Aeotec Multisensor 6 pairing problems (also Z-stick problems)

Hi,

I’m a bit of a noob. I have an EU Hubitat bought this summer, and have only got around to pairing a couple of devices. The first 2 were Aeon Multisensor 6 on battery power and they paired fine the first time around and worked great. I switched to @csteele’s driver and had no problems.

A few weeks ago I noticed the sensors stopped reporting so I went to check out if I could wake them up. No new data, though I would get a light on when I pressed the activity button, so I thought I’d try a firmware update a la @bcopeland, but no dice, so I aborted and unlocked. I think at this point I figured I should try changing batteries. I excluded the sensor, changed the batteries and did a factory reset. From then on I have been unable to re-include the sensor on the hubitat, despite trying repeatedly on various days.

I have since then used an Aeon z-stick with Domitocz on a pc to run a firmware update (successfully), then excluded it from there and tried to re-include it on Hubitat. Still no luck. I have also done a factory reset since then and tried an include & exclude/factory reset with the z-stick on Zensys. It still doesn’t want to connect to hubitat and I don’t know why.

Throughout my adventures with the Z-stick I have seen that the sensor both connects and reports data to the controller on the PC, so I don’t think I’ve bricked it.

Right now I have it running on USB power and have been trying periodically to include it into hubitat unsuccessfully.

I have not yet attempted a battery replacement on the other sensor, but I’m thinking I’ll just replace batteries and not try any of the other monkey business when I get to it.

I also have tried unsuccessfully to get the z-stick to pair with the hubitat using aeotec’s instructions, but no success there either.

I’d appreciate any advice on both fronts but in particular with the multisensor 6.

I can't claim any experience with these devices, but I can at least get the ball rolling with a few questions.... What version of the hub are you eunning, e.g. C-4/5 or C-7? What software version on the hub? Is there anything showing up in the logs?

You may also want to search for the aeotec multi sensor on the forum if you haven't already, looks like a few people have had issues.

Hi, thanks! I have read through a bunch of threads on the sensor but not found any obvious solutions that I haven't tried (or at least I haven't found threads that have given me a solution - I may have missed some!).

Some specs:
I have a Rev C-5 Hubitat (EU version) with software version 2.2.3.119. When this started I had 2.2.2.129, but upgraded along the way.
I usually access the hub on Safari (currently 13.1.2) from a Macbook pro currently running 10.15.6. I have also accessed it from my iPhone 8 on Safari there.

As for logs, the last report from the sensor was the following:
dev:22020-08-09 23:28:25.297 infoIlluminance is 0 Lux

then you can see in the logs about 8 hours later that I pressed the activity button to wake it:
dev:22020-08-10 09:18:57.310 infoUtomhus is configuring its settings

dev:22020-08-10 08:10:17.734 infoUtomhus is configuring its settings

then I tried an exclude and a z-wave network repair,

sys:12020-08-10 09:32:21.946 infoZ-Wave Exclude Started for 30 Seconds

sys:12020-08-10 09:33:22.257 infoZ-Wave Exclude Started for 30 Seconds

sys:12020-08-10 09:40:06.339 infoStarting Z-Wave Network Repair

sys:12020-08-10 09:40:06.350 infoFinished Z-Wave Network Repair

sys:12020-08-10 09:40:41.437 infoZ-Wave Discovery Running

sys:12020-08-10 09:45:07.265 infoZ-Wave Exclude Started for 30 Seconds

At this point the sensor disappeared from the device list. I also tried to rediscover it without success (as you see above).

After this, the logs are basically a long list of "z-wave discovery running" and there are no other details there.

There appears to have been a lot of posts relating to zwave recently, many related to C-7 from what I can tell...

Not sure if this post is relevant, sounds like a different product and on a C-7 hub, but it might help...

If no one else comes back on this thread perhaps send a message to support, either by tagging one of the support staff in a post or sending an email.

Also new to HE I'm only fiddling about with my EU-C7, using only a few devices before migrating all my stuff.
I ran into exactly the same issue using these drivers after about one day, motion sensor using Binary Report CC still worked, though.
After all I've read here, the recommended way of including seems to be non-secure, so I tried this just now, after using S0 before.

May I ask where you got the EU firmware-image? :slightly_smiling_face:

Also new to HE I'm only fiddling about with my EU-C7, using only a few devices before migrating all my stuff.
I ran into exactly the same issue using these drivers after about one day, motion sensor using Binary Report CC still worked, though.

I think the sensors stopped reporting due to the batteries running out. I've read a couple of threads about the battery life being short especially if the sensor reports every 5 minutes, and I noticed that in the logs they were doing so, so I don't think it was a driver issue.

After all I've read here, the recommended way of including seems to be non-secure, so I tried this just now, after using S0 before.

I've also only being trying a non-secure connect, though at some point when that wasn't working I did try secure with no success.

May I ask where you got the EU firmware-image?

I got the firmware update for the sensors on the aeotec website. :slight_smile:

Thanks for the tip!

Unfortunately my sensor doesn't even show up on devices to include, so I can't do any pairing/unpairing. Also I have a EU C-5 hubitat.

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No worries. I'm out of ideas then unfortunately. Like I suggested, you could try contacting support directly... It also sounds like some people are having some success with more recent HE firmware, but it does sound like it has been a mixed experience across users... Given the rollback process is relatively straight forward it may be worth a try as well...

Hopefully someone else with more knowledge than me will be able to help out.

So you figured out how to extract the firmware from the *.exe?

I updated the sensor's firmware using a z-stick on a pc via Domitocz - as per Aeotec's own instructions.

By reading this I thought you did.

Two things:

  1. When you're trying to pair it again with Hubitat, have you tried different positions/locations to make sure it's not a Z-Wave signal range issue? (You probably have tried, but just to be sure...) Does it not work even when close to the hub itself?

  2. Have you tried rebooting the hub? I sometimes find that after doing some includes/excludes with my hub, it ends up in some sort of a state where inclusion and exclusion no longer work. A reboot fixed the problem.

Aside from that, nothing else really comes to mind right now. I can tell you that I have several MS6 around my house, and I just excluded/included a couple yesterday (decided to use them in different rooms). I have a C-4 Australian hub, fully updated. (I think the latest update was yesterday?)

Did you first pair them under USB power, and then change to battery power? I thought that the default reporting interval under battery power is 1 or 2 hours. Alternatively, did you accidentally set the reporting interval to 5 minutes? FWIW, I find that mine last pretty long on batteries if configured correctly. Most of mine are USB powered, but a few are in locations where that's not practical. For those on battery power, I have selective reporting set up so that there's no regular reporting interval, only reporting when thresholds are reached. If you set large enough thresholds (especially for the values that you're not interested in), then reporting is reduced significantly. These days, I use the Basic Z-Wave Tool to configure the parameters that I want, and then switch the driver back to the in-built driver.

I was told that 'my driver' didn't report Motion when it was Joined using S0. For years we've avoided S0 and so it probably didn't get great testing over the past year. I suggested it be Joined insecurely (one click of the button for C-3 thru C-5) and the person reported back, all was good.

I've since created a v2.0 version of the driver that uses the new zwaveSecureEncap() BUT that only exists in the latest 2.2.3 Platform. I'm using it on a C-4 with v2.2.3.127 with success. However, I have not re-joined any of my MultiSensor 6's on THAT particular hub. I did test it with S0 on my C-7 and it worked fine of course.

All that said, however, and I still think the correct advice is... when in doubt, use the built in Driver(s). It's so easy to flip back and forth. Remember, each time you Join, the Hub will pick the Built-in driver first.

Screen Shot 2020-08-27 at 8.21.47 PM

I thought I saw @mike.maxwell say today the opposite is the case. Hub will pick user driver first if it has the proper fingerprint.

Excellent.. then I can conclude that 'my driver' has an incorrect fingerprint. I like that. :slight_smile:

Edit: I verified that the fingerprint is out of date and thus the Built-in driver will be selected first. :slight_smile:

Mr.Olsen

20h

By reading this I thought you did.

Yes, I did initiate a firmware update over the air in the beginning but my sensor didn't even wake up, and the file that I did have, I realized later, was not the right file type (I was not paying attention :grimacing:).

I later decided to get me a z-stick and do it the official Aeotec way.

Two things:

  1. When you're trying to pair it again with Hubitat, have you tried different positions/locations to make sure it's not a Z-Wave signal range issue? (You probably have tried, but just to be sure...) Does it not work even when close to the hub itself?

Yes I've moved it around and currently have it within 1 m of the hub. No dice!

  1. Have you tried rebooting the hub? I sometimes find that after doing some includes/excludes with my hub, it ends up in some sort of a state where inclusion and exclusion no longer work. A reboot fixed the problem.

I have rebooted several times, but I'll give it another go.

Did you first pair them under USB power, and then change to battery power?

I only paired them on battery power, but I've got the problematic hub on USB now because the batteries seem to drain pretty quick.

I thought that the default reporting interval under battery power is 1 or 2 hours. Alternatively, did you accidentally set the reporting interval to 5 minutes?

I thought so too. I don't remember even configuring the reporting interval initially so I was surprised to see in the logs it was reporting so often. If I get it going again I'll be sure to double check that setting. Thanks for the tip re the Z-wave tool!

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Not sure if the same issue. I tried to add my second Multisensor 6 and cant get HE to detect it.
I had one working no issue but in my innocence I rest zwave to reinstall both and now neither is detected.

Both are flashing blue/purple/red and flash green when I press power button.

Anyone any idea how i can solve these.

ZWAVE is a learning curve.

I'm just not having any trouble with these devices.

I have one Joined to my C-7 and I just Excluded it. I had previously Included it as S0 (double click) and so I had to double click to Exclude. I single clicked a couple of times, and the screen shifted to Force Remove.. then I double clicked and the device did the 'rainbow glow' to show it had Excluded and a heartbeat or two later, the 'force remove' screen went away and the device was gone.

I then Included it, again without trouble. This time as insecure.

Screen Shot 2020-09-04 at 12.54.36 PM

I altered 'my driver' to include the fingerprint and Excluded/Included twice more, once insecure, once S0. Nice and smooth.