I'm looking to purchase a smart lock for my house and I'm trying to understand the landscape of options. I have a few questions at the end of this post, but first some background:
I have the Hubitat Elevation Model C-7 Hub, and I'd like to make sure that whatever lock I get will work seamlessly with the hub.
My brother currently has the August WiFi Smart Lock (August Wi-Fi Smart Lock | Secure Wi-Fi Lock | August Home), so part of me is interested in getting a smart lock that will also work with the August app, as that will make it easier to give my parents and brother access to my house.
I use Google Home/Google Assistant and have several Google Mini smart speakers.
I'd also prefer local-control without requiring WiFi or internet connection, but that isn't a deal breaker for me.
So, ideally the lock is:
controllable by the August app (so I can grant access to my brother and father)
linked to my Hubitat Hub (for local control and automatons with my smart switches and door sensors), and
linked to my Google Home account (so I can control with my smart speakers).
I like the look of the Yale lock, and I like that it is keyless, so if the Assure Lock SL meets my criteria, that is likely what I'll go with.
The Yale Assure Lock can come with different modules, there is a WiFi + Bluetooth version of the lock and a separate Z-Wave version of the lock. If I'm understanding correctly, it will have either a Z-wave or WiFi module installed, you can't have both. From what I can tell, you can use the August app to control the WiFi version of the lock, but I can't tell if you can use the August app to control the Z-Wave version of the lock.
The August Smart Lock Pro clearly states "With HomeKit and Z-Wave built in, you can pair your lock to these existing smart home networks" and comes with a "August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge".
I have a few questions:
With the Yale Z-Wave lock, can you use the August app to control the lock? Or would you be required to use the Hubitat app to control the lock?
With the Yale WiFI lock, can you use local control of the lock directly from the Hubitat Hub over Bluetooth or WiFi, without needing access to the internet? Or will all communication between the Hubitat and the lock go via Internet?
With the August Smart Lock Pro, can you use both the Connect WiFi Bridge and the Hubitat Hub? Or does the Bridge basically serve as a Z-Wave hub, so you only connect to one or the other? If I want to use the Connect WiFi Bridge, can the Hubitat Hub still connect to the lock via Z-Wave, or would it have to connect to the lock via WiFi? If WiFi, will that allow local control, or go via the August servers?
If you've paired the August Smart Lock Pro with the Hubitat Hub via Z-Wave, can you still use the August App to control the lock? Or are you forced to use the Hubitat App?
My instinct says that the Z-Wave version of the Yale lock will be more energy efficient (i.e. the battery will last longer) than the WiFi version, is that accurate? (It shouldn't matter for the August lock, as the WiFi bridge plugs into the wall.)
At the moment my house is entirely Z-Wave (I've got a few smart switches, a few smart plugs, some door sensors, etc. that are all Z-Wave), so I'm looking for a Z-Wave lock, but I'm open to Zigbee if there are compelling advantages to going that road. Is there any reason I should consider Zigbee over Z-Wave?
I may have answered one of my questions on my own:
Based on the information at this page, it looks like you need to connect your August Smart Lock Pro to the August App before you can pair it to your Z-Wave hub. I assume it would say something if once you paired it with your Z-Wave Hub the App stopped functioning, so it seems you can use both the August App and also your Z-Wave Hub to control the lock.
Some information on the first question (although not a definitive answer):
From this page it says "To control your lock with your phone, you must purchase a compatible Z-Wave Smart home hub. You will use the third party application to control and manage your lock."
This suggests that in this setup you cannot use the August App.
Although, I'm starting to wonder if the Yale Connect WiFi Bridge is the same as the one from August, and maybe it would offer similar functionality (i.e. both Z-Wave and August App control).
For anyone who may come across this question in the future, I just got off the phone with Yale support and August support (which were both surprisingly helpful).
Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) has no built-in wireless radio. You can insert either a Z-wave module or WiFi module.
If you insert a Z-wave module, the only way to control the lock is via Z-wave. You can't use any apps to directly connect to the lock, you use whatever app you can use to connect to your Z-wave hub, and control the lock that way.
If you insert a WiFi module you can control the lock via the WiFi app (either the Yale Access App or August App works).
The newer Yale Assure Lock 2 (YRD410/YRD420/YRD430/YRD450) has a built-in Bluetooth radio and comes with a WiFi module. With this lock, you can either control the lock directly via Bluetooth or with WiFi, using either the Yale Access App or August App.
Apparently they are supposed to come out with a Z-wave module for the Assure Lock 2, but it is not available yet. The person I spoke to said that it was due out this year but it is behind schedule.
In theory, once the Z-wave module is available, you will be able to control the lock with both Bluetooth (via the app, while you are in your house) or Z-wave, but you still won't be able to use the Yale Access App or August App while you are away from home.
The August Smart Lock Pro, on the other hand, has both Bluetooth and Z-wave built-in to the actual lock.
According to the representative from August, the lock relies mainly on Bluetooth.
You can always control the lock locally from the app via Bluetooth.
Using the app, you can activate Z-wave and pair it with your hub, which offers an additional mechanism to control the lock.
Using the Connect WiFi bridge (which talks to the lock via Bluetooth), you can also control the lock over the internet from the app when you are not home.
I found two discussions suggesting that integrating the Yale WiFi lock with Hubitat doesn't work very well, so if I want integration with Hubitat, it seems like I need to use Z-wave:
So, it seems like the Yale Lock doesn't meet my current set of requirements, which is unfortunate. I'll probably end-up going with the August Smart Lock Pro, although I like the design of the Yale locks better.
Going through my original questions:
No, when you are using the Z-Wave module, you cannot use the August or Yale Access App.
No, when you are using the WiFi module, it doesn't look like there are any good ways to integrate with Hubitat. You might be able to hack it together with IFTTT, but that isn't great.
Yes! The Connect WiFi Bridge relies on Bluetooth, and the lock itself has built-in Z-Wave, so you can use both the WiFi bridge and your Hubitat, which allows control via the hub or the August or Yale Access App, including local control via Bluetooth as well as over the internet.
In looking at other options, I came across the Alfred DB2 which looks promising (except it can't be controlled with the August App), but if Yale and August are no longer going to be one company, I wonder what will happen to the partnership and shared app compatibility.
You have the Yale Assure Lock 2 with Z-Wave? The customer service agent I spoke to last night said the Z-Wave module wasn't available, which I took to mean it hadn't been released, but maybe it was out of stock?
Did you have to buy the Z-Wave module separately, or is there a model available that comes with the Z-Wave module? Or does it use the same Z-Wave module as the YRD256 (the Assure Lock SL)? If you happen to have a specific model number (something like YRD410-ZW2-619) that I can use to search, that would be helpful. A link would be even better.
Do you also use the WiFi bridge?
Why a different app (and what app)? Is the app directly controlling the lock (via bluetooth) or indirectly (via WiFi, HomeKit, or Z-Wave)?
I'm pretty anti-Apple and definitely don't want to get sucked into their ecosystem, so this doesn't appeal to me at all.
The customer service representative from Yale told me that they were supposed to be available, but there was some kind of delay and they are not available yet. He had no estimate as to when they would be available though.
@bcopeland: One more question about the Z-Wave module for the Yale Assure Lock 2: Is it based on the 500 or 700 series Z-wave module?
I ask because of this other post about the Alfred DB2 vs. Yale Assure, which says the Yale lock uses the older Z-wave, but it is also referring to the older Assure lock, and I wondered if the newer Assure 2 has the newer chip (at least, if the demo model they sent you has the newer chip).
Thanks @Eric.C.Miller. You were right, the information is on that page.
Looks like the Yale Assure Lock 2 series (YRD450-ZW2, YRD430-ZW2, YRD420-ZW2, YRD410-ZW2) all use the 500-series chips.
To close out this thread: I ended up buying the Yale Assure Lock 2 (YRD450-ZW2-619) which is finally available with the z-wave module. It (unfortunately) came with the 500-series Z-wave module (AYR-MOD-ZW2) and not a 700-series or 800-series module.
I also bought (second hand via eBay) the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge (AC-R1) so I could get Bluetooth (built-in) + Z-wave (Smart Module) + WiFi (Connect Bridge), but I'm not 100% sure I need the WiFi Bridge, or what value that is adding, so I may ditch that.
I know this is an old thread, but following up on this and seeing if you are happy with your choice and your use case.
I have a YRD226 with a zwave module, but recently learned that it does not give me access to the APP (never thought about app controlled access until a need recently came up). How is your Assure Lock 2 working for you.
I honestly don't use smart integration other than making sure the door locks at 9pm and the only reason why I opted for a zwave is to have access to it via hub in case wifi goes down - but realize my flawed thinking since if wifi goes down, so does my remote access to hubitat if I am not home.
I would have more value in creating scheduled pin access and automating a schedule lock in the app - unless someone knows how to do that via hubitat.
.. Looks newer.. Yale Assure App..
