Right way to add ZWave LR (for new and previously included devices)

I posted a link to my app, my simple instructions and a link to this post on Reddit just now. Posted on r/hubitat_elevation and cross posted to r/Hubitat

Guide for using Z-Wave Long Range on Hubitat C-8

by u/jtp10181 in hubitat_elevation

2 Likes

Do you mean 2.3.9.xxx?

Maybe I need more coffee. SMH. Wowzer. I'm running real Alpha stuff today :person_facepalming:

You already got a reply on Reddit.

That allows me to make more mistakes, faster. :wink:

I have converted four 800 series Zooz devices from Mesh to LR. The 2 devices (switches) with Coin batteries are really eating the batteries. About 10% per day. One of those devices is pretty close to the HE has a lot of usage, the other one is my historically Problem Child and is the 75 feet from the HE but has a steel fireplace between the device and the HE, and is almost never used. They are both eating the batteries.
The other two devices (Motion) use CR123 batteries and do not show excessive battery usage, but that could be because the CR123 battery has so much more capacity.
Is anyone else seeing ZWave LR eating their Coin battery devices?

Moved my ZN37 to LR 5/24 and it still has 93%.
But it has 2 rechargeable CR2032H batteries.

I've seen better battery life thus far on LR battery devices... things aren't dropping as much for coin devices I replaced "same day" -- but this is anicdotal. The theory supports it however.

LR gives up to 30db transmit power, but it's using dynamic power control to preserve battery. US uses a max of 20db right now as I understand. And, battery devices I'd guess are going to prefer 14dbm for power consumption purposes. But balancing xmit and receive power to the same is key for good communications. If you have something further away with LR, expect it to use more power than those things closer.

There are 3 levels of Z-Wave RF transmit power in the US:

-1dBm – Regular Z-Wave GFSK modulation – 12mA
+14dBm – ZWLR DSSS-OQPSK modulation – 41mA
+20dBm – ZWLR DSSS-OQPSK modulation – 92mA

All About Z-Wave Long Range - The Smartest House has a good writeup -- the modulation and variable db is an overdue smart move, and similar to what we see in 802.11 standards for wifi. Changing modulation and optimizing power is a continuing trend that has a track record of good results in the industry.

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