Anyone using Z-Wave 800 series hardware yet?

[electron]

After all the drama with the 700 series hardware, I'm a little bit more cautious about upgrading to 800, but did order the Zooz ZST39 USB interface as I'm really interested in the Long Range feature. So far it looks like there isn't an easy migration route, and may have to rebuild my Z-Wave network again

Just wondering what other folks are doing, and what hardware you may be using.

 

[NormandyHA]

I have the ZOOZ 800 Series Z-WAVE GPIO MODULE ZAC93 LR. Works great working with my older Zooz 700 series switches and devices.
I use it with a Home Assistant Yellow (so the GPIO module installed on the GPIO header in the project box). I am new to Home Assistant, so it was a new setup/rebuild of the network.

 

[electron]

I was so close to pulling the trigger on that module, but they finally released that USB stick, so I went that route. I'll probably rebuild the Z-Wave network again, but was hoping to avoid that this time.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Couldn't you do a controller shift and move all the devices from one stick to the other?

 

[electron]

I know there were some custom tools to go from 500 to 700 series, but haven't seen anything that would allow me to move my 700 series based network to 800 series. Is it really that simple?

 

[kigmatzomat]

Depends on your controller. I use HomeSeer, so for me it would be a controller shift followed by a network optimization to ensure neighbors are current.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I know there were some custom tools to go from 500 to 700 series, but haven't seen anything that would allow me to move my 700 series based network to 800 series. Is it really that simple?

Had to check to be sure, but in HomeSeer there is a single zwave command "Send Network information to another Controller and make it Primary".

Install a new zwave stick along side the old one, run that command, wait for all the devices to get migrated, unmount the old stick, move on with life.

 

[electron]

That's a pretty nifty feature for sure, I'll have to take a closer look, thanks for the tip!

 

[JimS]

What was the drama with 700 series? I am just collecting a few z wave things to use with Home Assistant and just learning about zwave. This 700 series USB interface/controller was suggested to me:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GNZ56BK/
but I see the 800 long range one is $10 cheaper. Surprised by the 1 mile range claim - I realize that is under ideal conditions that will probably never exist in use but still long range. Should I just get the 800 series one?

 

[electron]

The 700 series had major network stability issues where devices would disappear, breaking the network. This was mostly resolved with firmware updates, but once in a while, I'll still run into this issue. I would definitely go for the 800 stick, despite it not coming with support since it's so new. But it's so cheap, plus I believe thesmartesthouse has a Zooz sale today and tomorrow (need to dig thru my email). TheSmartestHouse.com still has the 700 stick for sale, get it from them directly if you're getting other hardware there. That Amazon store is theirs anyways, but usually more expensive.

 

[JimS]

Waited too long to order and now it shows not available on Amazon... Will check out the site electron suggested.

 

[electron]

Check their Twitter account for recent deals:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678894274224562176

 

[JimS]

Shipping was reasonable and used their discount code. Thanks electron!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Up to one mile range? Man, I do hope someone here can verify that one day!

 

[kigmatzomat]

Up to one mile range? Man, I do hope someone here can verify that one day!

Here is two real world tests: https://drzwave.blog/2022/11/23/how-far-does-z-wave-long-range-reach/

TL;Dr

• regular zwave reached 100-150m (to the edge of a strong mesh)
• Zwave LR battery powered device 200-350m
• Zwave LR mains powered devices 300m-? (>350m)

Note that the yellow "zwave mesh" radius is not the reach of the controller but to any zwave device in the mesh. The controller in classic zwave radio mode cannot completely reach the opposite side of the structure. That is at the regular zwave 12ma power draw.

The zwave LR radio is on the second floor, which does expand its range as it gets it above more of the clutter for the outdoor test.

The red line is using the battery powered device level of zwave LR (41ma draw, or 3.5x regular zwave) and the green is for mains powered zwave LR (92ma or 7.5x regular zwave).