Issues with Minoston Ourdoor Plug after Hub Update

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 2:07pm

I'm having a strange issue with my Minoston (MP22ZD) outdoor plug that i purchased from amazon. It was working great since i installed it, but its starting to act up. The only thing i've touched on the hub is the system update that happened a week or two ago.
I have two rules for this outdoor outlet that is connected to a string light, turn on at sunset and off at 930pm, and between 530am and sunrise it turns on based on a motion detector. Its been working great, but now its not turning on at sunset and in the morning, i can see its trying to turn on, but its at like 1% brightness. I was able to move the slider on the app to 100% and the lights lit up, but automation isn't working.

I did have some trouble in the begining getting it to work, i found a review on amazon that said to use the EVA Logic Smart Plug Dimmer driver for this outdoor outlet. I did that, and it worked great.
Is it possible that the update messed up the automation?
I reached out to Minoston and asked them what driver to use with the MP22ZD and they responded with a github link.

github.com

sky-nie/hubitat/blob/main/minoston/minoston-outdoor-dimmer.groovy

/**
 *      Minoston Outdoor Dimmer v1.0.0(HUBITAT)
 *
 *  	Models: MP22ZD
 *
 *  Author:
 *   winnie (sky-nie)
 *
 *	Documentation:
 *
 *  Changelog:
 *
 *    1.0.0 (03/19/2022)
 *      - Initial Release
 *
 * Reference：
 *    https://github.com/krlaframboise/SmartThings/blob/master/devicetypes/krlaframboise/eva-logik-in-wall-smart-dimmer.src/eva-logik-in-wall-smart-dimmer.groovy
 *
 *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.

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first of all, this safe to do, and secondly how do you i add it? lol

Let me know if some screenshots will help. I looked at the logs for the outdoor switch and its not showing much. The logs for the motion detector make it look like its functioning correctly.

rlithgow1 · April 13, 2022, 2:10pm

Start by posting a copy of your z-wave details page

Then shut down the hub from the settings menu, unplug at the wall (not the hub) wait 5 mins and power back up.

Have you updated to the latest z-wave stack?

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 2:18pm

Thanks for the response.
Here's the z-wave deets page

Should i go ahead with the shuddown/unplug/wait 5 min/power up?
I haven't updated anything with the zwave stack that i know of. i just updated the system when i saw the email about the new release.

rlithgow1 · April 13, 2022, 2:26pm

see that firmware update at the top of the page? Click it. That will update your z-wave firmware (lots of bug fixes) I would reccomend the shutdown and unplug first.

After the shutdown, come back to your z-wave settings page. Wait 5 mins. then click on the firmware update.

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 2:30pm

This little guy?

I'll do the shutdown/unplug/5min/boot up.....wait 5min then update the firmware and i'll let you know what happens.

rlithgow1 · April 13, 2022, 2:50pm

the update for the z-wave firmware is at the top of the z-wave settings page

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 3:06pm

Ohh, this "Firmware Udate"

rlithgow1 · April 13, 2022, 3:08pm

correct

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 3:12pm

Its updating now,
how often should this procedure be done?

erktrek · April 13, 2022, 3:14pm

The button will disappear once the update completes. This is a firmware update to the hubs Z-Wave Radio chipset firmware. These updates are very rare and only 1 or 2 others have happened in the past. The firmware update seems to have improved a lot of peoples meshes so

I have the same outdoor plug - use it to control some landscape lighting and it seems to be working fine.

correction: apologies - turns out I have the actual Eva Logik dual plug in for that purpose - I had to double check. I do have the non-dimmer variety of the Minoston but it is not yet back in operation this year - use it + solenoid valve for some automated patio watering ...

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 3:26pm

Thanks! I'll have to keep an eye out for that button if it pops back up.

Is your minoston listed under the Drivers list or are you using a generic driver?

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 3:58pm

the z-wave driver is updated, i dont really have any way to test it until sunset or untill 5am tomorrow, but i did try to use Alexa to turn on the patio lights. They turned on, but at like 1% power, it never did that before.
any ideas?
Here's the page for the Patio Lights, i see there's a Minimum Brightness set to 1%, is that my problem?

erktrek · April 13, 2022, 4:08pm

Possibly.. I've had some instances where turning off a dimmer (not your device) causes the dimmer to get set at a very low dimming level so then when I turn it on it again it's still at that low level. My work-around has been instead of doing a dimmer "on" command I use "set level 100"..

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 4:15pm

Yeah, i dont even want to use the dimmer function (dont think my led bulbs are dimmable), it was ramping the power up when it would turn on over the course of 1/4 second or so, didn't really think much of it, but didn't really see an option to just hit them with 100% power out the gate at sunset or when the motion sensor is triggered.

I set the minimum brightness to 99% (thats the highest) hopefully that fixes it

Edit:
here's the rule for turning on the lights at sunset, i just have it set to "ON" not a "set brightness", strange

danabw · April 13, 2022, 4:30pm

Yes, safe. Those are community developed Minoston drivers - another HE owner has graciously created (or adapted from another source, looks like they came from SmartThings) drivers for Minoston products.

If you want to to add the driver code to your system to use it w/your dimmer see instructions below.

Installing and applying a new driver

First you need to go to the Drivers Code section in the Advanced section of the HE menu.

Then click on the New Driver option in the upper right corner of that page:

This wil open a blank driver code page:

Open the link to the GitHub site that Minoston sent to you, and then click on the Raw button on the right hand side of the page at the top of the code section:

That will display just the code in a window:

Click anywhere in the window and press Ctrl-A to select all the text, and Ctrl-C to copy.

Then paste into the empty new driver code page back on Hubitat.

Then hit the Save button and the new driver will be saved to your hub.

Go to the Device page for your dimmer plug. Scroll down to the Device Information section and click in the *Type field and type "Minoston" (w/out quotes):

As you type an auto-search will bring up drivers w/"Minoston" in them. Select your new driver "Minoston Outdoor Dimmer (MP22ZD) and click on the Save Device button lower down.

Then scroll to the top of the page and hit the Configure button to complete the application of the change to your dimmer. Always hit Configure after chaning drivers.

That's it, you're now using a new driver.

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 4:46pm

i'm going to add it.
I tried to change the Minimum Brightness to 99% and that didn't work, hopefully the correct driver will fix it.

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 4:56pm

Thanks for giving those instructions. That was as clear as it gets!

I dont think the updated driver helped with the problem, but i did try playing with the "Set Level"
it was blank for Level* before, i set it to 100 now when i toggle it on/off it at least goes to full brightness.

Not really sure why it just got all wonky all of a sudden, but i'll know tonight at sunset if its fixed.

rlithgow1 · April 13, 2022, 4:59pm

you can temporarily change the time to now, or simply click the run actions button on the rule

erktrek · April 13, 2022, 5:04pm

You could just change the rule from turn "on" dimmer to set level - The dimmer should turn "on" when set level is set even if it's to the same level as it already is... if that makes any sense.

Then you'll likely never have an issue even if the dimmer level inadvertently gets set very low..

caveat: I don't actually use the Rule Manager apps so my knowledge is a little fuzzy in that area.

fenderman86 · April 13, 2022, 5:06pm

where's the Run Action button?