A little update on my battery experiment since it's been 6 days since I've updated the firmware of all my buttons (6).
They are all reading 100% battery.
1 Like
Agreed not much money, but sums do tend to add up. But I'll invest in one on next visit! Thanks for reply! 
You need to use the Ikea hub.
You can also do it using zigbee2mqtt if you happen to have a USB coordinator and a Raspberry Pi kicking around.
Zha and home assistant can also do it, but also needs a coordinator.
In my experience, the firmware upgrade goes faster with the ikea hub.
2 Likes
Updated two of my buttons to the newest firmware using the ikea hub, and one I left on the old firmware, and one button paired to HA.
Right after the update, I gave all my buttons fresh batteries.
The two buttons with the newest firmware are still going strong after zeven days, all showing 100% battery remaining.
The one button I did not update fell off the bandwagon within four hours.
The last button paired to HA with old firmware also shows 100% battery remaining.
So I think there is some combo issue between Hubitat and the old firmware that is draining the battery's as fast as my wife telling me she has a headache when we both go to bed...
3 Likes
Short question from my side: How are the other platforms are managing it to get the latest firmware? Because we have the possibility to upgrade devices using the "Device Firmware Updater"-App, as long as we have the firmware itself. In case of HA ok, there is a gateway integration, but as far as I'm informed in case of zigbee2mqtt you don't need the gateway.
And one of the switches with the new firmware went from 100% battery status to 0% in one day.
So it lasted 8 days...
The one coupled to HA is still reporting 100%. Will keep you posted on it.
You can see the filenames and URLs in the JSON file on the Ikea OTA update server.
I won't post the URL, but it's easy to find via a Google search.
Side note: since updating my shortcut buttons, the click action no longer registers through Hubitat or zigbee2mqtt.
Must have been a temporary dip, it’s sat at 2.9 V at the moment and has been for a while. Still working just fine, still on the same old firmware. The watched pot fails to boil.
It's dead. RIP. Press F, etc.
Survived 19/11/21 through to 06/01/22, so 48 days in total. Kept reporting 2.8 V over the last couple of days, but on taking the battery out it measures 2.38 V.
Next is a new battery, a firmware update and a retry. Here are the pre-update device data values.
1 Like
Added an IKEA Tradfri Signal Repeater E1746 driver.
This performs a presence check ping every 10 minutes and updates the device data.
1 Like
It really goes beyond the money, there is a point where maintaining an environment with a collection of intermediary hubs starts to feel like a hassle.
2 Likes
Dug out my Tradfri Hub earlier and messed around getting it to update a button. Eventually it managed to do it, I'm honestly not sure how. It sat there not doing it for quite some time, then a combination of removing and adding the battery and pressing the button seemed to will it into action.
There have definitely been some changes. The button now supports double-tap and the firmware is v2.3.080 instead of v2.3.015 (or 23015631 as it used to report). Cluster are also a little different.
- endpointId: 01
- application: 21
- softwareBuild: 2.3.080
- inClusters: 0000,0001,0003,0009,0020,1000,FC7C
- outClusters: 0003,0004,0006,0008,0019,1000
- model: TRADFRI SHORTCUT Button
- manufacturer: IKEA of Sweden
Turns out there are IKEA Home Smart release notes too. This new button firmware was released on 27th October 2021 and interestingly, there's the same update version for the Symfonisk remote.
I've already noticed that it's not as responsive as it was, which is actually a good thing. I wonder if the button was previously not sleeping properly.
So, fresh battery installed today (Friday 7th January 2022) and we're on to round two.
2 Likes
Figured out the trick to updating firmware on these devices. Patience and batteries.
When the Tradfri Hub sees an update is available and you say "it's fine to update" it sits and waits for the hourly report from the device. Only then does it attempt the firmware update, but boy - on the Symfonisk remote the update took a brand new battery from 3.3 V to 2.9 V on the multimeter. Oof.
Also, if you only own the Symfonisk remote and not the Sonos gear, don't be fooled into thinking you can't update it. By default the hub doesn't let you pair a remote / dial without speakers already attached, but if you choose pretend you're adding a shortcut button instead, it pairs just fine.
I've tweaked the drivers to work with these update devices. I don't think I'll continue to support the older firmware given the disaster it has proven to be so far. Let's hope v2.3.080 brings more joy.
Okay, finally. They're all updated.
I did consider doing the updates with zigbee2mqtt, but my older CC2531 module required a firmware change to allow me to use it. Then I realised I would be updating firmware to update some other firmware using a system I don't have set up and have never used before. I re-evaluated some life decisions and went to sleep, and the Tradfri hub sorted it for me in the meantime.
1 Like
When I used my CC2652P based coordinator to do the firmware upgrades with zigbee2mqtt on the shortcut buttons, it took close to two hours.
Using the annoying Tradfri hub actually seemed to go faster for me.
I picked up a few more, I should try that out again since I've changed my setup again, and see how long it really takes.
1 Like
They're no better. If fact, they're worse. Both the button and the sound controller dial have dropped. The battery on the sound controller is 2.46 V on the multimeter.
My last guess here is the slightly unusual pairing used with the Tradfri hub, which (seeing as I'd never used it) I only discovered when updating the firmware. Put it in pairing mode, let the hub discover it, then press and hold the pairing button. I wonder what that is in aid of?
I might give this one more try.
Hey, @bi0hazard - you were having some luck with these drivers and the latest firmware, if I remember correctly? How's it going?
1 Like
It's very frustrating, especially when they occasionally do work good (my one from July is still going strong).
And I do like the design and hardware feature set.
But...
Amazon.ca just ran a $40/4 deal for the Sonoff buttons, so time to pack up the Tradfri's and haul em back to IKEA.
1 Like
As someone that was just diving in to using these Tradfri button with Hubitat should I abandon this plan right now? I'm trying to place these in the rooms my 3 year old daughter frequently uses (her room, play room, stairs) so that she can turn lights on for herself. These buttons are good looking and a great price which is why I went with them. However I am seeing the extremely rapid battery drain (about a day) that others have reported. From best I can tell there is no fix for this and you just have to hope for good luck? Am I better off bailing on this plan altogether and going with another option?
I have been trying to figure out if anyone has used the up/down buttons for other purposes like on/off remotes or scene remotes. I have pretty much given up on them even though I like the look of the buttons. I really want to use these as I have a bunch of extra from getting the smart blinds. The remote pairs and all that but that is about as far as I can get the up/down to do. I got a zigbee sniffer in an attempt to see what commands are being sent but getting that thing running hasn't happened yet...
Honestly, right now I would steer well clear. It looks like nobody has had much luck getting them to play nice on any non-Tradfri system, so it's not unique to Hubitat. All of mine are "resting" in the drawer of disappointment for now.
I think these have some rather unique problems of their own, though I honestly don't remember what. It's either to do with them being ZLL (Zigbee Light Link) devices or that they expect to be directly paired to the device they're controlling, not talking through a hub. I've avoided them because of that, so don't even have any in that drawer of sadness.
