@dennypage Very detailed diagnostic data you have there.. It may be able to create a work-around.. Thanks for your post
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There is actually quite a few work-arounds in the code to issues we discovered in the sdk
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The only problem being all the work you have to do to get there, then they fix the firmware and you have to adjust it again. 
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I am in the process of consolidating my 2 C-4 hubs into a C-7 so the apparent 80-90 zw+ device limit is worrisome. Already thinking about putting my zigbee devices on a separate C-5 for giggles. I did like having 2 hubs by location though.
@dennypage Kudos for sharing this detailed analysis with us.
So I can stop my fiddling, wait for a fix and turn over to something different. 
For me it didn't take that much devices to reproduce this problem, 35 seem to be enough.
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Could this issue affect c5's
I'm at 32 devices currently on my C-7 and the only issues were some weirdness pairing 2 Inovelli 4-in-1s and an automatic (can't change) S0 authentication pairing for my recessed door sensor.
Also my MS6 in the basement is back to reporting 9.6 even though an Aeotec 7 repeater is 7 feet away - so maybe that's an indication, dunno.
edit: sigh recessed door sensor not working properly.
Which brings me back my favourite theory, that things start to become really bad after including some FLiRS.
Do you you have any?
Good to know, thought about buying one, too. Maybe it works using the generic contact sensor drivers)
So my recessed sensor is a Gen5, not Gen7. Although I have now ordered some gen 7's as a test.
Not sure if I have any FLiRS devices - my Yale lock is zigbee. Mmm... maybe my Aeotec Range Extender 7? My smart switches and such are ZW+ but likely older chipsets.
For the recessed sensor I am using the generic driver...
Have one too, it is mains-powered, so no FLiRS. Did you include using S2? I first did, but then decided to re-included it without security.
Some battery-powered devices like TRVs and smoke sensors sometimes are FLiRS.
I have learned that this technology can create lots of network traffic.
if you get a gen 7 . I recommend this driver as you can actually run tests from the extender to individual devices at normal or reduced power to see how your mesh is working (at least from this extender to other devices)/
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I pair all my devices as unauthenticated no S2 if I can help it. The only thing I did pair S2 was the Ring Extender V2. Thought it was necessary for power reporting but maybe not.
In pair everything at the defaults unless I have a technical reason otherwise.
That is how 99% of Hubitat's customers are going to do it, so it needs to work - and work basically every time. It is also exactly how the zwave alliance wants it done/designed it to work.
Because of that I have more things S2 than I would normally pair securely. But so be it.
If the hub can't reliably pair with the default settings, then they are going to be in for a world of hurt moving forward.
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That seems like a good strategy giving the hub what it "wants" in terms of pairing. I just assumed not authenticated/encrypted less overhead.
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my door longs are converted to zigbee.
I pair most non secure any switch that asks i uncheck them as switches dont need to be secure.
I have a couple of zooz power switches and homesser hsm that dont work right unless secure.
any my garage door releays and opener are secure.. As is my secondary zstick.
That's certainly the ideal way to do it. And, you're correct, it's how most will and it should work.
My experience has proven conclusively that a bunch of "S2 Auth" devices don't work as well as "None".
Also, I had very poor luck pairing them as "S2 Auth" unless the hub was within a few feet.
My system works more reliably now that I spent like 10 hours redoing them all to go from "S2 Auth" to "None".
But, it's still not perfect (seeing things similar to those describe in other posts, like "Z-wave storms"). Fingers crossed that some additional software and firmware updates get these issues resolved. I'm unlikely, now, to want to go in and bring everything back to "S2 Auth"--way too much trouble for little value at this point.
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Maybe so. My 80 device mesh is working fine with a dozen or more S2 paired devices.
I really don't think S2 is the issue for people. But if it helps your install, then good!
I had about 36 of them.
When I did a "Group On" that included those and some non-S2 (but ZW+) devices, there was always a 10-20% failure rate--devices that didn't get the action or that didn't return their state.
As no-auth, I'm down to maybe 1-2 devices that misbehave.
Like I said - if it works/help, then there ya go. 
I have seen zero difference between S2 and unsecure on my development hub, sniffing the traffic 24/7. But it admittedly has much fewer devices, and only a couple manufacturers - so isn't a very 'real world' mesh from a device representation standpoint.
Hubitat has gone pretty 'radio silent' on the C-7 zwave issues, and I do believe there are still real issues - not disputing that, so hopefully that means they are working on things (internally and/or with SiLabs).
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Have you removed your S0 security devices to none? That is more important than S2.
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