AlertMe Refugee

Why Hubitat Elevation
41

Thanks, I have quite a few of these and it’s possible not all have the last firmware (some were donated, so I don’t know their history). I’ll test some others.

Plus, they have battery backup, so only the ones with no (or dead) batteries actually switch off! Actually, being able to read that battery level would be great for these smart plugs - I remember from my days messing with controlling these via Python that they do report it. Handy for reporting should the power go down.

They also report temperature... might it be possible to have an offset value in the driver as with some other devices? The electronics artificially raise the reading, but I used to be able to compensate for it reasonably well. :slight_smile:

42

I've written some AlertMe Device Drivers. Had some fun doing so as well. :slight_smile:

Much functionality added, go check them out.

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I'm a good couple of months in to this Hubitat lark now and wanted to sum up a few things I've discovered.

First of all, anyone (not just AlertMe refugees) considering moving to this platform, go for it! :grin:

The latest firmware updates have sped the hubs up tremendously (running a C-5 and a C-7 here and both perform as well as one another) and the community is fantastic, I can't praise the people here and their ingenuity any more highly.

From an AlertMe point of view, I've been able to write drivers for pretty much all the AlertMe devices and everything works, even better than it did on the original AlertMe hub. The reason I have two hubs is entirely personal; I use the C-7 for security devices (as the AlertMe kit was designed) where everything is battery-backed and the C-5 for not-officially-supported, maybe problematic, gonna-fail-when-the-power-goes-out devices. Mainly Xiaomi Aqara D1 kit. The two hubs communicate using HubConnect; that thing is brilliant.

I haven't invested in any Z-Wave gear, but the newer security support in the C-7 is why I chose it to run the AlertMe kit, so I can keep that side of things on one hub if I do end up with any.

What I Did

If you want to resurrect your AlertMe mesh with minimal* issues and use other supported kit alongside those devices, do the following:

  • Buy a Hubitat hub, ideally a C-7 for future-proofing with newer Z-Wave support, but any will do.
  • Buy one IKEA Trádfri repeater for £8.
  • Power the hub through the repeater (ensures the repeater is close to your hub) ideally with some sort of battery backup. I use a little power bank that supplies power while it charges.
  • Pair the repeater first.
  • Install the AlertMe Device Drivers.
  • Start pairing AlertMe gear using the Iris V1 Zigbee device discovery button.
  • Begin with the smart plugs, pairing them in place (don't move them to the hub), working from the closest one to the hub to the most distant. They act as repeaters and are the backbone of your mesh.
  • If the AlertMe device pairs using a system driver, change it in:
    Devices > Device > Device Information > Type
    Hit Save Device and then the Configure button.
  • DO THIS SLOWLY - check that each one works and maybe have a cup of tea between each couple of devices you add. You want to build a happy mesh.
  • Once all your smart plugs are paired, call it a day. Let that mesh work itself out overnight.
  • The next day, start adding your other devices. Again, do it slowly, test each one and pair in place so they learn their position in the mesh.
  • Have a brew. You can start setting up your rules and tinkering now. :slight_smile:

New Devices

If you care about battery backup for your mesh, stick with the AlertMe SPG100 smart plugs and source them from eBay. I know of no other outlets that offer that feature, not even the ones from Hive. If your repeaters lose power it will interfere with your mesh and affect other devices.

If you don't, I recommend the Salus SP600 which, funnily enough, I've also written a driver for. I use those on the other hub. Beyond that, use supported devices, add them one at a time and test them and you shouldn't go far wrong.

In the UK, given the scarcity (and ridiculous cost) of most Zigbee wall switches, Xiaomi devices are difficult to ignore. If you want to use them, buy a second hub (just factor it into the overall cost, you'll see it's more than sensible) and only buy the new Aqara D1 models. I tried on two platforms over nearly two years to make the older ones work reliably and failed.

Don'ts

Here are some things I learned not to do.

  • Don't put Xiaomi devices on the same hub as your AlertMe gear if you want your mesh to stay complete. You'll end up with only SPG100 smart plugs alive and all your AlertMe end point devices missing.
  • Don't rush the pairing during mesh building. You'll waste far more time.
  • Don't take devices to the hub, pair them and then move them away again. If they don't pair in place you've got a reception issue in that area you need to address with an extra repeater.

That's it!

*In my experience! I had plenty of issues, but not specific to Hubitat; more related to local radio interference.

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