Good afternoon people!
I'm the proud new owner of a box of Z-Wave items from Amazon, along with InControl Pro and am having a hard time getting up to speed...
Some background on me:
- Coming from X10 and HomeSeer. Was very comfortable with the setup and configuration of events and devices, etc. Was very disappointed with the reliability of X10, thus my decision to move to Z-Wave.
- Work in computers since middle school. Currently do web programming and can use C#, VB, JS, etc., so scripting wasn't a problem in HomeSeer and I think I'll be able to employ it with InControl as well.
My goals:
- Control outside and landscape lights based on time of day (taking into account seasonal & Daylight Savings changes). I've got our Lat/Long programmed in.
- Control some of the same lights from above, along with some security floods during motion events. I did a lot of scripting on this in HS to get it to do what I wanted.
- Control some outside holiday decorations, again based on time of day (taking into account seasonal & Daylight Savings changes).
- Control a bedside lamp as an "alarm clock" based on different days.
The equipment I bought:
- Z-Stick S2
- GE 45605 Duplex outlet (intended for landscape lighting)
- GE 45602 Lamp dimmer (for bedside lamp)
- GE 45603 Appliance module (for kitchen lamp)
- GE 45604 Outdoor dongle (for seasonal holiday lights)
- Aeon Labs Z-Wave Multi-Sensor (for motion sensing in two locations)
- Aeon Labs Z-Wave Minimote (for bedside on/off/dim)
- Aeon Labs Z-Wave DSC26103-ZWUS micro switches (for built-in light control)
I wanted to try to keep it simple first, while exposing me to pretty much all of the concepts I would need. I installed InControl and added the Z-Stick (with "Beta" control in the options checked), then "included" the GE 45602 for the bedside lamp. Controlling it manually from the "Devices" pane works fine.
(Side note/question: I included the lamp module with the button on the Z-Stick and then couldn't control the lamp module once I plugged it back in. The device showed up but was like it was out of range. After using the "Tools" menu Z-Wave commands to do the include, all seems to work better. I seem to remember that when adding devices, the output power is set to the minimum needed or something like that?)
I next wanted to add control for days of the week and times of day. I started to try it with "Rules", but saw where Ryan recommended using "Scenes" instead. Rules looked a little more familiar to me coming from HS, but since I'm just learning IC, may as well learn the right way. The conditions I need to set up are:
- Turn the bedside lamp ON at 04:35 on Mon/Wed.
- Turn the bedside lamp ON at 06:35 on Tue/Thu/Fri.
- No OFF commands; no commands for Sat/Sun.
After I gave up with the rules/scenes, I went to try working with the Minimote. I want to set it up for bedside control - including ON/OFF & DIM control. I'm not sure I understand the difference between "Including" it and "Associating" it (terms from their maunal). I was able to Include it on IC, but it showed up as a dimming lamp module...
That's where I am now. Any guidance/pointers/links would be greatly appreciated to help me get off the ground!
Thanks,
Steve
Newbie help
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- Last Post 21 November 2014
(Side note/question: I included the lamp module with the button on the Z-Stick and then couldn't control the lamp module once I plugged it back in. The device showed up but was like it was out of range. After using the "Tools" menu Z-Wave commands to do the include, all seems to work better. I seem to remember that when adding devices, the output power is set to the minimum needed or something like that?)
When adding devices, your USB stick simply needs to be within a few inches of the device you are adding. When adding a device you should generally be at the location where the device will be working since it will attempt to discover its physical neighbors. If this isn't always possible, you should perform a couple of network heals after you move it to the final location.
I next wanted to add control for days of the week and times of day. I started to try it with "Rules", but saw where Ryan recommended using "Scenes" instead. Rules looked a little more familiar to me coming from HS, but since I'm just learning IC, may as well learn the right way. The conditions I need to set up are:
- Turn the bedside lamp ON at 04:35 on Mon/Wed.
- Turn the bedside lamp ON at 06:35 on Tue/Thu/Fri.
- No OFF commands; no commands for Sat/Sun.
Yes, scenes should work a lot easier than rules. Here's how you could work it:
For Mon/Wed @ 4:35:
- Create a scene with the lamp in the ON position
- Create a "Time Trigger" with the time of 4:35. Repeat it daily every 1 "interval number" (that makes it repeat every day)
- Create a "Day of Week" condition, choosing Mon/Wed
Repeat this process for your 6:35 condition. Note you'll need to create a second scene for this.
For these two scenes, you can set them as "not visible to mobile" devices to help keep your phone UI's a little cleaner... unless of course you want to see them on your phones.
...I went to try working with the Minimote. I want to set it up for bedside control - including ON/OFF & DIM control. I'm not sure I understand the difference between "Including" it and "Associating" it (terms from their maunal). I was able to Include it on IC, but it showed up as a dimming lamp module...
Steve
Inclusion is the process of teaching your master controller (the USB stick) about a new device in its network. It's always required.
Associating is the process of telling a device to whom it will send reports/commands/etc. In the case of a motion or a door sensor, the associated device would receive notifications when a door or motion is detected. In the case of the Minimote, it's telling the minimote where to send the commands when buttons are pushed. In all these cases, if you send the reports or commands to the USB stick, InControl will be able to receive them and work with them.
AH!!!!!!!! The (proverbial) light goes on!
I kept trying to equate the HomeSeer style of events to IC. The separate Scene, Time Trigger, and Day condition make sense now!
TYVM!
OK,
I'm working well with the new scenes and lamp dimmer. Now I'm stuck with auto configuration on both the dimmer and the minimote. (Beta controller IS checked.)
I've included the minimote and it shows up as a controller now. I tried to wake it up ("Learn" button for 3 secs) and then Auto Configure it, but keep getting a failure message:
Auto-configuration node 5
Manufacturer ID is 134.
Product ID is 3.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
The device error detail message (exclamation point on the device node):
Device did not acknowledge command ASSOCIATION_GET. Status from device: CompleteNoAcknowledge.
On the dimmer (GE 45602), I get the following messages when I try to auto config:
Auto-configuration node 4
Unable to retrieve manufacturer info from device.
Performing basic configuration.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
(and there are no exclamation points on the device.)
I even tried an auto-config on the Z-Stick and got:
Auto-configuration node 1
Unable to retrieve manufacturer info from device.
Performing basic configuration.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
OK,
I'm working well with the new scenes and lamp dimmer. Now I'm stuck with auto configuration on both the dimmer and the minimote. (Beta controller IS checked.)
I've included the minimote and it shows up as a controller now. I tried to wake it up ("Learn" button for 3 secs) and then Auto Configure it, but keep getting a failure message:
Auto-configuration node 5
Manufacturer ID is 134.
Product ID is 3.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
The device error detail message (exclamation point on the device node):
Device did not acknowledge command ASSOCIATION_GET. Status from device: CompleteNoAcknowledge.
On the dimmer (GE 45602), I get the following messages when I try to auto config:
Auto-configuration node 4
Unable to retrieve manufacturer info from device.
Performing basic configuration.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
(and there are no exclamation points on the device.)
I even tried an auto-config on the Z-Stick and got:
Auto-configuration node 1
Unable to retrieve manufacturer info from device.
Performing basic configuration.
Associating device with main controller...
.... Fail!
It's expected that you can't configure the z-stick. Oddly enough, the controller won't respond to commands form itself. I can't explain the GE node though... does it respond to on/off commands currently?
I'm not entirely certain that the minimote is capable of being used directly to control InControl's virtual scenes. It should be able to control devices directly though, but you'd set it up according to the manufacturer's instructions to learn about devices and setup each one on a button. I could be wrong on this as I haven't personally had my hands on the minimote so I haven't confirmed this...
If you have the Aeon Labs KeyFob, you can set it up how it sounds like you are trying to do for the minimote.
Yes, the GE dimmer is working well for the scenes as well as direct control from the menu. I was even able to set the parameter for local load sense control (parm 29, IIRC).
That's what I figured on the Z-Stick, just wanted to be sure.
As far as the lamp and Minimote goes, are you saying I could basically have two ZWave networks:
- 1 controlled by the Z-Stick with everything in the house in it EXCEPT the Minimote.
- 1 controlled by the Minimote with ONLY the Minimote and the GE dimmer.
That would mean the GE dimmer is in two networks. Is that right?
Thanks very much for the assistance and hand holding!
Yes, the GE dimmer is working well for the scenes as well as direct control from the menu. I was even able to set the parameter for local load sense control (parm 29, IIRC).
That's what I figured on the Z-Stick, just wanted to be sure.
As far as the lamp and Minimote goes, are you saying I could basically have two ZWave networks:
- 1 controlled by the Z-Stick with everything in the house in it EXCEPT the Minimote.
- 1 controlled by the Minimote with ONLY the Minimote and the GE dimmer.
That would mean the GE dimmer is in two networks. Is that right?
Thanks very much for the assistance and hand holding!
You wouldn't need two networks - you'd just setup the minimote as a secondary controller (which it should be now that you've done an include) then refer to the manual to teach it which nodes each button would control.
Where is the config information stored for IC HA? In an INI/XML file someplace? The registry (what hive)?
I'm trying to start fresh and after resetting the Z-Stick, deleting devices, uninstalling HA, and reinstalling it, the devices and scenes are all still there.
Where is the config information stored for IC HA? In an INI/XML file someplace? The registry (what hive)?
I'm trying to start fresh and after resetting the Z-Stick, deleting devices, uninstalling HA, and reinstalling it, the devices and scenes are all still there.
Here you go: http://incontrolha.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/280758-backup-data
Oh, and I also apparently got a defective GE 45602. Reviews on Amazon indicate that Ver 3.0d and Date code 1243 were showing control problems....
And thanks for the config info!
Finally, SUCCESS!
Z-Stick 2 is set, dimmer is included, Minimote is a secondary
Scenes are set up for wakeup times in IC HA.
Minimote buttons are set for scenes to set dimmer for on/off/dim.
Awesome so far!
Now to install the rest of the modules and get creative!
Thank you for all the help!
Could you explain "exactly" how you added the minimote and got it to control scene in inControl? I think I got it added as a controller but couldn't figure out where to go from there.
Thanks,
Mike D. in Leesburg, Va
I would also love to know how you were able to add scenes to your minimote. I just got the remote and all I have been able to figure out is how to add it as a secondary remote.
I would also love to know how you were able to add scenes to your minimote. I just got the remote and all I have been able to figure out is how to add it as a secondary remote.
Did you follow this tutorial?
I would also love to know how you were able to add scenes to your minimote. I just got the remote and all I have been able to figure out is how to add it as a secondary remote.
Did you follow this tutorial?
I just tried to follow the tutorial and I keep getting this error when trying to auto configure the remote.
Auto-configuration node 34
Associating device with main controller
....Fail!
Manufacturer ID is 134. Product ID is 3.
Unfortunately, I only use the minimote to control a single light - no scenes. Sorry I can't help.
