I have several Z-Wave Enbrighten switches throughout the house. One of them is in a 2-gang box with a dimmer. They have both worked without issue, but recently the switch has stopped responding to Z-wave commands (or sending status). It does work if you physically turn it on or off.
I'm not sure how to repair this. I've tried Z-Wave Repair, but that reports failure. I've tried power-cycling the switch (by pulling the air-gap tab), to no avail.
I guess the next step would be to factory reset it and re-add it to my Hubitat, but is there a way to do that without blowing up all the rules it’s involved in?
Sure. Create a virtual dimmer with a name like Dummy (old dimmer name). Use the "Swap Apps Device" feature to point all the rules to the Dummy dimmer. Then unpair the old one - you probably will have to do a force remove. Then factory reset and try to do a pair again. IF it works, great use the "Swap Apps Device" feature to move the dummy back to the new dimmer. If the switch is dead I would contact Jasco Support. They really stand behind their products and will likely send you a replacement dimmer. Technical Support.
I've often used ZWave's Replace function, which is designed for this very scenario, I think. You have a device that is dead, and buy a new one, and want to just replace it, without affecting the In-Use By actions.
I happen to have an Aeotec ZStick that has a battery allowing it to be portable. It is NOT a secondary controller (by pressing the button on the back for 20+ seconds.) I put it into exclude (blinking amber) and then do-the-dance on the physically non-responsive device, to put it into Exclude/Include too. The intent is to reset the "dead device" to factory without telling the Hubitat Hub. You must do the exclude using something other than the hub the device is paired to.
On the hub, in Zwave Details, click Refresh for the specific device. Since the device is now reset, it won't respond to the Hub and the hub will mark the device as Failed. The Replace/Remove buttons show up and I click Replace and do-the-dance again. Replace tells me it's stopped and the device is working again.
Replace is just an Include but reusing the same old Node ID.
The "Dummy (old device name)" and Swap Apps Device technique is the only choice if you don't have another ZWave Controller to perform the secret device reset. For me, with that Aeotec ZStick, it's faster to do the replace, but without it, or another hub (from any manufacturer,) you must use the only hub you have and that WILL kill all the In-Use By actions.
I've had occasion to either swap devices or be forced to exclude-then-include the same device several times over the last 30 days or so. I've reached the conclusion that the dummy/virtual device is the best method for me. The only downside is the time it takes to go through the whole process.
I had trouble getting Replace to work consistently, And when it failed on a device, it seemed like there was no method of making it successful again. (I think a hub radio 'kill power for x seconds' would have fixed it, though.) Reading above that it works better -or at all- with a different controller eases my mind that it was solely a 'me' problem.
Swap Device Apps sounds good, but it appears to kill the new device's 'Device Info.' I don't think that's a big deal necessarily, but I don't like that the info is no longer there.
When I use the Dummy/Virtual device, everything comes out exactly like I want it. As I said, the only downside is time, and -for me- it is actually quicker than starting with one of the first two methods, having it fail, then ending up here in the end.
I've had good to great luck with Replace. As a developer, I often need a device I just don't have spares for.. too expensive or don't use them in development much... and so I need to 'borrow' my Production devices occasionally. I do so via Replace. I have Power Outlets for the Washer/Dryer (gas) and will need to 'borrow' one to test out Better Laundry Monitor, for example.
I'll unplug the Power Outlet for the Washer, usually, and bring it near to where I'm doing development and Exclude it using an Aeotec ZStick. The original Hub still 'owns' the device... as far as it's concerned the device is not responding. It's like a Ghost, but not as unpredictable.
I then Include the Power Outlet into my Development Hub and test away. Once I'm done, I Exclude it using the Development hub, so that it DOES inform the development hub it's been removed. Then back on the original hub, I do the Refresh click til the Replace button shows and start the replace by putting the Power Outlet into Include. 90% of the time it drops back in first attempt. When it doesn't, I have to go all the way back to the ZWave Details page and click the refresh again. When Replace appears, I do it again and I don't explicitly remember having to ever do it a third time, but objectively I wouldn't be so shocked that it would stand out.
Now, clearly my use of Replace is WAY outside the normal practice, but it's given me the option to say "It works for me."
This is the more accurate way to view the air gap. It does indeed cycle the power to the control chips as well as the load. And that can be handy from time to time.
You must do the exclude using something other than the hub the device is paired to.
