I tend to buy stuff and try to find a purpose for it afterward. So I bought a zen51 relay and tought "great, it can do momentary switch". I hooked it up to such a switch, devise an appropriate rule to go with it and ...the momentary mode yield nothing. It would work properly only in normal mode.
Now I'm wondering what is the point of paying 5 times the price of a Sonoff mini (beside being zwave) for the same functionnality?
For the moment that thing, sitting on my desk, is more a nag51 then zen. What can I do with it that would unleash its power (and justify its high price)?
Still one of the less expensive devices with UL or equivalent approval for use here in the US. I actually use a ZEN51 jammed into an outdoor conduit fixture as a dedicated zwave repeater... nothing connected whatsoever. Small size is the most important feature in that application.
@jtp10181 I'm sure the device works fine. My understanding of a momentary switch is a switch which won't stay on (you press, it turn on, you release, it goes off). So my fancy rule was intended to work like that.
I'm not saying the momentary mode does not work. It's just that it seems to works differently then I thought it would.
It works as I intended when selecting normal mode. Since this is nothing special, I replaced it with a Sonoff mini which does the same thing. I thought those other fancy mode that are not available on the Sonoff would be neat but I don't realy understand what they do. (momentary, garage door)
Like I said at the begining, I often buy a device and then search for something I can use it for. I did not buy it for any specific purpose.
The rule I devised is circling into a series of color for a light strip. When I press the momentary switch, it start circling color and stop when I release it.
Again, It works exactly as I wanted with the Sonoff as well as with the zen51 in normal mode.
What were you trying to control with the Zen51 in relay mode? How did you connect to it?
It could be used to open a garage door let say that typically uses a momentary contact (push button) on the wall of you r garage to open the door. I put a zigbee based dual momentary relay controller in my garage that I connected to my garage door opener that can control the lights (one button on the wall pad) and the door activation (the second button on the wall pad) to activate the lights in my garage and open/close the door remotely through Alexa integration or via my dashboard. It was not the Zen51, but I would expect they are performing the same actions.
If I understand you correctly I could use the garage door mode to, let say, press once it start circling, press again it would stop. But how is this different from momentary mode or button press?
Parameter 7 is the one setting that will change the operation of the relay.
This will give you the ability to make the switch (physical switch according to the install instructions) act like a garage door button. The other values for parameter 7 make it act a different way. Depending on the type of physical switch you have installed, the Zen51 can do different things. It can act differently if you have a standard "on/off" switch or a physical momentary switch.
SO it would depend on the type of physical switch you have connected to the Zen51 and what kind of device are you looking to control. What were you trying to control with the Zen51 and what was your intent for control?
Thanks guys. I appreciate your help. I'm not trying to troubleshoot anything (that is why I put it lounge and not in help section). I did not intend to control anything in particular with it. I saw momentary mode so I rushed to the hardware store to buy a momentary switch to try.
I was disappointed because it did not work as I tought it would (my mistake).
I just set different modes and look at the log while trying them and it does act differently depending on the mode. So I will look for interseting things to do with it.
Its cool. I sometimes buy the product before I have the need for it too because it dos something interesting.
The ZEN51 should work with a momentary switch to control something like a garage door opener or perhaps act as a dimmer for a smart bulb depending on which value you have in parameter 7.
Well, good luck and I hope you find something interesting to use the Zen51 to control.
Yes that's what I was suspecting would work the way you described it originally.
I will explain the other features, maybe you will find a use for it yet.
The momentary switch mode would be if you want to connect it to an existing momentary switch, to be used as an on/off button. One press is on, next press is off. Some people have existing high end switches they do not want to remove, but want to make smart. Also using it as a momentary you can more easily take advantage of the 2x + button events it is capable of doing. Double press the momentary switch for a scene activation.
Garage door mode I believe just turns the relay into an auto-off switch, to simulate a momentary press from a GDO wall button. You could do the same thing by just setting it to momentary input with an auto-off but its probably a selling point to say it has a specific garage door feature.
...the momentary mode yield nothing. It would work properly only in normal mode.
