I am considering buying a C8 or C7 Hub. To control a Schlage BE469ZP CAM605 Door lock
First of all Reviews say Door locks are the hardest to set up. Regardless of the device
Reviews go on to say the C8 is slow to respond, and no longer works with some of their devices.
As I have purchased neither yet, I only want a device that will work this door lock, using Z wave working with my Netgear Nighthawk C7000v2 router that has both ethernet or Wi Fi capability and I am not all that internet Savy. I just want to work the door lock with my phone and monitor the operation of the door lock. In the future I may want to add a doorbell camera. But that is not the care right now. I see a role of ethernet. wire is included. How close do you recommend the Hubitat device to be to the door lock to provide the best result.
More than proximity, effective control of a zwave door lock requires the presence of a beaming zwave repeater between the lock and hub.
Let me explain why:
- To conserve battery, locks are sleepy devices that periodically awake to see if there is a wireless transmission directed at them. So, if the hub sends a command to the lock when the lock is sleeping, the command is lost.
- OTOH, beaming repeaters will attempt retires of a command, making it much less likely that a command is lost.
This is why zwave networks with strategically placed beaming repeaters rarely experience issues with sleepy zwave devices.
Is a beaming device. additional to a Hubitat C7 or C8. If so then I would place the C7 or Ct next to the router and run an Ethernet cable to the OTOH beaming repeater that would be placed with in site of the battery compartment of the Schlage CAM door lock?
Yes.
Yes.
No. The beaming repeater will connect wireless (via z-wave) to the C-7 or C-8. It would be plugged into an outlet that is between the door lock and the C-8. Say something like 10 feet from the hub and 10 feet from the lock.
A Beaming Repeater is almost any ZWave device. In-wall Switches/dimmers/outlets are my personal favorites. I simply make sure the area around a Lock has an in-wall ZWave device somewhat nearby.
A FLiRS beaming repeater is 'elected' to the role. It's selected because it's along the path a message from the lock to the hub follows. The beaming repeater detects that the hub has something to say and dings the lock with a 'stay awake longer' message in response to a 'Im awake, got anything for me?" query message. It prevents the Lock from going back to sleep before the hub even gets the message out of the queue. No retries per se.
In my opinion, a beaming repeater is better than Hub / Lock proximity. Proximity is a factor in Joining a Lock to a Hub, for certain vintages of Locks. But after a successful Join, there's no need for proximity. On the other hand, messages from the Lock that are queued up too long on a hub is an all day/every day potential. "Beamers" solve that,
So a beaming repeater plugs into a wall outlet. It gives out a constant signal that keeps the door lock from going to sleep.I have a wall outlet on the same wall as the door that the lock will be placed on. it is about 4 1/2 feet away. will this work?
Yes. You have two choices. As @csteele noted, you can replace the outlet with a z-wave outlet, or plug in a z-wave device into the outlet that functions as a beaming repeater.
I'm not by any means a tech geek.but now understand the need for an antenna radiation pattern up to every 4 seconds as provided by a Asotec Range Extender plugged into the wall within 10 feet of the door lock for best results. I still need a Hubitat C7 or C8 Hub that attaches to my router to provide internet access and produce a Z tech command signal. Does this sound correct?
I'm not by any means a tech geek.but now understand the need for an antenna radiation pattern up to every 4 seconds as provided by a Asotec Range Extender plugged into the wall within 10 feet of the door lock for best results. I still need a Hubitat C7 or C8 Hub that attaches to my router to provide internet access and produce a Z tech command signal. Does this sound correct?
Yup.
Thank you for your reply. that is what I will do , Bill user 6294
Not a constant signal. Let's pretend the lock wakes every 60 seconds for 1/2 second. Let's also pretend that a door sensor (picked to be an example because it too is battery driven,) wakes every 90 seconds and for 1 second. They send an "I'm awake, need me?" message to the hub. The hub responds: "yes, I have stuff for you." For the door sensor, with it's full second of wake time, it manages to hear the "yes" before it went to sleep. It then extends it's wake time til it gets another, specific message from the hub saying: "I'm done now, go back to sleep." However, in this example, the Lock has already gone to sleep. It misses the "Yes". Won't wake again for another 60 seconds... then it will probably miss again, right? Because the hub's got other messages coming in.
But notice the simplicity: "I'm awake" followed by "yes" then no sleeping til a "go to sleep" message. FLiRS beaming repeater is ultra simple.. "Did I see a message go by from the Hub to the lock?" If yes, then queue up a "Yes" for the next time an "I'm awake" message goes by. The Lock then stays awake til it gets the "go to sleep" message.
A message from the Hub to the Lock might occur 6-8 times a DAY. Same from the Lock to the Hub. How many times a day does it say "I'm Locked" or "I'm Unlocked" added to how many times a day does the hub say: "unlock" or "lock"?? And because all of those commands burn the battery power because the motor is run, battery life diminishes. To extend battery life, the Z-Radio is in ultra low power mode as much as possible, relying on a "beamer" to signal, 6-8 times a day, that an extended conversation is needed, in response to a normal "I'm awake" message.
Personally I like the Ring Exender v2. It also has a battery back up in so it can be used to trigger a rule based on switching from mains power to battery and back.
Note: Pair the lock within a couple of feet of the hub. The hub uses a whisper mode to transmit it's encryption key.
Personally, I think the best candidate device is an in-wall Z-Wave switch. Just about every home has an exterior "Stoop" light wall switch located within inches of the door lock. And since automating the outside entry door lights (turn on at dusk, off at dawn) is pretty desirable, installing a Z-Wave switch there is a two-for-the-price-of-one bonus.
your suggestion is a good one. I do have a series of light switches right next to the door.
Only one acts as you say it operates an outlet on the same wall as the door, plugged into this outlet is a timer that is live all the time and operates a table lamp security light. This would qualify as a constant on power use. I am looking more at a dedicated .Aotec Z wave transmitter/booster. ZW189-AOI that produces a signal all the time. To be located in an outlet 5' from the door lock. Now I'm 72 not a Tech geek So I am unable to make a judgement what is best. But as to the porch light when not expecting guests we turn that off at night. I am still open to whatever the community suggests. But I am leaning toward something that broadcasts all the time with a range of 10 feet.
I am currently using that exact model deadbolt for 3 years now,and I experienced zero problems including this deadbolt to my c-7 hub.the lock functions flawlessly,and I have never had any problems with it to this day.hope this helps...happy automating.
This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
