk_persistence.py", line 1619, in orm_execute_statement
    return super().orm_execute_statement(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/context.py", line 293, in orm_execute_statement
    result = conn.execute(
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1413, in execute
    return meth(
           ^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py", line 483, in _execute_on_connection
    return connection._execute_clauseelement(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1637, in _execute_clauseelement
    ret = self._execute_context(
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1846, in _execute_context
    return self._exec_single_context(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1987, in _exec_single_context
    self._handle_dbapi_exception(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 2344, in _handle_dbapi_exception
    raise sqlalchemy_exception.with_traceback(exc_info[2]) from e
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py", line 1968, in _exec_single_context
    self.dialect.do_execute(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py", line 920, in do_execute
    cursor.execute(statement, parameters)
sqlalchemy.exc.IntegrityError: (sqlite3.IntegrityError) UNIQUE constraint failed: statistics_meta.statistic_id
[SQL: UPDATE statistics_meta SET statistic_id=? WHERE statistics_meta.statistic_id = ? AND statistics_meta.source = ?]
[parameters: ('sensor.zen_thermostat_battery', 'sensor.zen_within_zen_01_battery', 'recorder')]
(Background on this error at: https://sqlalche.me/e/20/gkpj)
3

Browsing other forums online I saw that there was a firmware update that required a smartthings hub, thankfully they’re kind of cheap on ebay so I grabbed one to follow along with this thread

Interesting enough, the Zen is short cycling when on the SmartThings hub as well. So perhaps it is not related to the Skyconnect

4

So using the advanced console for SmartThings online to push firmware update commands manually resulted in the status reported failure to update, and the failure reason being “BLACKLISTED”

I think all in all, the Zen thermostat, while very nice for the times it did work, just won’t suit my current situation and I should instead pursue a Matter/Thread thermostat (e.g. Ecobee, when they release their firmware updates that add Matter/Thread support) through my power utility’s rebate program.

Then I hopefully would have a better experience with less short cycling, more reliable connection to my HA instance, and therefore an easier time with schedules that actually run.