Adding a ZWave thermostat to ELK M1

[vc1234]

Hi,
 
I wanted to add a second RCS-TZ45 thermo today, but forgot the exact sequence of events when I added my first one.  See, I followed the manual to the letter and added the thermostat, but it did not show up in the automation menu as Thermostat 2 as I expected. I went through the exercise again, no show. Then, I just typed in the new thermostat name and it worked !
 
Does it mean that one has to blindly rely on the thermostat being added without actually seeing it in the list of thermostats ? It is odd, because there is no difference in the display whether the thermo was added or not. Perhaps, that was how I added the first thermo, I just don't remember
 
The question is: is that kind of behavior "normal" ?
 
Thanks.

 

[drvnbysound]

Did you add it to your Zwave network?
 
What Zwave controller are you using?

 

[vc1234]

Did you add it to your Zwave network?
 
What Zwave controller are you using?

Sure I did, it is working fine right now.  I used the standard Leviton RF stick and its Installer Tools. Then, I copied the network info into the serial Leviton dongle attached to a M1XSLZW.
 
What bothers me is that ELKRP2 did not show the new thermostat after I powercycled the  M1XSLZW (fast flashing -> normal flashing).  However, when I gave the second empty thermostat line in elkrp2 a name, it just worked as can be verified from either the keypad or any other interface tool.  I do not remember as I wrote if I experinced the same puzzlement the first time a year ago.

 

[drvnbysound]

That's correct. Elk doesn't read in, or recognize any of the Zwave devices into ElkRP - you have to manually enter/configure them.

 

[vc1234]

That's correct. Elk doesn't read in, or recognize any of the Zwave devices into ElkRP - you have to manually enter/configure them.

 
Thanks.
 
It just seems odd for elkrp not to display the info about whether a thermostat is visible to elk or not since M1 apparently "knows" after the discovery process.

 

[vc1234]

Another question, more theoretical at this point because I've already added the last thermostat.
 
When the manual says "Power-up the M1XSLZW to start the Discovery Mode. This requires several minutes during which the status LED will flash rapidly"
 
How exactly does one power cycle a M1XSLZW alone without power cycling the controller (that's what I ended up doing) ?  Does one need to powercycle the controller each time a new zwave device is added ?
 
Thanks.

 

[drvnbysound]

No, you do not need to power cycle the XSLZW each time you add a new device. I can't remember ever purposely cycling power to mine at all.

 

[vc1234]

So, the manual is incorrect in saying that you do need to power cycle for XSLZW to "discover" new zwace devices ?

 

[drvnbysound]

I won't say that it's wrong, but as I said above I don't recall ever purposely power cycling mine... I've got about 30 devices on my network which includes a thermostat and (3) deadbolts.
 
I just looked through the manual and found what you are talking about. It may be specific to locks and thermostats; I don't see it mentioned at all in the section about adding lights. However, as mentioned above, I've got all 3 types and don't recall doing this. I installed a system for someone else earlier this year and definitely didn't do it then - this included 1 thermostat and 1 deadbolt. Again, I won't say that the manual is wrong, it's probably best practice... but I've also been able to get it to work without doing it.

 

[vc1234]

Thanks a lot !
 
Speaking of the locks.
 
I am going to get a yale one soon.  I wonder whether one can read the lock status in order to differentiate between locking from inside and locking from outside.  I know that yale sends different notifications in either case and that Elk presumably can obtain unsolicited messages from that specific lock, but I could not find any similar example in the manual or elsewhere of Elk reading an unsolicited (not polled) status string.  Do you have any insight in Elk's getting unsolicited status from locks ?
 
Thanks again.

 

[drvnbysound]

I use the Kwikset locks. As far as the Kwikset locks, the Elk cannot differentiate between how the lock was used - it only receives the <LOCK or <ULOCK messages from the lock. I assume the Zwave messages between the Elk and the lock are the same across all locks - I don't think Elk has added any additional integration features for Yale or other.