Howdy folks. I'm migrating to HE from HomeSeer and am wondering how to create z-wave associations for older z-wave devices that need the generic drivers. I'm using the following devices:
Linear/GoControl WT00Z-1 (called the "3-way Wall Accessory Switch" - basically a button/scene controller)
Linear/GoControl WD500Z-1 (Dimmer)
Linear/GoControl WS15Z-1 (Switch)
Given that these are not explicitly listed as supported devices, I used the generic z-wave drivers and basic functionality works fine.
With HomeSeer, I was able to create associations between the accessory switch and other switches to easily achieve low-latency 3-way and 4-way control that didn't need to route signals through the hub. I can't see any way to do this using Hubitat. Given that associations have been a standard part of the Z-Wave spec for eons, I was a bit surprised to not see the capability exposed. Am I just missing it? Is there any plan to enhance this, and/or any known workarounds?
I'm looking into finding an old Aeon Labs minimote that supposedly could do associations, and also saw some mention of swapping drivers to the innovelli drivers temporarily to create the associations. Both seem to be, er, less than clean options so I figured I'd ask the collective brain trust.
That's the main way. Hubitat does not support end users doing direct associations as it causes too many issues / support tickets when people don't know what they are doing and/or don't understand the full implications.
So normally you need to switch drivers and do it. Although you may be able to do it with raw zwave commands on the device details page, too. Open a driver details page, scroll down, Click advanced, and the zwave command entry shows up.
Thanks for the confirmation, @JasonJoel but it didn't end up working. Whatever the Innovelli drivers are attempting to do, they didn't seem to actually establish the association in the devices because their previous behavior of working like two three-way switches to control the same switch isn't working.
I would have tried to diagnose it further by examining the association data stored in the devices themselves but alas I don't know how to do that and tbh don't trust the display in Hubitat that says the association is there.
When you switch from the inovelli drivers back, make sure you don't click configure or re-save preferences. Many drivers reset the associations when either of those happen.
I hadn't even switched back to the original driver; all the obvious functions of the switch and the scene controller (e.g. being able to be turned on and off by hubitat) worked fine so I didn't bother changing it back at least for the duration of this debug process.
Also some further detail - I have read in these forums that you need to select the appropriate association number, but the guides for these devices don't mention an association number. I tried 1 and 2; neither worked.
Following up to close this one out. After another attempt I was unable to get this driver swap approach to work. However I was able to use the Advanced send command functionality to send an association message to the scene controller. That worked like a charm first time. The thread where that method is discussed (with enough explanation of the zwave command classes to construct the message) is How to use the "Advanced" Send Z-Wave command that is in the driver page? - #6 by wayne.pirtle
