What's the best way to get open/close (on/off) converted into z-wave?

[NeverDie]

I've got a few projects starting to line up, and the sticking point is how to get the on/off (open/close) state of a non-zwave device converted into a z-wave message, so that HomeSeer can receive it and act on it. Examples:
1. A non-zwave flood sensor.
2. The external alarm trigger on a weather-alert radio.

Some z-wave devices I've heard of that might be applicable are:
1. Aeon Micro Switch
2. Remotec zfm-80
3. MIMOlite.
4. A z-wave door/window sensor. In z-wave, these all seem to be the reed-switch type.
5. A flood sensor.
6. Possibly (?) hacking a button on a cheap z-wave remote.
7. Other????

Generally speaking, which method do you like the most?

[Person]

To convert contact-closure to Z-wave I ended up using Aeon micro switch (which of course doesn't work as switch but just as a contact sensor). Why? It can be powered by 120 so no battery issues - just buy replacement power cord for lamps in HomeDepot and you have power. Much better radio signal than ZFM or SM103 I tried before.

SM103 supports external contact closure / reed but I don't' like its radio range and battery (or you can hook it up to 5V usb charger instead).


One thing w/ Aeon is to enable instant status by setting parameter 80 to one or two. Other than that I am very pleased w/ them.

http://board.homeseer.com/showpost.p...6&postcount=26

[NeverDie]

That's useful information. Thanks!

For those cases where battery may be the only option, I notice the reviews on the Schlage Nexia z-wave door/window sensor have been largely positive as compared to the sm103 or the Aeon equivalent. One reviewer said he had no problem including the RS100HC into HomeSeer, and so the Nexia feature is apparently optional rather than required.

[Person]

Somewhere I read Aeon sensors are much better than SM. I have no experience.

With Nexia you should be careful - they mix Z-wave and Zigbee I think - so some devices will work w/ HS and some won't. Seems like RS100 is Z-wave which is good to know!

[randman]

To convert contact-closure to Z-wave I ended up using Aeon micro switch (which of course doesn't work as switch but just as a contact sensor). Why? It can be powered by 120 so no battery issues - just buy replacement power cord for lamps in HomeDepot and you have power. Much better radio signal than ZFM or SM103 I tried before.

SM103 supports external contact closure / reed but I don't' like its radio range and battery (or you can hook it up to 5V usb charger instead).


One thing w/ Aeon is to enable instant status by setting parameter 80 to one or two. Other than that I am very pleased w/ them.

http://board.homeseer.com/showpost.p...6&postcount=26

I just got a wired Smoke/CO alarm (BRK SC7010B) and the BRK RM4 relay (http://www.brkelectronics.com/product/RM4). The relay connects to the wired alarm. The relay can also connect to the NC/COM inputs of an external device to signal that the smoke/CO alarm has turned "on".

I've been using MimoLites to sense open/close of reed switches that I use in garage and a couple of other doors. I was going to connect a MimoLite to the BRK RM4 relay but the MimoLite needs a 12 volt power brick, which complicates its installation in the ceiling where the smoke/CO alarm will be installed. So, instead of using MimoLite, I can instead connect the RM4 relay to the switch inputs of the Aeon micro switch? There won't be a need to connect anything to the Aeon's load terminals, of course.

What does HomeSeer display for the Aeon Microswitch? Is it like an open/close or on/off type status? But what if I accidentally change the switch to on/off via HomeSeer, so it won't match the status that the smoke/CO alarm is telling it? And what happens when power is lost and then comes back on? Does its state go back to what it was (e.g. normally closed)?

I'm not familiar with the Micro Switch, so I'm wondering if I can use it just like I use the MimoLites with my other applications (e.g. door sensors and motion detectors). Aeon doesn't really market the micro switch as a sensor, so information on this is sparse.


Thanks.

[randy]

I would go with a Z-Wave flood sensor, I'm very happy with my 3 Everspring units.

The Ecolink garage door sensor is a tilt sensor, but has a set of screw terminals that will allow it to be used as a dry contact sensor.

Don't rule out Arduino for I/O.

I have about 20 Everspring door/window sensors and they are working well.

I have Kidde CO/Smoke sensors that are hard wired and interconnected. They have interface modules that I tied into an Arduino to communicate with HS for either CO or smoke events.

[randman]

I would go with a Z-Wave flood sensor, I'm very happy with my 3 Everspring units.

The Ecolink garage door sensor is a tilt sensor, but has a set of screw terminals that will allow it to be used as a dry contact sensor.

Don't rule out Arduino for I/O.

I have about 20 Everspring door/window sensors and they are working well.

I have Kidde CO/Smoke sensors that are hard wired and interconnected. They have interface modules that I tied into an Arduino to communicate with HS for either CO or smoke events.

I use a number of the Everspring door/window sensors but I try to use powered Z-Wave devices where I can. I haven't checked out the Arudino yet.

[Person]

So, instead of using MimoLite, I can instead connect the RM4 relay to the switch inputs of the Aeon micro switch? There won't be a need to connect anything to the Aeon's load terminals, of course.

Yes you can do that - relay output is basically no different than any switch that you can connect to Aeon inputs.

What does HomeSeer display for the Aeon Microswitch? Is it like an open/close or on/off type status?

It is ON/OFF since it is a switch.

But what if I accidentally change the switch to on/off via HomeSeer, so it won't match the status that the smoke/CO alarm is telling it? And what happens when power is lost and then comes back on? Does its state go back to what it was (e.g. normally closed)?

You can set custom values for states/values and disable changing values under edit values/status pair "Show status values drop-down selector in the control column of the device status page". I normally use more meaningful values (e.g. OPEN/CLOSE for my garage door).

On power reset it should go back to normal state - if input switch/contact is open it will be off (assuming you configure it that way; you can also set input to be reversed/normally closed or even momentary but that is not useful for your application - in that case it goes back to state before power was removed).

I'm not familiar with the Micro Switch, so I'm wondering if I can use it just like I use the MimoLites with my other applications (e.g. door sensors and motion detectors). Aeon doesn't really market the micro switch as a sensor, so information on this is sparse.
Thanks.

Yes micro should work exactly like MimoLite except the way HS displays its state.

[sparkman]

I haven't checked out the Arudino yet.

Take a look at this thread which was posted by new HS3 user ServiceXp. At the time he wrote it, he was using a Vera, but has since switched to HS3. If you use Arduino clones, the hardware cost would only be around $5. A MySensors gateway, to allow interfacing with HS3, would be around the same cost.

Cheers
Al

[randman]

Person - thanks for the info. I wouldn't have thought of using the Aeon for open/close sensors until I saw your earlier posts! Aeon does not quite market the devices this way, but as you said, it works just as desired! I have two applications in mind for this (Optex motion detector and BRK Alarm/CO detector with BRK RM4 relay), and the Aeons are more suitable than the Mimolites since they will be embedded in the ceiling and work with 120V (so no large power brick required).

Al - the Arduino hardware costs sounds great. I only have two to do though, and based on my quick perusal, seems that it will take me more time to research and actually do, at least for the very first one. If I had a lot more to do than two, the cost may be a bigger factor.

[S-F]

I never thought about using a micro switch for contact closure sensing but I guess it makes sense. the leads from the device to the switch are low voltage. I wonder how they got around the national electric code that doesn't allow low and high voltage in the same enclosure. Maybe because it terminates at a high voltage device. the switch.

[mrhappy]

Excuse the slightly grainy photo but today I have put an Aeon Labs Micro Switch module in my doorbell, the aim being to get the status of the push switch into HS. I did contemplate doing this with a battery module but it was about the same money and there is no messing around with changing batteries.

Be sure to set the option in HS to notify HS of the switch inputs, that led me to spend a few minutes scratching my head as to why the input was not reflecting in HS. I have left the load floating (I may connect it to the bell later I don't know yet) and it does to appear to have a sort of buzz/hum to the device that is noticeable, I am not sure if it expects something to be connected to it and this is why or it buzzes regardless.

Thankfully it just fit right in...

[randy]

I never thought about using a micro switch for contact closure sensing but I guess it makes sense. the leads from the device to the switch are low voltage. I wonder how they got around the national electric code that doesn't allow low and high voltage in the same enclosure. Maybe because it terminates at a high voltage device. the switch.

And don't forget about parameter 120 (external button mode) which allows you to determine how those switch contacts are handled:

• 0= Momentary button mode,
• 1=2 state switch mode,
• 2=3 way switch mode,
• 255= Unidentified mode

255 is to put it back in the default state where it automatically determines the mode on first use.

[randman]

And don't forget about parameter 120 (external button mode) which allows you to determine how those switch contacts are handled:

• 0= Momentary button mode,
• 1=2 state switch mode,
• 2=3 way switch mode,
• 255= Unidentified mode

255 is to put it back in the default state where it automatically determines the mode on first use.

Just to clarify - if using the microswitch with a device's NC/COM outputs (like a motion detector or a magnetic reed switch type device used in doors), what should parameter 120 be? 255 or 1?

[randy]

Just to clarify - if using the microswitch with a device's NC/COM outputs (like a motion detector or a magnetic reed switch type device used in doors), what should parameter 120 be? 255 or 1?

255 is the setting that will force the device to choose between 0 and 1 automatically on first use. If you set it to 255 it will decide whether you are using a momentary contact or wall switch to control it upon first use.

0 is what you choose if you want to us a push button to toggle the miicroswitch between off and on.

1 is for it to be controlled by a switch, it is on when the contacts are closed and off when the contacts are open.

2 is for 3-way lighting. When wired per the instructions the microswitch will change states with a momentary interruption in the AC supplied to one of the switch contact connections.

You would choose parameter 1 if you want the microswitch to reflect the state of the controlling reed switch or other dry contact device.