zwave setup: alternatives to VRUSB-1US USB installer tool?

[IVB]

Associations randomly don't work, programming randomly doesn't work. I was just using it to program a VRCOP, but was getting a material failure-to-respond rate.
 
After 10 years of trying different controllers (see https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/4wrygi/10_years_of_domestic_abuse_by_zwave_controllers/ ), I ended up buying an ISY. I should have bought that years ago and saved myself the heartache. Yes its more expensive, but I would have saved in alcohol charges from that damn VRUSB.
 
The ISY doesn't currently support multi-button controllers, but the latest alpha due out any day now will. 

 

[Bzncrewjr]

The only device(s) that I've seen that behavior from are Kwikset deadbolts that were already joined to a network. I first had to manually EXCLUDE the device.
 
1) Click the EXCLUDE button just below the menu bar at the top of RFIT.
2) Toggle the switch/dimmer.
 
This process should, basically, tell the device to drop all information known to it regarding the network it's associated with.
 
Then, INCLUDE it to your network as you've been trying to do. I was told that the deadbolts would not learn (INCLUDE) into a new network if they were already associated with one.

 That seems to have worked.   I excluded and then included and it saw the dimmer.   Yay!!!!
Software even turned the light on / off.  Wow!   This is progress.
 
Now...how do I program the Leviton RS232 interface with my Omni controller?
 
--Russ

 

[drvnbysound]

Once you've established your Zwave network in RFIT, you will need to update your secondary controller (VRC0P) - it basically transfers all the network information to the secondary controller...
 
After that you're outside of my realm because I've only installed Zwave networks with Elk systems and don't [yet] have any experience with the Omni controller. As such, I'm not sure what you need to do on the Omni side so that it knows of the Zwave lighting devices. I assume you will need to get the VRC0P connected to a serial port on the Omni, and configure the port for Zwave. Then add devices into the Omni lighting device configuration.
 
With the Elk, you have to mirror the DEVICE NUMBER from RFIT into the Elk setup. For example, in RFIT the VRUSB is named and has a (1) after it. Your next device is typically [name] (2), and so on. Sometimes, depending if a device isn't learned correctly, RFIT has a tendency to skip device numbers, so some may be missing. With the Elk, you would type in the names of your Zwave devices (e.g. Living Room light) into the numbered light that RFIT shows.

 

[Bzncrewjr]

Using the installer tool:
I updated the controllers (VRCOP) and it seemed to be successful.  
Deployed network.  So far so good.
The Installer tool turns on/off switch.
 
On the Omni PC Access software:
 
Serial:  I have the VRCOP on #5, 9600 baud, Z-Wave, (hardware jumper on RS232).   Plugged in and green light blinks every second or so.
Units:   # 001,  UNIT 1,   Vizia RF Z-wave,  Enable All On (Yes)  Enable all off (Yes)  Address/Node ID =10 (which is what the install tool says)
 
Now I go into status/control tab and change to "on" and nothing.   
 
Surely there is something I'm not understanding here.  
 
Also, on the Snaplink app, there is nothing under "Control".  How does this get pushed to the app?
 
--Russ

 

[drvnbysound]

Looking forward to what you get figured out. Once found, please post your solution

 

[vc1234]

Using the installer tool:
I updated the controllers (VRCOP) and it seemed to be successful.  
Deployed network.  So far so good.
The Installer tool turns on/off switch.
 
On the Omni PC Access software:
 
Serial:  I have the VRCOP on #5, 9600 baud, Z-Wave, (hardware jumper on RS232).   Plugged in and green light blinks every second or so.
Units:   # 001,  UNIT 1,   Vizia RF Z-wave,  Enable All On (Yes)  Enable all off (Yes)  Address/Node ID =10 (which is what the install tool says)
 
Now I go into status/control tab and change to "on" and nothing.   
 
Surely there is something I'm not understanding here.  
 
Also, on the Snaplink app, there is nothing under "Control".  How does this get pushed to the app?
 
--Russ

It's easy enough to check where breakdown in communication happens.
 
You can connect the vrc0p to your laptop with a serial/USB serial cable and type the following command from your favorite terminal program:
 



[SIZE=10pt]N10ON -- where 10 is your node id, to switch the node ON.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]N10OFF[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]or [/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]N10L50 -- if it's dimmer, 50% brightness.[/SIZE]
 
To see if Omni is sending anything, you can connect your laptop to Omni's serial port and see if anything is displayed on the screen when you try to send a command from Omni.
 
--
Forgot to mention: you'd need a crossover cable for the second experiment.

 

[Bzncrewjr]

It's easy enough to check where breakdown in communication happens.
 
You can connect the vrc0p to your laptop with a serial/USB serial cable and type the following command from your favorite terminal program:
 



[SIZE=10pt]N10ON -- where 10 is your node id, to switch the node ON.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]N10OFF[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]or [/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]N10L50 -- if it's dimmer, 50% brightness.[/SIZE]
 
To see if Omni is sending anything, you can connect your laptop to Omni's serial port and see if anything is displayed on the screen when you try to send a command from Omni.
 
--
Forgot to mention: you'd need a crossover cable for the second experiment.

 
 
Thanks.  I left my laptop at the the other house.   Oh wait.   It doesn't have a serial port.   Maybe my desktop has one.   Probably not.  However, someplace I have a USB - Serial adapter.   Must look for it.
 
Is there a way for the Omni to report transmit errors to the VRCOP?  Log?
 
--Russ

 

[Bzncrewjr]

So I bought a SmartThings Hub from Samsung.   Can I use this thing for a controller?
 
--Russ

 

[drvnbysound]

So I bought a SmartThings Hub from Samsung.   Can I use this thing for a controller?
 
--Russ

 
I believe you can use it as your primary controller, but you'd still need to transfer the network to the secondary controller (VRC0P) to interface with the OPII panel.

 

[thing]

You should be able to setup your network with any primary controller then include the VRC0P as a device just like all the others (as a secondary controller).  Depending on the functionality of your primary controller you may be limited in making changes to the network.  Usually when you include a secondary controller to the network it will receive information about all the currently included modules but when you include a new module to the network it will know anything about it unless the primary controller sends this information to the secondary controller (I think this is the COMMAND_CLASS_CONTROLLER_REPLICATION function).   If your primary controller can replicate to the secondary controller then you should be able to update the VRC0P in this way.  Otherwise your only option is to exclude the VRC0P and then re-include it after you have added new modules to the network.  As far as I know this only really affects Elk Z-Wave Thermostats.  The Elk on boot-up queries the VRC0P for Thermostat module IDs and then assigns them sequentially to the Thermostats 1,2,3, etc.  So if the VRC0P doesn't know about a Thermostat then the ELK will not control it.  This does not apply to lighting or appliance modules.  You just tell the Elk what ID it is and the Elk and VRC0P do not care if they know about the modules or not they just send out the commands to any module with that ID.  Elk really should implement Thermostats the same way and just allow you to assign the Z-Wave ID for each Thermostat.
 
If you want status from any devices that support the Association Class you will need to set the associations to the VRC0P ID this can be done with another controller or the VRC0P itself using the RAW command 133 (I.E. >N3SE133,1,1,10 - 133 Association command, Node 3, Set, Class 1, to Node 10.  Sets Node 3 to send status to Node 10 the VRC0P).  You can even send this out as a string via the M1.
 
Making changes to the Z-Wave network can be a real pain with ELK as all the Node IDs are fixed and by default excluding a node and then re-including it will assign a different ID.  And there is no easy way in the M1 to map lighting controls to IDs you just have to change all your rules.  With the VRUSB-1US there is supposedly a way to re-include a device with the same ID (there is a thread on cocoontech here somewhere about it - don't know it is actually possible or not).

 

[drvnbysound]

Elk also numbers with locks (e.g. deadbolts) sequentially like that as well.

 

[Bzncrewjr]

I believe you can use it as your primary controller, but you'd still need to transfer the network to the secondary controller (VRC0P) to interface with the OPII panel.

 
How?   How do you add the VRC0P a smartthings network and how to make it secondary?
 
I downloaded batwater's docs and with all due respect, it's totally confusing.   I can't follow it at all.
 
Is there a simple way to make VRC0P secondary?   I'm really liking the SmartThings hub and app.  It's now automating most of my switches very well.  However I'd love to make my Omni get into the game.
 
--Russ

 

[Bzncrewjr]

So... SmartThings app seems to see my VRC0P.   At least the discovery found it in the app. 
 
Would it be safe to say the SmartThings hub (primary controller) sent the network info to the VRC0P?    Or am I hoping for a simple life where stuff works easy?
 
Then...if it did.  How do I find the device IDs so I can program my Omni panel to talk to them?    
 
The SmartThings app is really cool, but I'd really like my Omni panel to control stuffs.  Like trigger lights on when someone comes into the driveway.   Or turn lights off when house is locked.
 
--Russ

 

[jkmonroe]

... Or am I hoping for a simple life where stuff works easy?

 
Yes.
 
With SmartThings as the primary controller, you need to include the VRC0P, and then need to follow the directions Ben typed up.  The gist is this - you add a special device-type in SmartThings and need to change all of your z-wave devices to that device-type.  Once you've done that, you can go into the SmartThings IDE and add the VRC0P as an association for all of your devices and then update the VRC0P.  Yes, it actually works.
 
Once you've updated your associations, you set your device-types back to what they were supposed to be.
 
It's a royal pain in the ass, but if your network is relatively static then it's not so bad.

 

[Bzncrewjr]

Wow!   That is a royal PITA.   
I'm trying to find a reason to make it worth it besides the fact that I bought this VRC0P and justify the expense of it with the Omni panel....and some pride. 
 
Honestly, the Smartthings app is super easy to configure for most of what I want.   I originally bought the Omni panel with hopes of cool automation stuffs, but it's now relegated to a simple alarm panel (which it does well).    Since Haiku has gone bust or doesn't want our business,  I am seeing less value in the Omni panel for automation.   SmartThings has enough automation functionality to do most of what I may want.   I may just stick with that platform.   Disappointing as I wanted the Omni panel to play a key role.  
 
Perhaps the Omni will end up being simply an alarm system.  Hook up some water sensors and such, but not too much else.  My video stuffs are well served by Blue Iris.   Would love to tie all these systems together, but it may not come to be.
 
I ordered a z-wave sensor that I may connect to ST and have it turn on lights and such via their automation.   I just want my driveway sensor to turn lights on.  SmartThings can probably do this with some hacking from their simple app.
 
Next up:  Hack my motorized blinds.   Maybe the Omni can earn its keep there.
 
Wow, Leviton, you are dropping a big ball here.  Make your devices play well with other vendors.  
 
--Russ
 

Yes.
 
With SmartThings as the primary controller, you need to include the VRC0P, and then need to follow the directions Ben typed up.  The gist is this - you add a special device-type in SmartThings and need to change all of your z-wave devices to that device-type.  Once you've done that, you can go into the SmartThings IDE and add the VRC0P as an association for all of your devices and then update the VRC0P.  Yes, it actually works.
 
Once you've updated your associations, you set your device-types back to what they were supposed to be.
 
It's a royal pain in the ass, but if your network is relatively static then it's not so bad.