It's little wonder he has issues and Jake has to configure his smart home for him, because HA is automation is so darn user hostile! Even Node Red on HA isn't as easy to use as RM on HE, simply because the entity naming within devices is a confusing hot mess.
I recall another video where he was having Z-wave issues - last time I tried Z-Wave on HA, it was a right PITA, even when using a quality Aeotec Z-stick+.
PS, I do still have HA installed in a docker container and have used it for years, however now it has been relegated to just run my energy dashboard (I have a solar system w/ battery storage) and act as middleware for my Netatmo Weather Station and Weather Underground.
and more to the point i think he is a windbag --- his staff are the real techs and people should be ignoring Linus cause he is a moron with a cool name and that's it.
I don't like bashing on YT creators so I avoid his channel for the most part because he is no tech, his staff are, and he always acts like he just did a line of coke with a dash of meth and all all i want to do is reach through the screen and bitch slap him unconscious so his staff can actually get the video done.
My freakout is when he insists on touching everything and tossing it around like its a stuffed animal. Equipment costing tens of thousands of dollars and he's handling it like its candy.
He has issues with understanding what he is doing. He could have easily used Z-wave Honeywell battery operated thermostats to replace every two wire infloor heating stat that he had. I have retrofitted several homes in this way. Instead he had to make it ridiculously complicated. Using an Ecobee (just over a hot display; so reporting the wrong temperature) that triggers a program on Home Assistant and then sends a signal to turn on a Z-wave relay????? Talking about multiple points of failure. If it was just a simple Honeywell thermostat. It would work regardless of whether or not you have a Z-wave issue.
P.S. Z-wave CAN NOT INTERFERE WITH WIFI, 900MHZ IS NOT 2.4GHZ
Here is how I would have professionally created his "Smart Home".
I would have used Lutron Caseta as the system for most of the lighting; with a 'Smart Hub Pro'.
I would have used battery operated Z-wave T6 Honeywell thermostats (extremely reliable) for his in-floor heating. Replacing the two wire in-floor thermostats. I would also install an AC only system with a thermostat that shares one of the in-floor heating T6 stats (wire power and AC to that one and use the two wire for heat and the blower for AC and circulation)
I am intentionally avoiding Zigbee because he is obsessed about the WIFI but normally I would include some Zigbee plug sockets, motions and and Zigbee switches (ie powder room switch/motion). If his concern is WIFI then I would opt for dumb motion switches in power rooms and other motion required areas.
I would include a Hubitat Hub with remote access to put it all together.
Simple done... probably only one good YouTube video.
he can bring awareness to it because a lot of non-technical people watch him to feel like they are tech people, but he is not a tech person, he's an internet personality. even in a lot of his videos, you see him relying on his staff more than actually doing stuff himself
I think he picked Z-wave because he liked the integrated motion sensors on the GE/Jasco stuff, which in theory is a cleaner install and a line-powered motion sensor instead of dozens upon dozens of batteries that would need to be changed on high ceilings and so forth.
That house is humungous, and has lights everywhere. I think the higher end Lutron stuff like Radio RA2 or Homeworks would have been more appropriate. Caseta's 75 devices doesn't go far if you have a 5000 plus square foot home like he does.
Even Z-wave is probably pushing the limits with it's 200 or so device capacity. If he has any amount of motion sensors, door/window sensors, or other devices on top of his switches, he is going to need multiple Z-wave controllers.
Caseta has a few solutions for the 75 limit. First you can add as many hubs as you like and Hubitat will help control all of them. I like to use the 75 limit as a challenge. You can use wired 3 ways which do not count as switches. Stuff that you will not control actively such as outside lights on a timed event you can use a Zigbee/Z-wave switch. Also you can use dumb motions or Zigbee/Z-wave combos for rooms controlled 100% with motion. and you can group lights together that do not need to be separated.
