I currently own Nest Protect Smoke Detectors. I like them and I think they are a good product. However since "Works with Nest" has now become "Nest ain't talking to anyone" I am at a crossroads. Does the First Alert Zcombo 2 in-1 Smoke Detector & Carbon Monoxide alarm integrate well with HSM?
My other question is, can HSM use the siren on this device for intrusions?
Hubitat's device model abstracts most details of the device away from both users and apps/automations. Hubitat Safety Monitor, an app, doesn't really care what model of smoke detector you have as long as its driver implements the standard capabilities (commands and attributes/states/events) it's expecting for a smoke detector, which the ZCOMBO does. However, the ZCOMBO doesn't have a "siren" built-in as far as I know, just the regular smoke alarm. In any case, the built-in alarm sound cannot be activated by Hubitat, whether by HSM or another app (this is not a command the device supports).
Good words. I guess I was hoping that from a Z-wave perspective that the ZCOMBO would be a Z-Wave combo device. I have actually been hoping to find a connected smoke/CO detector whose siren could be used to double as an intrusion alarm. That's where the combo aspect would come in.
In addtion, that ZCOMBO device is battery only. One great aspect of the Nest Protect is they have a unit that is utility powered with battery backup. That lets the device log power outages in addition to smoke and CO and I really value that.
Sadly, without connectivity the Nest Protect is mostly a "dumb" alarm with an app.
Is there any recommended Zwave connected Smoke/Co alarm for HE?
I have a couple of the ZCOMBOs you mentioned (the "combo" part must mean smoke/CO?) and have been happy with them, not that there's much to be happy about aside from the time one let me know I left a soon-to-become smoking pan on the stove after I left home one time. 
I see they just came out with a new S2-capable version, which I don't think the original Z-Wave Plus version was, but I can't imagine that being worse (though only different if you have a C-7 hub).
The only other device I've used for this is an Ecolink FireFighter. It's not a smoke detector per se, just a "listener"--if close enough to a sounding alarm, it will send a Z-Wave report you can use for the same purpose. The good thing here is that if you have interconnected alarms, you need only one (but lose the ability to tell where the alarm originated), and the device itself will likely outlast a smoke detector. It's still battery-powered, however.
I know there are a few other devices people have used but can't speak to them from personal experience.
Yes, I have a C-7 hub. What does S2-capable mean? I have not heard that term. By the way, I came from ST and after a little over a week with my HE and having migrated over 150 devices with numerous webcore pistons and now lots of Rule Machine 4 automations, I am totally loving the HE.
I should have done this a long time ago. The recent platform updates email from ST saying they were not allowing Echo Speaks any longer is what chased me over to HE. I have my Echo Speaks running with Webcore pistons and everything is working perfectly.
I was blown away that you can actually backup and restore the HE. What a concept is that??? In addition, I am running the new Hubitat Package Manager and it is awesome for seeing and applying updates for my app and driver code.
It seems that this device just gets better and better. I did have to move the HE off my IoT VLAN back on to my main LAN, but since it is mostly local, I don't have an issue with that.
Are you an iOS and Apple TV owner?
I've been using a Google Nest Plugin for Homebridge and it works great. When Smoke or CO is detected, a HomeKit automation turns on a Hubitat virtual switch that is exposed to HomeKit via the Hubitat Homebridge integration. That switch turning on turns on my lights and makes both my Amazon Echo speakers alert everyone at max volume.
This is the latest version of Z-Wave security. It's better than the previous generation, S0, in that it is both more secure and less "chatty" on the network. I'm not sure the previous generation of this smoke detector supported either version (if you aren't sure, most of your existing Z-Wave devices probably paired with no security/encryption at all--this was typical for a long time and probably still is for most people). Some people do not care for security at all except where it matters (like door locks), but I figured it was worth mentioning anyway.
Do note that if you restore to a new hub, you'll have to re-pair Zigbee and Z-Wave devices, though Zigbee is pretty easy here (everything will be re-associated and work after that; Z-Wave will require additional work). But everything else comes along just fine--apps, devices (even if not associated with a real device), and other configuration. And if you restore to the same hub, everything should be good unless you made device changes between now and the last backup. The upcoming, optional Hub Protection Service subscription will also include the radios, so that will truly cover everything.
Welcome! I also escaped from SmartThings. 
(As did many, possibly all, of the Hubitat founders--and lots of other users here.)
I seem to recall, perhaps from the community here, mentioned that First Alert had intended to release a wired version of ZCOMBO this year, but have postponed that.
I prefer wired, too, but there is a compelling argument to be made that if you can have a battery that can last longer than the smoke/CO detectors (and you can, and required in some jurisdictions), then what's the point of wiring it?
It would be great if they came out with a wired unit as you say. The point of having a wired smoke detector is that it also has a backup battery and is capable of logging when the power goes out. My Nest Protect wired smoke detector keeps a power outage log.
I would like to consider the a detector should do more than just smoke, if it is a connected device. Things I want a connected detector to do:
After all, it's just sensor device.
I totally agree. That was the Halo + alarm, now defunct. I buy used ones on ebay.
It was hardwired w/ battery backup(18650 lithium) had zigbee connectivity and spoken alerts, as well as had a weather band radio. Also doubles as a nightlight. Temp/humidity/pressure as well as an ability to hush the device from the app(ST for hush not HE)
We need a company to do something comparable. The demise of their choice platform(iris) was the death blow.
I use the First Alert Zcombo detectors. They're perfect for our house. Keep in mind that they're not interconnected or hard wired, if it's important for you to be code compliant. I've also found that low battery warning is about 78%, which is fine since they last about a year anyway. Not an issue, really. I have a piston checks them weekly and warms me when they're close.
We have 7 of the First Alert Zcombo devices for about a year now and they work fine so far. The batteries have held up fine and I've only had to replace them in two units so far. Easy to pair and unpair as well.
Sure, I have 5 of the halos, 2 Pluses and 3 regular
Plus I have 4 z-combo's , which work well.
Do your research...
I have five Zcombos, purchase at the end of 2016, and since I'm going to have to replace them at 10 years, I put 10 year lithium batteries into them when I installed them. We'll see if I get that length battery life or not.
They work well, and if the new wired version show up I'll switch to that when it's available, if the wired units are interconnected. And who knows what else will be available in five or six years...
What I miss on the Zcombo is voice prompts, my family really wants those. I have two Nest Protects as well and they really like the voice warnings that those provide.
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