June 06, 2015 2 Comments
Controlling your garage door remotely is one of the many blessings of home automation. Finally, you don’t have to look back when driving off for the long weekend. Instead you can set a time everyday for the device to make sure your garage is closed. Or create an event based on geofencing which will open the garage whenever you’re about to pull into the driveway.
Telguard teamed up with FortrezZ to create a Z-Wave solution which brings all of the above and more. Functionality obviously depends on the kind of gateway you’re using. But the greatest thing about the Telguard GDC1 is that they decided to go with the simplest command class possible, namely the binary switch you’ll find in any Z-Wave light switch. It essentially means that you’ll be able to get the simple on/off (which translates into open/close) control and monitoring under virtually any Z-Wave controller.
If you’re thinking about automating your garage door you have probably considered the DIY option, including a garage tilt sensor and a contact module, such as the Evolve LFM-20 or FortrezZ MimoLite. It can be cheaper but keep in mind that this solution is not certified by the UL for safety so potential liability is far greater than when you get the UL 325 listed GDC1.
You might have also looked at the Linear GD00Z-4 device which looks fairly similar but carries a few significant differences. First of all, Linear uses a different command class (Barrier Operator CC) which is not supported as widely as the binary switch.
In terms of installation, the Linear uses a battery-powered tilt sensor, while the GDC1 operates with a fully wired door contact sensor. I hate to worry about replacement batteries (they’re never around when you need them) so Telguard wins this round for me.
In case you need a bit more insight to make a decision, I put together a list of what’s already good about the GDC1 Z-Wave garage opener and what could be improved:
Let me know if you have anything to add to the list!
Do you have any garage solution recommendations that I missed? Use the comments section below to share.
September 12, 2015
We recently repaired our garage door/lift and was excited to add automation (zwave) to the mix. It came down to the GDC1 and GD00Z. I chose the former and now having the worst pair issue. Utilizing the Qolsys powered by alarm.com with updated firmware the product refuses to pair. Auto in addition to inclusion button yields same results. It it weird each time the inclusion buttn is selected gdc1 blinks rapidly then pairing process stops immediately. I have at this point (nearly 5 hrs trying) requested a replacement. Will post when more light can be shed on this.
October 16, 2023
Z-Wave devices are all interoperable. This means that technically, any Z-Wave enabled device can successfully communicate with another Z-Wave device, exchanging messages using wireless signal. Regardless of the brand, chip version, or product type, they work together seamlessly. Or do they?
September 11, 2023 9 Comments
Some of us are excited about Matter, some of us are dismissive, some of us are anxious. What does it mean for my Z-Wave gear? Will my smart home system become obsolete or incompatible with devices from my favorite brands? There’s a lot of uncertainty behind Matter’s promises and not many details about how Z-Wave will play into the new landscape. In this blog post, we take a closer look at how Z-Wave and Matter can coexist and interact in the future.
March 22, 2023 4 Comments
Let’s take a closer look at the first Z-Wave focused hub for US and Canada. We will uncover its primary benefits, UI features, how to use the Z-Box mobile app, and what sets the system apart from other hubs available today.
As we often tell our customers, there isn’t one perfect smart home platform to solve it all. The Z-Box Hub is no exception. What makes it unique is its focus on easy access to advanced automation functionality while keeping the key data and processes off-cloud.
Jan (The Smartest House)
October 01, 2015
DB, I’m sorry you have experienced so much trouble trying to pair the Telguard with your panel. Sometimes, it’s a range issue and at time all it takes is to put the panel in exclusion mode first. Take a look at our blog entry on the easiest pairing fix ever:
http://www.thesmartesthouse.com/blogs/the-smartest-blog/17602860-no-1-z-wave-pairing-trick
Let us know how it went!