Need help to solve issue of slow or no response of dimmers and switches. Dashboard does not reflect correct state of device. I have tried polling of non-Plus devices, still slow. Zwave Plus devices do not show up in list. I have tried the "refresh devices" RM, still slow. Tried rebooting hub and zwave repair, still slow or unresponsive.
I have one GE dimmer plug that hardly ever responds to commands from device page.
I have a contact sensor on a door that turns on garage light but takes zwave plus light switch about 20 seconds to respond.
I created a virtual contact that triggers a virtual switch to turn on. This seems to work fairly fast.
Do I have a mesh issue or something else? Almost all devices brought over from ST using the exclude device process.
Getting very frustrated and ready to pull the plug....
Any help is appreciated.
Thx
Jim
Does dashboard match what is shown in Device Details on the hub, though? If so, then it isn't a dashboard issue, so no need to even look/discuss that part.
In terms of device response, it could be a mesh issue. Depending on how fast you are polling everything, could be a bandwidth issue - polling too much saturates the limited bandwidth and slows EVERYTHING down, creating a snowball effect.
A good test for the latter is to only poll one or two devices, and see if it works ok with them. If not, likely not a bandwidth issue. If it does, but gets worse if you add more devices then it could very well be bandwidth.
If not bandwidth, then I would fall back to the mesh. Do you have enough wired repeating devices? If you think you do, have you tried a zwave repair to try and revalidate/rebuild the mesh?
If it doesn't respond well when initiating command on the hub side, it is almost always a mesh/communication issue (or a bad device, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here) . Polling only helps for getting the status back FROM the device, not sending commands TO the device. Try doing a zwave repair (if you haven't already) or adding a few more plug-in/hardwired devices between that device and the hub.
And last, but not least - if you haven't already, try rebooting the hub and see if anything changes.
Jason, thanks for reply.
Dashboard does not match Device Details.
I will try to limit polling to two devices and see if that helps. However, Zwave Plus devices do not report correctly as well. These devices do not appear in the Poller app for selection, not sure how to handle these.
I think I have enough wired devices. The hop between devices is no more than 15' to 20' feet.
I have rebooted and zwave repaired. Still no luck.
Revalidate/rebuild the mesh? Are you saying exclude everything and start over?
No I was suggesting that if you have not already, run the ZWAVE REPAIR function in settings --> zwave on the hub.
That's intentional.
ZWave Poller is specifically for dimmers and switches that don't have the automatic status report of a physical change built in. There was a patent that covered that and many manufacturers (GE/Jasco) didn't spend the $ to use the patent. The patent has expired AND ZWave Plus used a method not covered by the patent anyway. But those of us with old ZWave devices and haven't replaced them (or put them in places where a PHYSICAL touch of the switch is very rare) can make use of Poller to make them seem responsive.
Therefore, ZWave Plus devices don't have or need the "poll" capability. The patent covered ONLY dimmers, so switches should never have been affected BUT manufacturers often didn't take the risk.
As @JasonJoel said, Poller is for status FROM the device and then, really only to pick up physical touches. If the Hub sends the command, the device will acknowledge the command and that's all the status the Hub really needs. (Dimmers and lengthy ramps also benefit from that status (which is why Lutron patented it in the first place.)) Your problem sounds to be getting commands TO the various devices.
I'd look at "interference" not just distance, but metal, bags of soil, concrete walls, lumber, etc. stacked in the path. ZWave is in the 900MHz range and passes through walls, trees, but does get attenuated by each. It's possible to stack enough stuff in the way it can't even go 10 feet.
That report from Ohio was Solved by finding a person that had built themselves a detector. Or what everyone else calls an Interference Generator 
https://www.dailywire.com/news/46996/people-small-ohio-town-couldnt-open-their-cars-or-ashe-schow
In other words, you situation might be quite unique.
Can you bring that device closer to the hub for a day and see if it is a mesh (interference/distance) problem?
I have the hub located on a wire shelf (like closet shelving). Maybe something there??
I can try locating hub near pesky dimmer plug to see if it helps.
1 Like
Yes, the wire shelves could be causing interference. Metal should be avoided in close proximity to antennas/transmitters and receivers.
Hanging the hub on the wall would be a better choice if you have the option.
