Hi all.
I don't have any experience with z-wave wall switches, but when dealing with plugs, I sometimes have a plug frozen/not responsive and the only way to fix that is unplug it and plug it back.
How is this handled in a wall switch scenario? I definitely don't want switches with batteries, I think there are switches powered by 110V AC. Are there switches that have reset buttons or something that removes power from the Z-Wave circuitry?
Can you please recommend reliable wall toggle switches, AC powered and with a way to reset Z-Wave?
Zooz, Inovelli and GE/Enbrighten/Jasco (all the same) are all reputable z-wave switch/dimmer manufacturers that are popular and well-supported here. Those brands are all either UL or ETL certified, which I (and many others) consider a requirement for anything involving 110+ power.
Look for models that have an air-gap tab - that enables you to remove power from the switch/dimmer without pulling the whole thing out or killing its breaker.
What brand/model of plugs are freezing on you? That may either be a quality issue with that brand of device or perhaps an overall issue with your ZW mesh.
I've NEVER had to remove power from any z-wave switches/dimmers that got stuck. I don't know which wall plug you experienced this with but it shouldn't happen.
Also note that the most wall dimmers/switches today only disconnect power from the load by pulling the air gap. The electronics stays powered on.
Thanks, but what's the air-gap-tap ? Does that require removal of faceplate? I'd prefer not having to remove that because they will be operated not by myself but some non-technical inclined people...
Can you please post examples of such devices? I'm in US so Amazon would work.
These:
SONOFF S31 Lite 15A Zigbee Smart Plug ETL Certified, Works with SmartThings, and Amazon Echo Plus, Hub Needed for Amazon Alexa 4-Pack https://a.co/d/6TMFHCA
Those are zigbee plugs, so those freezing up or misbehaving may be an issue with the quality of your zigbee mesh.
I myself don't use that brand of plug, so I can't comment on its quality, but I think Sonoff is generally regarded as being pretty solid. You could try searching community here for that particular device, and see if there are any posts (good or bad) about it.
My mention of the air-gap tab is a red herring here - my apologies, I shouldn't have brought it up... JoeJ is right -- it's just a handy way to cut power to the load, but it's not a way to "reset" the switch itself.
If you use known-to-be good quality devices (like the brands I mentioned earlier) and you have a solid z-wave mesh, you shouldn't ever have to worry about resetting devices. If I have a device that needs routine resetting, it gets replaced - that's not something I'll live with.
If you’re in the USA, have you considered Lutron Caseta lighting? If you want 99.99% reliability and excellent performance, take a look. I have had zero issues with my Lutron lighting system.
Wow, these are expensive at $74 each. It says "Lutron Smart Hub", is it compatible with Hubitat ?
Can anyone please recommend more affordable switches/dimmers? And still, any ones with a way to reset them without removing? Even if they are reliable, in case of loss of connection it'll be a nightmare for non-technical people to even find a way to cut power to reset them.
I paid less than $40 for each of my switches & dimmers a few years ago. Lutron Pico remotes are another great benefit of using a Lutron lighting system. The newer Decora style Caseta switches and dimmers are a but pricier than the original Caseta style devices.
Yes, they are very compatible with Hubitat but they do require the Lutron Caseta SmartBridge Pro2 hub in addition to the Hubitat Hub.
I agree they are not cheap, but they are extremely reliable and are able to be directly added to Apple Home (via HomeKit), Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Logitech Harmony, Hubitat, Home Assistant, Node-RED, etc... When you buy Lutron, you're buying a complete lighting system, not just some switches and dimmers.
I wanted to add a few more switches to my army of GE Enbrighten units (500) but it seems they are discontinued waiting for the next gen to be released.
I had to pick a suitable substitute as I needed the 20% decrease in size as I have a lot of neutrals.
I picked the Zooz 71 which seemed ok.
I think these things are probably the best thing on the market. 53.00 CDN so 40 USD?
Plus it arrived as ZW 800 LR series so the best you can get to date.
Do they require neutral wire ? In fact, do most switches require neutral? I'd suppose so, otherwise how would they get powered? I'm not an electrician but as far as I know there's no neutral in the wall switch sockets, are there? Then how do switches get powered?
So if I want to have an option of resetting them, should I power them from an outlet by running wires from an outlet to the switches and unplugging/plugging them when need to reset?
Having a neutral available in switch boxes is a relatively new NEC code requirement, so in older houses, it's common to not have neutrals available.
Mine's a 1949 build, but they fortunately junctioned neutrals through most of my old switch boxes, so you really just need to check each box and see what you have.
Inovelli's switches/dimmers can work with or without a neutral. Zooz all do require a neutral. Most Caseta dimmers do not require a neutral, but their switches do.
I'd open each box and see what you're up against, then figure out what needs to be a switch vs dimmer, and then go from there.
Sorry to be blunt, but this is a terrible idea and not at all code compliant - please do not do anything like this.
You won’t need to reset them. I’ve been using Zooz dimmers for a couple years, and GE dimmers for 6, and have not had reason to reset any of them. The Sonoff plugs you mentioned are very weak and probably are losing connection to the mesh.
If your home was built since the 80s you should have neutral wires in at least the main switch boxes.
Ok, thanks everyone! Looks like SONOFF S31 is the cause if instability. Can anyone please recommend reliable but affordable indoor plugs in addition the THIRDREALITY quoted above? Like best combination of price and reliability ?
Again, those Sonoff are zigbee, so if you're referring to instability with your z-wave mesh specifically, the Sonoffs have nothing to do with that. Z-wave mesh health has nothing to do with zigbee mesh health and vice-versa.
Zooz plugs are reliable and well-supported ZW plugs. I also have some Leviton plugs (dimmer and switch versions) that have always been completely reliable for me - those come in both ZW and ZB versions. I have a bunch of Innr plugs (ZB) that have always been solid.
Bear in mind the old smarthome adage of "Cheap, solid performer, easy-to-integrate/manage -- pick any two, but you rarely get all three".
