After lots of delay and flirting with the idea for months, I finally decided to pull the trigger on some smart locks for the house. After all, I just replaced my alarm system and integrated it with an Envisalink and got my Hubitat all working great with it...why not get some smart locks in the mix!
Ever the bargain hound, I had decided on Zigbee Kwiksets, and found 2 used ones on Amazon--one in "fair" condition, and one "like new." Both Zigbee.
They arrived today, two separate boxes, since they were coming from different used sellers. Just like I ordered, two brushed nickel 914 Zigbee boxes...
Open the first one up...Oiled bronze. And NOT EVEN a 914! It was a 914 CONVERSION KIT, which doesn't even have the freaking keypad! So, COMPLETELY wrong product in the right box---and it was put in there with no packing material or anything, so it had been rattling around in there getting beat up and scratched and marred to no end...just imagine all those metal parts--keys still in the lock, metal parts scratching the little plastic window over the battery. Total mess. Garbage, (and the freaking conversion kit is worth NEW what I paid for this thing USED! They're cheap! Because...NO KEYPAD.)
THEN I opened the second box...YAY! Looks good! I wouldn't say like new--there were a couple of dings on it, but overall, it was really nice, and I wasn't going to bother with a return over that stuff. After all, I paid for used. Anyway, I tried and tried, and the thing just wouldn't work. Problem after problem...wouldn't pair...
As I was trying to get the battery out, I accidentally pulled on the network card...THE FREAKING Z-WAVE PLUS network card! I double-checked the box: ZIGBEE. I double checked the card: Z-WAVE. What in the world?! So back it goes...
My theory is this: The first one--that's just someone hustling junk. Buying lots or returns or something...trying to sling it for cheap on eBay and Amazon. --And not a care in the world whether it works or not. Retail box? Open it up...product inside? Good. SELL IT. Disgusting. I have a side business selling things online as well, and one thing I've learned is to always, always be 100% forthcoming about any issues, and make sure the thing your'e selling works. I guess that karma doesn't come back all the time.
As for the second one: I think somebody helped himself to a little Amazon swap-a-roo. My guess is someone ordered the ZWave lock, was having trouble, and someone online told him to buy the zigbee card for it and swap it out. I've seen this advice given several times. "I bought one for $50 on eBay, and it's been perfect ever since!" they say...
So our friend decides, "I've already bought the lock...I don't want to have to pay extra for it to work right..." (and he sure doesn't want to wait a week for some schmo in New Hampshire to slow mail him one...) --So he just buys the zigbee lock on Amazon so he can get it same day Prime delivery, pulls the Zigbee card out, pops his Zwave card in, and back it goes...returned to Amazon under whatever pretense. --And whoever is checking this used product before reselling it doesn't know to pull the card in the thing and see if it matches.
People are just thieves. Makes me sick. I looked forward to installing these locks all day, and now I have to return them both (mega hassle), and I've paid full price for 2 new ones so I can be somewhat confident I'll get actual brushed nickel Zigbee locks this time.
Grrrrrr....