Cannot Add z-wave devices C8,C7 and C5

[ramset]

I’m trying to add 2 First Alert ZCOMBO Smoke/CO alarms (v1)
Hub is a C8 on v 2.4.1.177 (lowest one available for downgrade).
I tried all versions available in between.

Zwave excludes them. So that’s’s working. But when i go to add a device, it doesn't find them.
After the inclusion process, all zwave devices stop working. I have to reboot the hub for those to start working again.

I also noticed i cannot change zwave from LR to classic (doesn’t save).

Ive been trying this for 2 days now.

C7 on 2.4.2.160 excludes them successfully. Does not add them, zwave freezes on that one too.

C5 on 2.4.2.158 behaves the same.

Any one have an idea or direction?

Is this a known issue ?

[neonturbo]

@ramset

I also noticed i cannot change zwave from LR to classic (doesn’t save).

That is the only choice on the C8. Unless you are in a different region, the default US one is the correct one.

@ramset

Any one have an idea or direction?

What do logs say when pairing?

Beyond that:

• How close is this detector to the hub?

• Is this the only Z-wave device you have?

• Is this the only Z-wave that won't pair?

• If other Z-wave are paired, do they operate correctly?

• Have you tried a different device in case this one is defective?

• Was this device previously paired to any hub, or is it new?

[ramset]

@neonturbo

That is the only choice on the C8.

Correct and if i want the c8 to go back to classic, even though the dropdown has it, it will not set/save that.

@neonturbo

What do logs say when pairing?

Nothing, blank.

@neonturbo

How close is this detector to the hub?

2-3 ft

@neonturbo

Is this the only Z-wave device you have?

No. I have about 30 z-wave devices paired that stop functioning/responding once i start the pairing process for these (2) devices.

6 of those 30 are identical to these 2.
Paired a long time ago. No issues with those.

@neonturbo

Is this the only Z-wave that won't pair?

These 2, yes.

@neonturbo

• If other Z-wave are paired, do they operate correctly?

Yes. Until i try to pair any of these 2. After that, they stop responding. I need to reboot the hub for zwave devices to start responding again. It’s like the radio chokes …

@neonturbo

Have you tried a different device in case this one is defective?

Tried them both, yes.
The exclude process seems to work as it excludes them.

@neonturbo

Was this device previously paired to any hub, or is it new?

New but did exclude and device factory reset procedure …

[neonturbo]

@ramset

Correct and if i want the c8 to go back to classic, e

There is no "classic" option. It is what it is. The correct option is either US-LR, or other regions. The other US option is for the older hubs, and it will be automatically selected instead of LR for the C7. You cannot change it from LR, it doesn't matter if it is on that setting, the hub still does LR plus (as you are calling it) Classic ZW.

This setting is a red herring, so ignore it.

@ramset

@neonturbo

What do logs say when pairing?

Nothing, blank.

That is hard to believe. It will at least say "excluding" or "discovery running" or something of the sort (screenshot below). If it isn't logging anything, you have more serious issues than just one device that won't join. Are you in live logs when you are trying this inclusion?

I just pushed the buttons without even having a device to try and I got these messages in logs.

@ramset

I have about 30 z-wave devices paired that stop functioning/responding once i start the pairing process for these (2) devices.

That would be typical if the device you are attempting to pair is jamming the radio for whatever reason. Not ideal that this happens, however it does occasionally happen in my experience. A shutdown, pull the plug, and boot cycle unjams the radio so you can try again.

@ramset

Tried them both, yes.
The exclude process seems to work as it excludes them.

Ok, do you have a device that isn't one of these? It is possible (not sure how likely) but possible nonetheless there is a bad batch or defect in both being they are the same product. It is especially suspicious that 3 different Z-wave chipsets are choking with these particular devices. I am very astonished the C5 won't pair, it is a completely different and seemingly more tolerant device (in my experience) than the newer hubs.

@ramset

those 30 are identical to these 2.
Paired a long time ago. No issues with those.

So you have 30 (various) Z-wave devices on your C8? What about your other hubs?

[AEBogdan]

Not an answer, but wanted to chime in that I've also been having issues adding certain Z-WAVE devices lately on my C8 PRO.

Some devices add fine. Others either don't add at all or always create ghost items. I've tried doing shutdowns of the hub including pulling the power. Factory resetting devices. Excluding devices multiple times before adding. Uninstalling some apps. Ect.. The hub is right next to the devices.

The device I tried adding this past weekend worked fine on Hubitat in the past, but now only creates ghost items.

One thing I'm also curious about is that "Hubitat Z-Wave Mesh Details" tells me the Z-Wave Firmware I have is out of date. I have 7.18 installed. I don't see a newer firmware update being offered by Hubitat, so I'm curious if Hubitat only support up to 7.18, or should the LR Z-WAVE module have been updated to a newer firmware version? (The latest firmware I see at Silicone Labs is 7.24. There have been 5 updates since 7.18.)

[Johnnyvaneddie]

@AEBogdan

"Hubitat Z-Wave Mesh Details" tells me the Z-Wave Firmware I have is out of date. I have 7.18 installed. I don't see a newer firmware update being offered by Hubitat

Same here and I tried looking for an answer. I dont know if it could be the zip zwave. However hope someone will answer.

[hydro311]

That's a glitch unique to that community-developed "Mesh Details" app... When JS first rolled out, an update to ZW 7.22 was made available, but that's since been rescinded (I'm not sure exactly why).

The Mesh Details app still thinks the 7.22 update is available, so it dings about it.

If you're on 7.18, that's as far as you can currently go.

[user5561]

Its been a bit, but I'm having similar behavior. Nothing showing in logs (from Setting/Z-Wave details, click logs. Url shows /hub/zwaveLogs but there's nothing there and I've never seen anything there.)

Radio is set to US-LR, channel B.

Small network, right now just hub, a battery-operated thermostat, and a light switch. I initially was having issues with my August lock, which wouldn't pair. Exclude, include, reboot, factory reset, power off the Hubitat, etc etc.
One option was improving the network, as its a decent distance from the hubitat. So, I got a Leviton ZW15R ZWave outlet... it also won't include, either using SmartStart or normal inclusion.

If there should actually be something showing on that ZWave logs page, how do I debug why there isn't?

@AEBogdan @ramset - have you solved your issues? How?

[TArman]

Sometimes the radios get locked up, so it’s not a bad idea to try a shutdown command and when the machine is down, unplug it from the wall, wait 30 seconds and then plug it back in.

This resets the radios and gives a clean start at trying to exclude/include.

FYI, You only see stuff in the Zwave logs when there is Zwave activity. It always opens to an “empty” log.

[ramset]

In my case, I had to restore on older backup about two versions prior the one that was causing the issues and that fixed it for me

[user5561]

Its finally working!!!

To try to add the new Leviton ZW15R ZWave outlet, I initially used SmartStart (from the Hubitat app, devices page, + in top corner, Add Smart Start Devices... this was actually hard to find). Nothing happened at all. Outlet was already hooked up and powered on, maybe that was my mistake.

Eventually ran zwave exclude, which found and removed the outlet. At that point, I found the Leviton ZW15R in add device by brand, and ran its join network after putting the hub into ZWave inclusion, and it not only found the outlet, it used the name I'd given it during the failed Smart Start process?

Confirmed it showing as a device in ZWave, but no route yet, so I did a shutdown, power off for 30 sec, power up of the Hubitat, and now the outlet is not only working, but S2 authenticated.

Lastly, did a factory reset on the August lock. Reinitialized it, took it through the calibration process. Went into settings, Z-Wave Settings, joined to network. It caught fairly quickly, I gave it the 5-digit code from inside the battery cover, and it connected!

I did all of these things many many times before this, the only difference is the new ZW15R halfway between the Hubitat and the lock. Previously, the best route would have needed to use a lightswitch on the opposite side of the condo, or relay through a battery-powered thermostat... neither of those was a good option. I don't know if the relay being an S2 device helps, or shorter distance, or if it was simply a matter luck finally going my way. But, I'm hoping this stays solid!

(Lastly, to provide context, I intially had installed the August lock years ago, using their wifi hub. Battery life has been dismal, and I want the smarthome to not need an internet connection. So tried switching to zwave, and its been ugly... but hopefully all set now!)

[hydro311]

@user5561

...Outlet was already hooked up and powered on, maybe that was my mistake.

Glad things are working! Yeah, when you use SmartStart, you don't ever power the device (plug it in, wire in line power, or remove its battery tab) until after you scanned its code and completed that initial setup stuff (naming, etc).