I have read it suggested here to do Z-Wave Device Exclusion first before doing Device Inclusion for a new device and follow that religiously. I haven't kept track but I would guess that for over 30 of my 37 devices, doing the exclusion first found a device and excluded it. Then, I immediately included it with success. Knock on wood, I have never had a failed Inclusion or Ghost Node created and I am curious if it is all related.
Let me know ya'lls experience when running Exclude prior to Include with new devices.
Really the only time I find it needs excluded is if it has been previously included. If I perform a factory reset on a z-wave device I don't bother exluding because well, a factory reset already does that. But it certainly can't hurt!!!
I haven't added a new device in a while BUT I have been moving devices between hubs. I double exclude as a result. I Exclude the device on the hub it's joined to. Then, I exclude it again on the new hub. Mostly this is to let me know it's in range. It's faster (in my head) to do an exclude and see the "unknown device excluded" message than to start an include and wonder why it's sitting at "finding." Then I immediately start an Include and I don't end up with ghosts.
So yes, I always Exclude before Including, realizing that at least 50% of my reason is range checking.
I have found it to be a crap shoot even within the same device family to have the device include out of the box without some level of PITA. Some like Jasco are very consistent - one button and done, but heck yes a great rule of thumb would be start with an exclude. I find it 100% of the time a device that will successfully exclude will then include on the next attempt. Rarely not the case. Good suggestions above. I would always start with an exclude unless you have lots of experience with a device family. I have 100+ devices and found out early on the value of the community and its advice. Lots of posts on favorite devices with sage advice to save you pain.
