Zwave lights, not sure!

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chewee

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#233622 24-Apr-2018 23:03

Okay, I'm going down the way of Vera.

Need some ideas of what I can get in terms of controlling lights(that's allowed and certified in nz) don't really want bulbs. Ideally switches or modules, but not so expensive it will break the bank. Looking at doing most. Of the house.

kryptonjohn

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#2002022 25-Apr-2018 06:54

Z-wave is the gold standard see active automation dot co dot nz.
But it is expensive at over $100 per switch.
Works well with Vera.

rogercruse

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#2002043 25-Apr-2018 07:49

kryptonjohn: Z-wave is the gold standard see active automation dot co dot nz.
But it is expensive at over $100 per switch.
Works well with Vera.

I agree.

I've recently purchased Z Wave dimmer switches. Then a Vera Edge box to control these devices. And finally, a couple of Echo Dots units. All so I can say "Alexa, turn TV Lounge lights off"

chewee

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#2002230 25-Apr-2018 12:33

Do you think Vera is the right way to go? Or maybe a raspberry Pi with a stick...?

rogercruse

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#2002549 25-Apr-2018 22:07

chewee: Do you think Vera is the right way to go? Or maybe a raspberry Pi with a stick...?

I like the Vera Edge because it works. Simply provide power and an ethernet cable and that's it.

I did initially try using OpenHAB running on my Synology NAS but I couldn't get it to work with Alexa.

I did consider a Raspberry PI and while I have one somewhere, I found it annoying to use because I had to connect it to a monitor to use it.

I'm sure both with OpenHAB and the Raspberry PI, I could have got used to them.

richms

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#2002568 25-Apr-2018 22:37

You dont need to connect a monitor to use a raspi. I have several here doing things and the only one with a screen is in the arcade cabinet to play games on. You just SSH into them from whatever else you have around the place.

open hab seems to have lost favour and home assistant is the new one people are all excited over anyhow, so I would probably pass on openhab now anyway.

Richard rich.ms

Mattmannz

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#2002615 26-Apr-2018 08:19

rogercruse:

kryptonjohn: Z-wave is the gold standard see active automation dot co dot nz.
But it is expensive at over $100 per switch.
Works well with Vera.

I agree.

I've recently purchased Z Wave dimmer switches. Then a Vera Edge box to control these devices. And finally, a couple of Echo Dots units. All so I can say "Alexa, turn TV Lounge lights off"

If you don't mind me asking, which dimmer units did you go with? I have been looking at the Vera controller also but struggling to find anyone in NZ who has done ZWave lighting using momentary style switches so that you can still use the traditional switch interface as well as the Zwave control.

Cheers
Matt

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rogercruse

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#2002622 26-Apr-2018 08:28

Mattmannz:... which dimmer units did you go with?...

www.aeotec.com a range of Z Wave products are using New Zealand's chosen radio frequency.

I purchased them from https://www.fusionautomation.co.nz/ . The owner is another Geekzone subscriber. And I got plenty of helpful information when I met him recently.

fearandloathing

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#2002634 26-Apr-2018 09:04

kryptonjohn: Z-wave is the gold standard see active automation dot co dot nz.
But it is expensive at over $100 per switch.
Works well with Vera.

Yep they are expensive.

Using the double switches (Fibaro double switch 2) The cost cam half, when locating where there are to lighting circuits.

Mattmannz

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#2002686 26-Apr-2018 10:40

rogercruse:

Mattmannz:... which dimmer units did you go with?...

www.aeotec.com a range of Z Wave products are using New Zealand's chosen radio frequency.

I purchased them from https://www.fusionautomation.co.nz/ . The owner is another Geekzone subscriber. And I got plenty of helpful information when I met him recently.

Cool. What physical switches are you using them with?

kryptonjohn

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#2002687 26-Apr-2018 10:45

chewee: Do you think Vera is the right way to go? Or maybe a raspberry Pi with a stick...?

Simple point and click config with Vera but am I correct with Pi you will be editing text files with a text editor etc?

I have Vera but am using it only for a z-wave door lock and Harmony Hub RF control at the moment. It was really easy to get going and has been stable.

rogercruse

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#2002778 26-Apr-2018 13:09

Mattmannz: ...What physical switches are you using them with?

Continuing to use the original wall switches. I'm waiting for these: https://aeotec.com/z-wave-wall-switch

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kryptonjohn

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#2002785 26-Apr-2018 13:16

rogercruse:

Mattmannz: ...What physical switches are you using them with?

Continuing to use the original wall switches. I'm waiting for these: https://aeotec.com/z-wave-wall-switch

They mention it will fit AU/US/EU etc wall boxes... does that mean NZ too?