Zooz is a relatively new name in the home automation industry, but their competitive prices and good-quality products have given them a fast following. Along with their Indoor Siren and 4-in-1 Sensor, the ZSE02 Motion Sensor is just one of their answers to smart home security.
As far as specs go, the ZSE02 has a detection radius of up to 23 feet in all directions. I think this a suitable range for most homes, especially considering the motion sensor in Aeotec’s MultiSensor 6 can only claim 16 feet (the trade off is that the 6-in-1 is smaller and senses more things — this is a good lesson in custom home automation: go with the products that best suit your goals, priorities, and lifestyle). It also has a wireless range of 100 feet, line of sight, so it should have no problem communicating with your other Z-Wave devices — a super important aspect of home security. Read more
When it comes to automating your home, your choice of protocol — the type of language your devices use to “speak” to each other — might just be the most important decision you make. It determines network speed, compatibility with other devices, length of signal range, battery life, among so many other things. And there is a lot to choose from — the market is flush with protocols that have varying strengths and weaknesses.
While the amount of information out there may seem intimidating, ultimately it comes down to choosing the set up that best fits your home and lifestyle. We prepared a breakdown of three of the most widely used protocols based on key features to help you determine your ideal smart home set up. Read more
Setting up my smart devices is usually fun, but I’ve always needed a bit more patience when it comes to wiring my Z-Wave switches. They include into your network like any Z-Wave device, but they also have different specifications. For example, unlike regular switches, your Z-Wave switches should be connected exactly as indicated in the manual and require a minimum load to function properly.
It’s worth mentioning, by the way, that after this initial set-up phase, my Z-Wave switches have made all the difference when it’s come to making my home more energy-efficient and convenient for me. That’s why I’ve compiled a short list of do’s and don’ts that will help you navigate and ease your Z-Wave switch installation process.
So you’re looking to create or update your smart home system. With so many brands, outlets, and types of devices to choose from, the process might seem daunting and expensive. Not to worry, you’re in the right place. I put together a list of ways to save even more on your smart home project. Here’s how to build a great Z-Wave system and stay on budget.
I learned all of what I know today about the technology from the Z-Wave community. That’s why I always read through product reviews – they’re full of troubleshooting suggestions and just really cool ideas on how to use and install smart home devices. So we want to encourage everyone to share their home automation experience by leaving product reviews and getting an instant coupon code for more Z-Wave!
There are no minimum or maximum limits, the more you review, the more discounts you get. Simply visit the page of the product you’ve purchased and scroll down to the Customer Reviews section. Click on “Write a review,” tell us what you think, and submit.
Find out more here.
As much as we love Aeon Labs micro switches, they can be a pain to install. Here are the 3 key ingredients for a quick and easy set-up of the switches:
As we're all waiting for the new Aeotec MultiSensor 6 to be officially added to the list of supported devices by all major Z-Wave gateways, I have been testing and researching a way to properly include the device to my VeraEdge. I was finally able to configure 4 basic child sensors a couple of days ago. It looks like another few weeks before we see the UV and vibration sensors on Vera's interface but all other 4 are functional after a quick manual fix.
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.
We have solved hundreds of smart home mysteries in our long and complicated history of home automation tech support. But there are a few cases which keep coming back due to poor documentation and lack of resources online. So here you go Google, we’ve put together a series of short articles to help you troubleshoot our most popular Z-Wave products.
Let’s start from the basics - the gateway home controller. You got your Vera (either the classic VeraLite or the new VeraEdge) and you’re ready to start building your smart home emporium. Only, when you try registering the hub, you keep getting the following error message: "Unit not available for assign".
Looking at the new retail smart home series from GE, you can tell the technology giant is taking Z-Wave more and more seriously. Besides updated versions of their best-selling models, they added a whole new switch to their home automation family - the GE 12730 Z-wave In-Wall Smart Fan Control.
It’s the first intelligent ceiling fan switch since Leviton’s overpriced Vizia product. The good news is that you’ll easily buy the GE Z-Wave switch under $50 and it will most likely work with any kind of Z-Wave gateway. Aside from the usual suspects, VeraEdge and SmartThings, the device is supported by Staples Connect, Wink, and ADT Pulse to name just a few.
The new Vera firmware upgrade is here with 4 new features, 20 improvements and too many resolved bugs to count. But are they really all gone? We were especially excited to see the Aeotec recessed door window sensor (ZW089-A) on the checklist as seemingly issue-free. It would be a sign of Vera finally embracing the Gen5 and Z-Wave Plus features. So we got right to testing the Aeotec ZW089-A on both our VeraEdge and VeraLite under the UI7.0.5. The sensor didn’t work immediately but with this quick fix, you’ll be able to fully control the Aeon Labs ZW089-A with your Vera.
Sometimes you just can’t pair a sensor or a switch with your Z-Wave hub, no matter what you try. You’ve done your research and installed similar devices without any problems. You’re positive this unit is compatible with your hub and yet it will not include.
We have found a solution that will work most of the time if everything else has failed. As strange as it may sound, the trick is to exclude the item from your network.
But why would I unpair something that has never been included to my network in the first place?