Spring is made for Z-Wave. Whether you’re monitoring energy consumption and heating costs, automating your outdoor lighting,  or determined to upgrade your household security, Z-Wave technology has got you covered.

Z-Wave technology has been compelling from the beginning because of its versatile functionality, its convenience, and the fact that verifiable savings in energy consumption and home security can be seen immediately. Take a look at this example from Aeon Labs for monitoring energy consumption and this how-to guide that defines an easy way to set up household security. Today, add to those the fact that most Z-Wave products can be easily installed, and controlled from anywhere via your choice of devices.

• Want to adjust your thermostat just before you get home?
• Want to unlock the door to let someone in while you’re away? Or can’t remember if you locked the door when you left?
• Forgot to turn out the lights?
• Want to program your house lights, window shades and video monitor before you take the family on that weekend getaway?
• Want to check on your pets when no one is home?
• Want to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home’s vital functions are being continuously monitored for functionality, like the water sensor and water valve from FortrezZ, that protects your house from water leaks.

Z-Wave has it all. You can start with a single product and install it yourself: a few examples, for instance; a lighting control, like this system from GE, a door lock from Schlage’s LINK system, an appliance module with power monitoring, or a thermostat. Control and/or program it with a handheld remote. Most of these devices are now plug-in modules, not requiring you to get inside the electrical wiring of your house. And most are surprisingly inexpensive, with many selling for less than $50.

Going from a single Z-Wave device to multiple household functions is easily accomplished through a central controller, such as Micasaverde’s Vera or a Homeseer system. The central controller, or gateway, typically costs less than $250 and can manage every device, from your home security system to your energy management monitoring,  not to mention lighting, video surveillance, motion sensors and window coverings, to name a few. Micasaverde has a Demo Video that is well worth watching to see how straightforward and simple it can be to install and program your own home network running off a central controller. Access and control can be done through your web browser or smartphone, a truly liberating experience.

If do-it-yourself is not your thing,  there are installer options. Schlage’s highly regarded Link system, which can incorporate home automation functions well beyond locking, can be installed yourself, or professionally installed through InstallerNet, a nationwide home installation service. Link is a subscription service in which the homeowner pays $8.99 per month (or $99 per year) and allows the Link system to remotely host and monitor all the programmed functions.

In a similar vein, Verizon has recently offered a similar whole-home service. Read this helpfuloverview and step-by-step guide to get started with home controls. All the functions are professionally installed, hosted and monitored for $9.99 per month. A starter kit for $69 includes a gateway, camera, and lighting controls, with a wide range of add-on options. Similar offerings are available from ADT, Vivint, Alarm.com, among others.

If you still think that controlling your home is a daunting task, fear not. There are resources galore standing by to help you. Start by checking in with our resident expert advisor, Jay Venner, and read Ask The Expert (you can also send in your questions). And do sign on to our Forum. You will find legions of kindred spirits, scores of helpful people who have done it all before, and tips and tricks to help you become a “power user” of Z-Wave.

And where to get all these goodies? You have a lot of choices. The big box stores like Best Buy carry many of them. Online at Amazon, New Egg, Tiger Direct. Worthington. ZwaveProducts.com. And for expert advice close at hand with your call, Smart Home Products.

Z-Wave. It has never been easier, more affordable, or more compelling.

Honeywell and Leviton have teamed up to create just such a system option adding Leviton’s Vizia RF+  package, which includes switches for outside perimeter lighting,  lamp modules for dimmable indoor lighting,  indoor lighting receptacles, and 600W incandescent dimmers for indoor lighting.

Integrated with Honeywell security systems and remotely accessible through Honeywell Total Connec services, the system gives the homeowner complete versatility in setting scheduling home lighting as a deterrent to unwanted intrusion, as well as the comfort of never having to enter a dark home. The combination is now controllable from your smart phone, giving the homeowner complete and immediate access to all the functions of the system. The Leviton package included the ability to illuminate large groups of lights with a single press of a button in case of emergency or the need to exit the home in a hurry.

Significant energy savings can be realized using the system’s Energy Save Mode dimmers. An incandescent bulb set at 50% brightness will use 40% less energy and emit a warm, useful glow. Even if you set a dimmer at 90%, you would still receive a 10% energy payback. As an added bonus, dimming extends the life of bulbs up to 10 times and longer – an important consideration if you have cathedral ceilings with lights that need changing.  Porch and yard lighting can be set to operate at normal levels for a few hours and then dim for the rest of the night, yielding significant energy savings.

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Setting Up Your mServer Z-Wave System Controller

An extremely robust hardware platform, mServer is designed specifically for dedicated home and building automation (see figure 1). It comes with Embedded Automation’s mControl software that runs on Windows XP. mServer offers standard PC connections such as USB, RS232, PS2 (keyboard, mouse), VGA (monitor output), Ethernet, and audio for connecting home control hardware.

Figure 1

In this article I’ll walk you through setting up your first Z-Wave network using the mServer hardware and mControl software platforms. To make installation easier you should note that a home network is required and a portable PC such as a laptop or Tablet PC with USB support is highly recommended for configuring your Z-Wave network. Also highly recommended is a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. mServer will function without the above recommended devices but it makes installation much easier.

STEP 1: Powering up mServer
Let’s get right to the fun stuff. Connect mServer to your home network using a standard Cat5e Ethernet cable. mServer should have come with a +12v DC power supply. Plug that in. You’re finished. mServer is now powered up and should be connected to your network.

STEP 2: Accessing the mControl Interface through your web browser
This step is probably premature, but I’m sure you are excited to see what the mServer interface looks like. Before you can access mServer through your home network you need to configure the network. This means determining what mServer’s IP address is and configuring the router’s “port forwarding” setting.

Determining the IP address:

• Connect a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to mServer.
• Login to mServer using the default username and password, which you’ll find in the quick start manual.
• Press the Windows key + R to bring up the run dialog box.
• Type “control” and press enter to bring up the control panel.
• Double click “network connections.”
• Select the active Ethernet adapter.
• In the left pane scroll down to the bottom to find the IP address of mServer.

Setting up port forwarding:

• Forward ports 29990 through 29995 to the IP address found above. Consult your router’s manual for details on setting up port forwarding.

Accessing the mServer from your web browser

• Open Internet Explorer and type http:// + your mServer IP + a colon + the port number 29990 into the address bar and press enter (for example: http://192.168.1.1:29990).

Figure 2

STEP 3: Using the Z-Wave Adapter Utility

Embedded Automation has created a nice utility to help you manage your network (see figure 2). This utility can be found on mServer using the following steps:

• Press the Windows+R keys to bring up the run dialog box.
• Type “explorer” and press enter.
• Navigate to the C:\Program Files\Embedded Automation\mControl\bin directory.
• Double Click ZWaveUtil.exe to launch the application.

TIP #1: Download and install the free trial version of mControl from Embedded Automation‘s web site to your laptop and run the ZWaveUtil.exe application from there. This will allow you to carry your laptop around for programming devices into your Intermatic USB Stick.

TIP #2: Also, carry a piece of paper and a pencil with you and note which node ID’s are associated with what devices in your home. This will make naming the devices in later steps much faster.

STEP 4: Adding zones to mControl

• Open the mControl interface via your web browser (example: http://192.168.1.1:29990).
• Click “settings” as shown in figure 3.
• Click “manage zones” as shown in figure 4.
• Click “add zone” as shown in figure 5.
• Type the name of the zone you want to create as shown in figure 6. A zone is a common area such as a living room or basement.
• Click save.

Figure 3 Figure 5

Figure 4

Figure 6

STEP 5: Adding Z-Wave devices to your zones
In step three you downloaded and used the ZwaveUtil.exe application to add devices to your Z-Wave USB controller. Here is something you may not have known. Your Z-Wave network and device information is physically stored in your Z-Wave USB controller and can now be used by any computer. When you plug your USB controller into mServer all of your device information is available to the mControl software.

• Plug the USB controller into mServer.
• In the “edit zones” menu click “add device” as shown in figure 7.
• Enter a “name” for the device as shown in figure 8.
• Use the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons to select the Z-Wave ID (node ID) you want to add. (This is where writing down the node ID numbers, as suggested in step 3, comes in handy.)
• Use the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons to select an image that best represents the device you are adding.
• Click save.

Figure 7

Figure 8

STEP 6: Controlling your Z-Wave devices
In this example we will be controlling a ACT ZTT000 Z-Wave Thermostat.

• Click “Home” to return to the main menu
• Click the triangle next to the thermostat device to bring up the “HVAC view” as shown in figure 9.
• Make the adjustments to the HVAC settings using the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons.
• Click “Apply” as shown in figure 10 for the settings to take effect.

Figure 9

Figure 10

There are several problems with giving 20 people a key to a shared space. I have learned that you can not expect grown adults to remember to:

• Turn the lights off when they leave
• Clean up after themselves
• Lock the doors
• Turn the air conditioner or heat off on their way out.

Thankfully we now live in a world where home automation for the average business owner is not unreasonably priced. In this review and future reviews I will be implementing a Z-Wave Network from scratch and documenting the pros and cons of each device I use in the system.

Every Z-Wave Network needs a master controller. We will be using the VeraLite from MiCasa Verde. MiCasa Verde has been making popular Z-Wave Home Automation controllers since 2008 when they launched their Vera Server. The VeraLite was created for users who already have a WiFi router but want to add an IP based Z-Wave controller.

The VeraLite has a built in server which allows us to monitor and control our Z-Wave devices from a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. A friend of mine suggested I install the Home BuddyApp directly from the Google Play.

Home Buddy automatically found my VeraLite when I supplied it with my username and password. The Home Buddy App has a clean and simple user interface which is very user friendly. There are other application for Android and there even seems to be applications for iPhone, BlackBerry and other Java enabled phones. This will be perfect for our hackerspace when we get around to adding Z-Wave enabled door locks.

We installed two Leviton Viza RF+ VRS15-1LZ ON/OFF light switches, a single VRR15-1LZ 15 Amp Receptacle, and a VRCS4-MRZ 4-Scene Controller with Switch. The ON/OFF switches control the lighting in the computer room and the bathroom while the receptacle controls the power supply to our 15,000 BTU window air conditioner.

The 4-Scene Controller is a cool little device that has its own load switching capabilities as well as the ability to remotely control other loads. I will have to admit that getting this device properly added to the VeraLite was not as intuitive as adding the other devices.

The VeraLite can run off 4-AA batteries which allows you to take the unit around to each devices and include it in low power mode. With most devices this was as simple as pressing the + button on the VeraLite and then pressing the button on the light switch or receptacle. The 4-Scene controller actually shows up in VeraLite as multiple devices. Being the “Hacker” that I am I did not carefully read the instructions which came with the switch. The first time I added the 4-Scene Controller to VeraLite I only held buttons 1 and 3 for five seconds. This caused only the local load to be included. What I should have done is held buttons 1 and 3 for ten seconds until the lights flashed red twice. This resets the 4-Scene Controller to factory default. Then I should have included the device by pressing buttons 1 and 3 for five seconds. I’m still not sure I understand what is going on when adding the 4-Scene Controller to VeraLite but I can confirm that it does work.

I’m glad I ran into my little problem with adding the 4-Scene Controller because it pointed me to another great feature of the VeraLite. In the VeraLite web interface you can navigate to the Account – Tech Support tab to easily open a new support ticket. That’s not all. There is an enable button which when activated will give you an access code which you can share with the fine folks at Micasa Verede tech support. This will allow them to remotely access your VeraLite to help you troubleshoot any problems you may have.  Nothing is better than having a technician at your fingertips who can actually see what problems you may be encountering.

One area Micasa Verde is lacking is in their documentation. There is a mass amount of documentation available but its scattered in multiple places and appears to be outdated in some areas. For example the documentation on adding a Z-Wave Scene Controller was available however it referenced older models of Vera which lead to confusion when certain tabs were missing from the interface. So you may find yourself using the tech support feature and forums more often than you would like.

The VeraLite is a fantastic product so far. The mobile app options are plentiful and their web interface along with their scripting capabilities provide a very powerful Home Automation platform. We are only getting started with our implementation so you will have to check back in the near future as we add different types of devices to our network. Next up will be the Remotec ZRC-100us controller.

This is very open ended, so here are a handful of suggestions.

Start with this link: http://smarthome-products.com/s-15-z-wave.aspx Be sure to take a look at at the video. As the technology has many different devices to look at and you can grow / build / expand your network as you want - the first question you need to ask yourself is what do you want to automate to get started and and how you want to access it?   Here are some other links to look at on your quest and a couple of different options that are available:

Option one is the Schlage Link: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1246-schlage-be369gr-619-z-wave-deadbolt-lock-kit-satin-nickel.aspx  this  comes with a door lock,  a dimmer module and the bridge( which allows you to access the devices from the Internet or your smartphone) -  subscription price is $ 8.99 a month currently.

SOption two is the Vera by MiCasaVerde : http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1261-vera-z-wave-home-automation-controller.aspx  if you haven’t seen the video take a look.

Option three is HomeSeer: http://www.smarthome-products.com/productspecs/HOMESEERComparasion1106.mht  Option two and three have no subscription fees.  Each option has its pluses and minuses. Take a look at the Hometroller-SE : http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1501-homeseer-hometroller-se-home-automation-controller.aspx

I would review the links above and then get out a pad of paper and pencil and look at what you want to automate today and in the future – build your wish list, then go back review the options again.

Garage Door Control Options – an ADT Pulse Example

Say you have an ADT Pulse home alarm system and you want to use to open and close your garage door. What are your options? According to our resident expert, Jay Venner, you can wire an Evolve LFM20 Module in parallel around each of your garage door push-button switches. The Module is powered by 120v but has an isolated relay that can be used with HomeSeer or Vera to simulate a button push. Once you have that set up, add a Door Sensor to each of your garage doors so that the Controller can track the open/close status of the doors.

When you arrive home, just use your existing garage door opener to open the door. The door sensor will alert the Controller and you can trigger events, based on that. You’ll also be able to monitor the status of the door remotely and control the door with the Evolve devices.

Since the Pulse System doesn’t recognize the Z-Wave door sensor, you could probably use a wired sensor. Another issue is the Relay and the Pulse system. The relay is an Isolated contact; a garage door button is a momentary contact. The Momentary contact is simulated programmatically in the software for the HomeSeer or Vera systems. The ADT Pulse System doesn’t have that programming capability.

My kids are notorious for opening the garage door and leaving it open.  When a neighbor called me at 2 in the morning to let me know the garage was open, I decided that I was going to figure out a way to monitor the garage door from my computer.

This job took me about 4 hours. My friends and neighbors will be shocked to find out I did it, because my wife is the handy-man around the house. She asks for the power tools for Christmas while I ask for the NewEgg & Best Buy gift cards.  If you are truly handy, this should be a quick and simple project.

The first step was to get me some z-wave hardware. I ordered an Evolve LFM-20 relay and an Aeon Labs Door / Window Sensor.  The LFM-20 would be used to actually open and close the door, while the sensor is used to tell me if the door is currently opened or closed.

Door sensors are sensitive to metal, otherwise I could have mounted them directly to my garage door railing. Instead, I needed to figure out how to raise them “above” the rails and still have the paired sensor halves match up.

I went to my local hardware store and purchased a “Garage Door Top Bracket.” After removing part of it and forcefully bending it into a desired shape, I was able to mount it to my garage door along with a sturdy piece of 2×4. This piece would go up and down with the garage door.

On the other side I mounted a 2×4 to the fixed side of the door. This part wouldn’t be moving anywhere. Here is the finished sensor mount:

I purchased a $5 plug kit and wired it onto the black/white/green wires of my LFM-20 relay. My garage door opener is conveniently located right next to an outlet, so this worked out great.

The next step was to wire the Evolve switch into a parallel circuit with my existing garage door opener button. The “diagram” of how I did it looks like this (please don’t mock my artistic ability!)

Using InControl, I’m able to monitor my garage door. When it’s open past 9 PM, I get a text message at which point I can use my Android phone to close the door.

Ryan Scott is the owner of InControl. InControl Console is an application that runs on your pc. It allows you to use our iPhone & Android application to control your zwave devices from anywhere you have internet access on your phone. More information at www.incontrolzwave.com

Find the Z-Wave products you need at our Amazon store:

REAL Z-Wave: Adding ADT’s Pulse Brings Home Automation Via Z-Wave

By Jeremy Radwan

We recently upgraded our home security system and added ADT’s Pulse service. In addition to the remote security features (such as being able to monitor, arm, and disarm the system from a browser or an app on my iPhone), Pulse also introduced us to home automation via Z-Wave devices.

The heart of Pulse is the iHub, a WiFi and Z-Wave router, which connects the ADT system to the internet.

The ADT technicians installed the iHub in my computer closet near my cable modem and existing router. Then they fished a serial cable through the attic to the location of the alarm panel equipment and finally connected the iHub to my router via a Cat-5 cable.

A quick summary of the technology: Z-Wave uses the 900MHz range of the RF spectrum (so it doesn’t interfere with WiFi and other devices in the more crowded 2.4GHz band) and was designed with home automation in mind. Z-Wave devices form a mesh network to talk to each other and the iHub, which basically means even if one device is out-of-range of the iHub, it can still send/receive commands by communicating through the other Z-Wave devices within its range.

My initial ADT install came with a single appliance/lamp module, but since then I’ve installed two dimmer switches and two outlets, and also added two outdoor plugs (for the Christmas lights and landscape lighting) and another lamp module. Adding a device to the existing network is pretty simple. On the Pulse web site you select the device type being added, which puts the iHub in discovery mode for 45 seconds. Then you press the “pairing” button (usually the on/off switch) on the Z-Wave device and it’s added to the network. Even though Z-Wave is an industry standard, ADT only supports certain makes/models (like with the WiFi cameras) so I went with the GE devices, all readily available from standard Z-Wave suppliers as well as from Amazon.

Instant gratification

I got to experience the mesh network benefit of Z-Wave first-hand during my rollout. Unlike lamp modules that plug into an outlet so they can be near the iHub during pairing, one electrical outlet and one dimmer switch I installed were too far away to be initially paired. To work around this I purchased the GE 45601 Z-Wave remote control, which could be paired with the iHub to be used as an inclusion controller.

Basically, once the remote was part of my Z-Wave network I was able to pair the far devices (the outlet and switch) to the remote, which then relayed the pairing to the iHub when I brought it back into range. Then after refreshing the Z-Wave network, the other devices in the house were able to “see” and route to those further devices and include them in the network. Pretty sweet!

Another benefit of having the inclusion controller is that it allows for advanced programming of the GE Z-Wave devices. You can change the values stored in registers you can control — for example, the speed of dimming — or even turn off the annoying bright blue LED when the device is off.

Recurring schedules

Once the mesh network was in place I started building my home automation schedule on the ADT Pulse web site. You can create recurring schedules (turn on the family room lamp every Monday and Thursday at 6pm and turn it off at 10pm) or automations (when the back door is opened, turn on the rear landscape lighting).

Since my Z-Wave network is integrated with the security system I also have the option of only triggering events when the system is in a certain state (armed, for example) or when system events happen (like a burglar alarm). I have found some complex scenarios you can’t create through Pulse, though, such as combining the alarm status and time of day (if the alarm goes off after 9pm, turn on the inside lights). Also, you can’t set schedules or automations as inactive, so if you have a schedule for when you’re away on vacation, you’ll have to delete those events when you’re back from your trip and then re-create them for your next vacation.

In addition to controlling my Z-Wave network from the Pulse web site, I can also control the devices from the ADT Pulse app on my iPhone. Simple rocker switches allow me to turn lights on or off, and even control the dimmer settings.

Minor rant

The WiFi side of the iHub is encrypted with WPA2 and used for any wireless cameras you install with the system. At this time, ADT only supports one model of camera, the RC8021, which has no night-vision or PTZ features. My existing camera setup is a lot more extensive and capable so there’s really no need for me to use the ADT one that the installers brought other than it ties into the security system and mine can’t.

Another annoying thing about the iHub wireless is that it broadcasts its SSID as “iHub_<serial number>.” There isn’t a customer-facing web configuration page available on the iHub and I’ve not been able to determine if this can be changed or hidden. Ideally, since I’m not using the WiFi features of the iHub, I’d prefer to turn it off altogether.

In conclusion, I’m pretty happy with Z-Wave and the automation it’s allowed me to add to my home.

About the author: Jeremy Radwan is an IT systems administrator from sunny St. Pete, Florida. When not tinkering with a piece of equipment or new gadget, tweaking Linux configurations, or writing code, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and catching up on the backlog of recorded shows on his TiVo.

We would like to view and control our driveway gate from a device such as our smart phones. Does Z-Wave offer such a solution?

Yes Z-Wave is accessible from your IPad or smarthphone.   Systems from Homeseer, Micasaverde’s Vera, and the Schlage Link system all offer smartphone and iPad controls. I expect we’ll see much more of this as the year goes on.

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I am looking for something that will turn my  my z-wave lights off and on when someone rings the door bell or when the phone rings.

Here’s one solution:  The MIMOlite Wireless/Bridge Interface Module; The MIMOlite Module is an interface / bridge module, capable of converting a wired or wireless input to a wired or wireless output.            The MIMO is a Z-WaveTM Wireless device compatible with other Z-WaveTM certified products.  MIMOlite comes in a plastic enclosure for indoor use only.

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Does Z-Wave have the equivalent to an X10 Powerhouse Interface Module PSC01 (low voltage switch input triggers signal to turn on lights)?

Yes, MIMOlite  (see above) is one. MIMOlite Interface/bridge Module Z-wave

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How do Z Wave switches, sensors and Dimmers consume power.? Do they have a replaceable battery, or do we have to externally provide DC power or they consume from the AC circuit.?

Switches don’t need batteries. Sensors: http://www.smarthome-products.com/s-21-sensors.aspx can be powered but most of them use batteries if they are battery powered the sensors will not participate in the routing table in the mesh network.

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Are any of the z-wave hand held remotes compatible with

ADT’s system?

You might want to take a look at the GE/Jasco Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control Advanced Remote:

http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1074-ge-45601-z-wave-wireless-lighting-control-advanced-remote.aspx

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I have a Nexia home automation system and I want to use a Verizon rc8021 camera with it. What can you tell me?

The manufacturer of the camera flashes the firmware of the this device for Verizon, Schlage, and ADT. For the Verizon camera to work with the Nexia it would need to be reflashed. You can try using the camera without reflashing it and see what happens.

Here is a link you might find helpful:

http://zwaveworld.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=886&hl=schlage

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I’m new to z-wave and just bought the Vera Lite plus a motion sensor and a door sensor to be used in Egypt , just knew about the different frequencies . not sure if it’s going to work here in Egypt or not , i didn’t receive it yet but i just wanted to ask ahead of time .

Z-Wave operates on a variety of sub-GigaHertz frequencies throughout the world:

Australia: 921.42 MHz

China: 868.42 MHz

CEPT*: 868.42 MHz

India: 865.22 MHz

Japan: 951-956 MHz

Hong Kong: 919.82 MHz

Malaysia: 868.10 MHz

New Zealand: 921.42 MHz

Singapore: 868.42 MHz

UAE: 868.42 MHz

USA/Canada: 908.42 MHz

Brazil: 908.42 MHz

*CEPT is the European regional organization dealing with postal and telecommunications issues and presently has 45 Members: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vatican.

The data rate that Z-Wave operates at is 9.6K and 40K

I have an ADT Pulse and have successfully added a number of devices – most not supported by ADT. However, I am now unable to include a HA01 Intermatic receptacle after successfully installing three others. The Pulse is not including the last two I am trying to install. Any help would be appreciated.

Was the HA01C receptacle in another network? If so, using the ADT controller, delete it from the network. If it wasn’t on another network I would try the same thing, as I have seen devices from multiple manufacturer’s have a Network ID from the factory. A good rule to follow is if a device cannot be added to a system, try deleting it first and then try adding it again.

I want to control outlets as a way to stop out of control kids from using electronics while we are sleeping.
The only receptacles I can find include an unswitched outlet.  Is there a receptacle with only switched outlets?  Or is there some other way to accomplish my goal?

How do I get my Z-Wave Kwikset deadbolt smartcode lock to work with my cell phone and also a remote control. I don’t want to automate anything 

I have several z-wave lighting devices that I have used with my Harmony remote for several years.  I recently got a Mi Casa Verde Vera home controller to be able to utilize iPhone app control and notification over things like z-wave enabled sump pump alarms.  When I was setting up the Vera, I noticed that pairing my lights with the home controller eliminated the pairing with the harmony remote.  I thought I read that z-wave devices can have multiple controllers that are paired with them.  Is this true and am I perhaps doing something wrong?

Each Z-Wave Network can only have one primary controller:

Simply the primary controller is a device that contains a description of the Z-Wave network and is used for:

-          Inclusion -adding new devices to the network

-          Exclusion- removing devices from the network

-          Association – creating links between two or more devices so they can exchange information or commands

-          Replication – receiving and transferring network information from or to other controllers.

Z-Wave Networks can have multiple secondary controllers: A controller that has the functionality of a primary controller but with one limitation; it cannot include or exclude nodes from the Z-Wave system.

Do you have Harmony Standard or Harmony Pro Remote controller? The issue with the Logitech is that it doesn’t play well with others – the 890 is only a primary controller and cannot have secondaries – the 890Pro can act as a secondary or primary but only with another 890Pro.

What do I need to set up remote control of lighting, thermostats and door locks via the internet or an Android phone?

ADT Pulse, GE Security and now Honeywell are entering that market. Each system and platform has its pluses and minuses depending on what you are trying to accomplish. I use HomeSeer for remote lighting. Vera by Micasaverde and the Schlage Link are also available. And there are also the security panels with Z-Wave including 2Gig Technologies.

Are there any Z-Wave on/off switches that would work with metal halide lights? I tried a Jasco/GE switch but after wiring it up it never successfully turned on the light.

That depends on what size breaker are controlling the lights you want to turn on and off. Depending on the size of the circuit there a couple of options you might want to explore:

15 Amp:

Leviton VRS15-1LZ – Vizia-RF + 15A Relay Switch for Single Pole/3-Way

20 Amp:

Evolve LFM-20 – 20A Z-Wave Relay Fixture Module

30 Amp:

Intermatic InTouch CA3750 Contactor Module

I’m looking to control a Jaccuzi tub motor. Is there a 20Amp in wall Z-Wave Timer Relay/Switch?

Currently there is not a Z-Wave Timer Relay Switch on the market. You possible might look at the following devices:

Evolve LFM-20 – 20A Z-Wave Relay Fixture Module

Intermatic InTouch CA3750 Contactor Module

I have a ZW4101 installed to my ADT pulse system and I can control it from the web remotely. I bought a GE GE45600 wireless lighting Z-Wave remote control and went through the pairing process, but every time I pressed the button from the device, it doesn’t seem to be talking to my remote so my remote will time out (it blinks red twice at the end) Do you know what might be the issue here?

It appears that you have made the GE 45600 Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control Remote a secondary controller on the Pulse network according to the instructions. Please look at pages 9 thru 12.

Could you tell me the power consumption while sending or receiving data with a Z-Wave device?

The power consumption is negligible. Take a look at the HSM100-EU 868 Z-Wave Multi-Sensor. This sensor operates on 3 AAA batteries and reports status for illumination, temperature and battery every hour by default. In my network I have the sensors reporting every 6 minutes as I utilize the illumination level to control the lights. I get between 12 and 14 weeks out of a set of batteries. If you increase the reporting interval to between 24 and 30 minutes the batteries last a year.

I want to use sensory software as a controller for Z-Wave with our USB Z-Wave transmitter. Can I also use another handheld Z-Wave controller in the same network?

What Z-wave USB Stick are you using for your Primary controller? What Sensory software are you utilizing? In Z-Wave you have a primary controller and can have multiple secondary controllers within the network. The primary controller is the device that is used to build the network and/or add devices to the network. Secondary controllers are added to the network then the network information is sent to the secondary controller from the primary controller. When the primary controller is updated (with new devices) the secondary controller should be updated to keep the controllers in-sync.

Will a Wayne Dalton Z-Wave garage door opener work with either a Micasaverde or Schlage Link bridge?

The Wayne -Dalton devices will work with Vera and possibly the Schlage Link system unless you’re referring to the I-Drive system.

I have Hunter Douglas vertical Luminette blinds with IR controls. I’d like to make these operate by RF. What do you have to offer? Is the DBMZ the right device for this?

Either of the devices should work:

ESI ABMHZ – Z-Wave Enabled Window Treatment Motor Control – AC

ESI DBMZ – Z-Wave Enabled Window Treatment load monitoring DC Motor Control

If you are using the CTZUS-1US ThinkStick USB Z-Wave Interface I would look at the following as remotes:

Leviton VRCPG-SG Vizia RF+ Z-Wave Remote Control with Timers

Leviton VRCPG-BSG Vizia RF + Basic Proqrammer/Controller

As this is all Leviton it should be fairly easy to incorporate either of these remotes into the system.

I’d like to know if I can use the GE 45601 Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Advanced Remote Control to control my light switches which is 868.42 MHz the European Z-Wave?

Here are a couple of handheld remotes to look at that will work for you:

Aeon Labs DSA03202B-ZWEU Minimote-EU – Black

Homepro ZTH200 Z-Wave Handheld Controller, (Euro)

I’m about to order Hunter Douglas silhouette shades. I want to control them with my iPhone so I can open and close them from a remote location. I also want to grow my Z-Wave network to control some lamps and heating too — all via my iPhone. The shades and a few lamps are the priority, though, what do I need to do to get started?

With Z-Wave devices you can build and expand your network as much as you want. Watch this video for examples of how to get started. For your immediate needs you can either try Vera by MiCasaVerde or HomeSeer. These options have no subscription fees. You might start by reviewing theses two options and then map out what you want to automate today and in the future – build your wish list, then go back review the options again.

I have a Trane Z-Wave thermostat. It was originally used on another Z-Wave network. I am trying to pair it to my current Z-Wave network, but it still shows as paired with the old one. I have tried powercycling, restoring factory defaults in the hidden technicians menu, and unpairing using my Z-Wave system. No matter what, the thermostat interface still shows as paired with the old system. Is there a way around this?

It depends on what systems you are working with. A Z-Wave device can only exist in one network at a time. When a device is added to a network the HomeId from the primary controller and the Id on the device’s Z-Wave Chip are combined to created a unique Id, which allows you to control the device. In the manual for the Trane thermostat see page 16 for the Z-Wave Inclusion and Removal. The Thermostat needs to be removed/reset from the network before it can be added to the new network. This can be done with any primary controller.

I am building out my ADT security system with additional Z-Wave devices. I just discovered my foyer chandelier is operable from four separate switches. Is there such a thing as a five-way switch?

The Leviton Line of Z-Wave supports a five-way setup depending on the kind of light your chandelier is.

Incandescent/Led

Companion Switch/Led

Companion Switch/No Led

Flourescent/CFL

Companion Switch/Led

Companion Switch/No Led

I have a sump pump in my basement and I was wondering if there were any Z-Wave products with a set of contacts that if they had power applied to them (a float switch closing and allowing power to go through) could send a signal alerting me.

There are a number of devices either on the market or due out this quarter that could accomplish what you are asking about. Are you currently running a  Z-wave system? Depending on what system/controller you are using will help determine the applicable solutions.

I have a Honeywell Vista 20 that I need to work with a door lock (Schlage Wireless Keypad Lever). How would I go about this?

The Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 is the company’s entry into Z-Wave. There are a number of ways to tie the Vista 20P into other automation systems allowing you utilize the Z-Wave technology (door looks, lighting, climate control) and the security panel together.

Are there any Z-Wave outlets available that support dimming? I want to install track lighting on the ceiling and control it with Z-Wave but the only option I see at this point is to install an outlet and plug in a big Z-Wave dimmer box and then plug the track lighting into that.

Currently there are no Z-Wave dimming receptacles on the market. At CES 2011 there were a number of manufacturer’s that were showing in-line modules. One of the modules on display was a dimming module, but I have not seen them come to market yet.

Is Z-Wave appropriate for a small apartment building? We have an 11-unit building and are looking at Z-Wave for entry control with video. We need to activate the entry door remotely from each unit. We would also like to be able to change the door lock combinations from our office. Can we have access to some features by each tenant and other features only available to the office?

Yes Z-Wave can be appropriate for small apartment buildings. Evolve Guest Controls are installed at the Wynne Hotel in Las Vegas, which has over 65,000 devices in 8000 + guest rooms.

How do I pair my GE 45606 light switch to me MCC AVL 300 remote?

The instructions for the AVL 300 remote will show you how the 45606 Dimmer Switch should pair/include in the network the same way, using the same procedure as IWD 600 Dimmer. If the device doesn’t pair/include, unpair/exclude the 45606 dimmer from the network then pair it again.

Find the Z-Wave products you need at our Amazon store:

I have X10 and UPB, will Z-Wave co-exist with the UPB and X10?

Z-Wave is compatible with both UPB or X10 technologies and works very well. I know of many people that are running all three technologies or a combination of them. Z-Wave utilizes the 908.42 MHz Frequency. Communication to and from the devices is done wirelessly over the airwaves — very much like your wireless internet. Wireless internet utilizes the 2.4 MHz and 5.8 MHz frequencies so there is no possibility of interference between the two.

if i only have a black and red wire plus a ground and I am trying to install a 45609wb. What should I hook up to the neutral? Do I need a the neutral wire hooked up?

When was your house built – Is there a neutral bundle in the back on the box? All Z-Wave Relay switches need to have the neutral (common) hooked up to work. If you do not have a neutral in the box you can use Z-Wave dimmers with incandescent light bulbs. Z-Wave dimmers will not work with CFL or florescent bulbs.

I have a bunch of ZW1001-WCS duplex receptacles in my home and am having trouble setting them up with my GE 45601 Advanced Remote. Where can I find step-by-step instructions?

Here is the user manual for the 45601 Advanced Remote. And here is the user manual for the45605. If you are having problems adding the receptacles with the remote you might try deleting the receptacles first. I have seen many devices right from the manufacturer already be included in a network during testing.

I just installed a basic Z-Wave ADT Pulse system in my home, I wanted to know if I have to use the components that ADT sells or if I can use others too?

Here is a link to some Z-Wave products for you to look at. As long as the devices are in the listed in the Inclusion section of the Pulse System, the devices can be purchased from anyone.

I have the HM-LM001 dimmer module, which works fine. However, is there a way to disable the dimming feature or should I use the Appliance module? I noticed that the Appliance also has the dimming feature. How does the dimming feature get disabled?

The appliance module is rated for 600 watts. The lamp module is only rated for 200 watts max, which is a 100 watts less then any other dimming module on the market. At 600 watts the appliance module is only 5 amps non-grounded. All other appliance modules on the market are 1800 watts or 15 amps. For CFL Lighting or small appliance motors, you want to the Appliance Module not a dimmer module. The only thing you should use the dimmer modules on is lighting.

ZWaveWorld: What is Z-Wave?
Mark Walters: Z-Wave is a radio frequency technology that many manufacturers use in their products so that their products can communicate with each other and form intelligent networks. These networks provide for applications such as automated lighting, one button “scene” or “mode” control of the environment – for instance, in Movie Scene, press one button on a handheld remote and you turn on all of the A/V equipment to watch a movie, the curtains close, lights dim, heat in the room is set up three degrees. Or Leaving Home Scene, one button and all the lights are turned off, HVAC is setback to power saving mode, doors and windows are locked and alarm is armed.

ZWW: Just how big is the Z-Wave world today? How many companies are making products or are planning to? How many products are on the market?
MW: Today the Z-Wave world is just getting started, with many companies planning their product launches for the fall season of 2006. There are over 100 different companies with product development underway and over 60 fully interoperable products on the shelves in the United States. These numbers will more than double in the next year.

ZWW: How does Z-Wave differ from other approaches, and can you give us a little background, some historical context? .
MW: Z-Wave uses a new technology called mesh networking. In a mesh-network any product can act as a relay device between two other products that are communicating with each other. Think of a spider web, where there are many different threads you can traverse to get to the center from the edge. This ability to choose from many different paths for communication between two devices provides for extremely robust performance even in harsh application environments. In older power-line technologies, if there is interference on the power line caused by, say, a hair dryer or cell phone charger, between two devices that need to communicate, they have no ability to route their communication around that interference.

Z-Wave mesh technology is completely “two-way,” in that every message sent is confirmed by its receiver forming closed-loop or reliable communications. This is not true of many of the older home control technologies. With Z-Wave technology the more devices you have in your network the stronger it is as it increases the number of communication routes. With power line technologies – like X10 and Insteon – the opposite is true, in that more devices do not increase the number of routes. In addition, even though some of the newer power line devices claim to relay for each other, the hidden secret is each time you add a power line relay device to the power line it acts as a partial short circuit and pretty soon – with around 20 devices in a typical home – it gets very hard to get any communications down the power line. As a result, most power line devices are receivers only and cannot act as relay devices or provide two-way closed-loop acknowledgment of received messages.

Z-Wave communicates at data rates of up to 40,000 bits per second, whereas X10 communicates at 120 bits per second. Z-Wave can accomplish in a few milliseconds what it would take X10 several seconds to accomplish.

ZWW: What would you say is the principal advantage of Z-Wave based products, from a consumer point of view? 
MW: They work, they’re easy to get and use, they’re affordable, and come from established companies. They enhance users’ lifestyles by increasing comfort, conveyance, safety, and energy conservation. Consumers know by purchasing products with the Z-Wave mark, that products purchased today from one manufacturer will work with products purchased tomorrow from another. Products with Z-Wave capability are often as little as 15 to 20 percent more expensive than their “dumb” counterparts.

ZWW: Where is the excitement today? As a potential consumer, what should I be getting enthusiastic about?
MW: It depends on what you’re looking for. There are almost limitless applications that can be addressed using intelligent devices with Z-Wave technology. I like the convenience of one button when I leave the house and I know it’s secure and I’m not wasting energy (spending money) while I’m away. You might like a one-button home theater experience. In a broad sense, we now have the ability to do cool things with cheap ubiquitous end points. That is, we can put intelligence in every light switch, every door, every window, battery powered sensors anywhere.

ZWW: What are the biggest issues facing the manufacturers? Is it the cost of the technology, difficulty of installation, integration issues, or customer awareness?
MW: The biggest challenge is consumer awareness or lack thereof, followed by lack of awareness in the installer community. Cost is becoming a non-issue fast as volumes go up.

ZWW: How difficult is it to install Z-Wave products and use them? 
MW: Z-Wave enabled products are no more difficult to install than their non Z-Wave counterparts. A Z-Wave light dimmer installs just the same as a regular light dimmer. There is an added step of including the device into your collection of Z-Wave devices and assigning its control to a button on a remote control or wall control. This requires the installer to press a button on the device followed by the button they want to use to control it. It’s about as hard as popping a bag of microwave popcorn in a microwave oven by pushing the POPCORN button. One good reason to call in a pro, though, is they can often can show you applications that you would never think of yourself but find you can’t live without. Often with little or no additional cost over a basic installation

ZWW: What are some of the latest innovations in Z-Wave-based products? 
MW: Many innovations can be found in Z-Wave enabled products including power-saving light dimmers for two-wire retrofit applications; remote control of your Z-Wave enabled devices over the internet or from your cell phone; home schedulers that know when dawn and dusk are each day so you never have to change timers as the seasons change; remote controls that know if you’re turning on the bathroom lights and it’s after 10:00 p.m. but before 6:00 a.m. to turn them on to a dim setting; and products that convert your in-car garage door opener to a home controller letting you turn on the lights, disarm the alarm and unlock the doors from the safety of your car. [Click here to read a related review]

Find out more about the Z-Wave Alliance at www.z-wavealliance.org