I've been using a Schlage FE599 lock for a few years with ok reliability. Not always perfect but it usually works and reports its status correctly. I just added a Schlage BE469 to my system, and since installing it neither lock works very well at all. Network strength isn't an issue, everything is close together. I also did a Z-Wave network repair. The thing I find really interesting is that when viewing live logs and I command either lock, the log shows nothing. Even if the lock fails to respond, shouldn't the log show a lock/unlock command being sent?
By the way, I know both locks are connected because they usually report their position when I manually operate them.
Edit - I deleted all lock codes and users from Lock Code Manager, then removed the app. Now lock/unlock commands execute correctly. It seems unlikely that this totally fixed the problem but I guess time will tell.
Yes, after some time the issue returned, no control of the locks through the HE app. Do you mean list all my devices? They are:
Schlage BE469
Schlage FE599
Wemo switch (2)
Wemo Maker (1)
Mobile phone presence (2)
Samsung Zigbee button (2)
Generic Z-Wave contact sensor (1)
SmartThings multipurpose sensor v5 (1)
SmartSense Multi Sensor v4 (1)
GE Zigbee switch
Generic Zigbee motion sensor
Virtual switch (2)
Ikea Tradfri control outlet (1)
Trane Z-Wave thermostat (1)
GE Z-wave outlet (2)
You're not going to want to hear this, but the reason your locks are crabby is because you don't have any devices that repeat and support beaming. I could get into a long and drawn out explanation about why you need this, but in short, if you add a couple powered repeaters that support beaming, you'll solve the issue. I have a cheap enerwave plug that is zwave plus and supports beaming and two aeotec 6 zwave plus repeaters that support beaming and all of my issues went away. I have 3 Z-wave locks. If you would like a good idea of why I recommend this route, please see this post.
I could very easily get on a roll over this topic. Also see https://docs.hubitat.com/index.php?title=How_to_Build_a_Solid_Z-Wave_Mesh https://docs.hubitat.com/index.php?title=How_to_Build_a_Solid_Zigbee_Mesh
These are also great documents to refer to. In the long run, adding repeaters to both of your networks is going to be a necessity if you plan to expand your environment.
Let me know I can offer any advice or answers along the way. The community is a great resource and always friendly.
Thanks for that info. I just ordered one Aeotec 6 and will see what that does for my locks, I'll get another if needed. It would be great to have these locks as rock solid as all my other devices.
You can get a two pack from amazon for around 50$. It's a better deal. You can't dictate what paths your locks take to the hub, so you just want to make sure that the ones you do have are solid. I had the same issues with my Schlage BE469 until I added the enerwave. Then When I added the two Alfreds, it started all over again. I added two aeotecs and now everything hits every time. If you find that adding one repeater improves it, then add a second. It's all in the way the locks communicate that make them so temperamental on Hubitat. But, I can prove with my setup that you can have stable zwave locks by this method. Please keep me up to date on your progress. I'm here for advice if you need it.
My main lock is about 30 feet from my HE hub and very nearly line-of-sight... just a ~15 degree bend in a hallway without any doors or obstructions. I figure I'll prove this solution with the one repeater here, and if it works I'll get the 2-pack and go to town. Thanks for the input.
Another hard truth - radio waves rarely reach their intended target by the route that would seem most logical to humans.
I've spent hours looking at communication between the hub and destination using Z-wave toolbox, much like @april.brandt and her Zniffer.
My thermostat is one wall away from my HE. The communication path (which hasn't changed after umpteen z-wave repairs) goes from my Hubitat to a z-wave plus switch downstairs (one floor and one wall away from the Hubitat), and then back to the thermostat (one storey and 2 walls away from the switch).
This.
This is the hard truth. If you look in the z-wave documentation, you will find that FLiRS devices need a beaming repeater, so I DO hope you see the difference with one repeater, but ...
And I say this with emphasis
Don't expect to place that repeater one time and the problem is fixed. I think you will find improvement with one repeater IF you give it a chance. I don't think the problem will be entirely solved with only one repeater.
Sorry, Noob here...beaming, etc.? Does Z-Wave Plus (over non-Plus) solve these troubles?
Background: I bought a bunch of GE/Jasco in-wall dimmers that were z-wave (non-plus)...didn't get to installing them, then bought a ton of z-wave plus GE/Jasco dimmers. Starting from where HE was physically in the house, I installed the newer plus models...then fell back to the non-plus models at the outer edges of my house.
Did I save myself grief? Did I do right?...or no?...or can I measure things to see how I can make things more solid (how?). (They are pretty damn solid already.)
Coming from the big Wink migration a month ago...things are HUGELY better so far. I still haven't stopped finding new toys to play with, which quickly become critical day-to-day functionality for wife and daughter....HomeBridge, Life365...Alexa responding withing 1 second...100% of the time.
I added 2 Aeotec 6 repeaters (Amazon $55) and my issues went away. Was 95% reliable without them but when it comes to locks, I like most want 100%. Solved it after a day or so of installing them because it does take time for them to learn.
Usually the plugs won't support beaming. You'd have to look the models up on zwave alliance to see if they support it. Zwave plus can self heal where zwave cannot. I don't know any other large issues other than speed. Plus is a bit faster. (the other technical stuff is jibber jabber to me.) The reason repeaters with beaming work so well is because of the FLiRS protocol and it seems that the repeaters handle this traffic with ease. But, I do have an enerwave plug that supports beaming and one of my locks is using it as a path. The problem is that you can't dictate the path your locks like. And there is no way to tell what that might be. There's no logic to why Z-wave picks the path that it does. So even though a plug might be right next to the lock, or hub, it might not see it. So the trick is placement. And patience. If you have a plus plug that's relatively close to the hub that supports beaming, I'd be curious to hear how things are working. In all, I'd recommend running a repair after changing your zwave devices so that they update to the good paths.
Might go without saying, but make sure to also give your network a good 2-4 days of just hanging out after you install your Aeotec extenders (or whatever you add that supports beaming).
I personally didn't know that, got frustrated that things didn't improve instantly and then when I gave up things "settled" and I'm at 100% reliability. I then read where I had missed that advice about after adding a device and/or z-wave repair, to just give it a few days to settle.
It looks like I got lucky... I received the Aeotec range extender and plugged it in 10 feet from my HE hub, and presto! The trouble Schlage lock works like a champ. I'll watch it over time and get more extenders if needed, but it's obvious that these are needed when locks are in the system. The extender I got was a used version 6 from eBay.
I read that these a cheap plugs but 50 bucks seems pretty pricey to me.
Anyways, I'm having an issue with my Schlage BE469 where randomly I just lose connection to it and it doesn't update its status in HE (I only noticed because one night it showed unlocked and I just had checked it was locked) then I checked the event logs and the last status update was from the previous morning.
After I disconnected the batteries and reconnected today, it started reporting fine. Anyway I can see what might have caused the disconnect?
You can get 2 aeotec 6's for 54$ from Amazon. I highly recommend them. Put one within 5 feet of the hub and another somewhere in between.
Yes that's the one and 50$ is spendy for it.
