Well I'm back. I was temporarily derailed by a massive z-wave failure on my hub, but I've got that all fixed now, so I'm back to try to get this Orbit to work. To recap what I've done (maybe not in this order):
Removed the Sylvania Zigbee bulb
Removed, factory reset and repaired the Orbit.
Changed from Zigbee channel 20 to channel 15.
Tried to use a Sonoff S-31 Lite Zigbee as a repeater
Removed, factory reset, and re-paired the device next to the Hubitat, then watched it for a day to be sure it worked. Turns out it does not work if there is no water pressure on it
Bought an Ikea Tradfri Zigbee repeater and installed it inside, on the other side of the wall from the hose bibb & Orbit, about 3' away & through the wall.
Two weeks after installing the Ikea Tradfri Zigbee repeater, I bought an Aqara door sensor, paired it, and had it mostly on a table for about 4 weeks, about 6' from the Orbit. This made no difference to the Orbit.
None of this worked. I've been getting daily notices that the Orbit failed to connect after 15 tries.
However, all of a sudden, within the last week, it has started to work most (not all) of the time. Changes that roughly correspond to when the Orbit hose timer started to work:
a. I installed the Aqara on a door about 8' away from the table or 14' from the Orbit, and within a few days I noticed the Orbit was working. The Aqara is not a repeating device.
b. I updated to 2.3.9.174 and after a few days I noticed the Orbit was working. It was definitely not the reboot associated with the upgrade because HE has rebooted several times since all of the items 1-6 above.
c. I paired a Z-wave contact sensor to the network and installed it on a door. The Orbit started working the next day. Since the Orbit is Zigbee not sure how this could impact it.
The interesting thing is that if I now look at my Zigbee network, most of the time the Orbit is going through the Ikea Repeater...but this did not start until approx 60 days after I installed the repeater. I know it takes a Zigbee network some time to settle down, but does it take 60 days???
Appreciate that you did a follow-up. I have 3 of these Orbit Valve/Timers. I pay attention to any potential problems as I currently depend on them functioning flawlessly (and they do at roughly 75' from the hub although obscured from line-of-sight).
Some notes to share from my use:
a) I put fresh lithium batteries in them twice a year
b) I have given up trying to understand the paths they select back to the hub, while there are repeating devices available to them they do seem to end up taking the direct route if given enough signal strength.
c) I have had problems while introducing other devices that may have messed with the proximal Zigbee network topology ...but these things either sorted themselves out OR I decommissioned the device that caused the problems for a combination of reasons.
d) I pull these valves off the hydrants/faucets where they serve in the summer and put them on a shelf within the same building as the hub for the winter (in other words- I am reluctant to have them cease communicating through the winter; call that superstition or call that trying to avoid any hassle come Spring). I do Stop the Simple Irrigation app.
I will note that I have not observed that these valves "will not work" when disconnected from water pressure. That actually doesn't makes sense to me. As far as I recall the solenoid always opens with-a-thunk when I bench test.
EDIT ADD:
This discussion prompted me to go change some batteries as a late summer precaution. I was down to a reading of 55% on two valves. Just wanted to report that after swapping the Energizer Ultimate Lithiums the battery reading said NULL, but checking it today it says 100%. Two things here: 1) yeah it says not to use alkaline, I presume that's is either a voltage thing as these measured 1.8vDC or it's a battery level accuracy thing; 2) don't freak out with the NULL, it goes away. These batteries have served well in the extremes of the outdoors.
I usually remove the valves and batteries after summer and store them in my garage. Not a problem for over 6 years now. These valves are very well built.
Also can confirm they don't have to connect to water pressure for testing. You will definitely hear the solenoid.
