Z-Wave information, what to do, what NOT to do.

[Domodude]

This topic is meant to give a step by step overview of my Z-wave experiences the last months. As it nears completion, I will wikify it for better accessibility. Anyone, please feel free to add information through this thread.


Basic info:
Z-Wave offers wireless control of devices such as lighting, thermostats and window screens. In the setting of LMCE, the core sends the messages through a serial or USB (far preferred!) interface. The Z-wave protocol offers feedback information, i.e. the core knows if a command was actually executed at the device.

Merten experiences:
A Merten Z-wave rig has one system Administration unit at all times. These should be a battery operated button (transmitter), don't ask me why another unit does not do this. The Administrator holds information about all other Z-wave transmitters or receivers in your setup.
Everything is connected and programmed through their CONNECT radio configuration tool, currently version 1.04. It recognizes Merten's USB Z-wave interface, dunno about other brands.
Units are added to a project by pushing the button three times within five seconds. The unit receives an address, which uniquely identifies it. This brings me to the major DON'T of Z-wave in general:
NEVER reset a Z-wave device before removing it from your project! You will have no way to ever remove it from the project again! The only way to get it out of the list of devices is your project is to start an ENTIRELY new project.
Starting a new project seems to be a simple matter, but I assure you it sucks if you have more than about 15 z-wave devices! All your device connections, scenes etc. have to be reprogrammed, easily takes a half hour and often a lot longer.

More to follow. Other comments and wisdom greatly appreciated.

[Domodude]

With v1.04.000, the updating of the radio central unit (the wall unit with LCD screen) was very erratic, until I updated the firmware of the radio central unit to (also) 1.04.

[syner]

that's horrible about the removing devices.  with other zwave setups you can remove devices even if they break and you don't have an opportunity to remove them.  all without having to manually setup the network again.

[Domodude]

that's horrible about the removing devices.  with other zwave setups you can remove devices even if they break and you don't have an opportunity to remove them.  all without having to manually setup the network again.

Well, in a way it is horrible, but it is also for a good reason (as far as I understand it). Each Z-wave device has a unique address with the Administrator device (be it a simple button with Administrative capabilities, a USB stick, or even an ACT ZCS201). If you yank out devices without telling the Administrator, you pollute the device list with addresses that have no device attached anymore.
BUT, I am not sure why it is not possible to tell an Administrator to free up a certain address, after a couple of warnings and "Do you REALLY want this?" popups. After all, sometimes devices do break down.

[Domodude]

More to follow. Other comments and wisdom greatly appreciated.

Nothing much is being added right now -- I first want to get the Merten USB stick to work with LMCE. Hopefully the proper drivers changes can be made, it appears that Merten is not quite as compliant to the standard as I was hoping.

[hari]

More to follow. Other comments and wisdom greatly appreciated.

Nothing much is being added right now -- I first want to get the Merten USB stick to work with LMCE. Hopefully the proper drivers changes can be made, it appears that Merten is not quite as compliant to the standard as I was hoping.

I know what's needed for the Merten stick, I just have no device here at the moment.

best regards,
Hari

[syner]

what i meant was that zensys has already corrected this issue (probably was never really an issue).  more likely it was the cheaper controllers that didn't incorporate the functionality.  i can remove nodes that fail just fine with a rediscovery of the network remotely.