mi casa verde vs leviton adapter for elk z-wave control

[mikefamig]

All
 
I want to add zwave automation to my elk system and as the title says I'm trying to decide between a Mi Casa Verde with the plugin for my Elk control or getting the Leviton zwave adapter made by elk. I'm new to this and will be starting with lights going on when there is a security breach and learn from there.
 
I'd love to hear opinions on the above or any other recommendations.
 
Mike.

 

[mikefamig]

After doing a load of reading here and around the net I am also considering an ELK M1PCSPIM UPB adapter and a couple of Simply automated SAUS1140W switches for now and maybe adding the Zwave later.  I'd love to hear the pitfalls and benefits of all three choices from anyone with experience with them.
 
Mike.

 

[pete_c]

Here with my Leviton HAI OPII panel I am using primarily UPB and secondarily X10 and Z-Wave.  I have no issues with the three running concurrently.
 
I am also adding Zigbee to the three above.
 
Relating to Z-Wave right now its only relating to light modules and no wireless battery gizmos.
 
I have purchased but not installed the two Leviton HAI wireless gizmos in one home. 
 
I have installed it in another home; still in testing mode it works fine.
 
I have "updated" much of the UPB to having many multiple paddle / dual load switches while concurrently reducing the UPB footprint a bit.  I have removed now all of the two UPB switches that were in one 4X4 metal can with dual mudplate.
 
Knowing a bit about the Elk M1; I would venture to write that you wouldn't have any issues running with more than one PIM or dedicating yourself to one automation protocol (whatever it may be).
 
You can also add the integration of the Casa Verde to your Elk.  Thinking there are a few folks doing that today for some more granularity.
 
Here I do utilize Homeseer for some added stuff to X10 and UPB and Insteon stuff.  Autonomously also have Z-Wave; not utilized but testing. 

 

[drvnbysound]

Unfortunately, I don't know the specifics or all that much about the MiCasaVerde options and integration with Elk, which is my automation platform of choice.
 
Having said that, if I had the choice, I'd certainly look into MiCasaVerde a lot more than I did originally. I viewed it as a stand-alone Zwave controller, and went with the Leviton VRC0P-1LW instead.
 
For me, the Leviton works fine and I have no issues with functionality. However, I believe MiCasaVerde manages user PINs for locks, which is something the VRC0P doesn't do with Elk. Thus, I am limited to the 2 PINs onboard the locks, unless I want to connect to the VRC0P directly (via laptop) and issue commands to allow additional PINs to be used.

 

[mikefamig]

Unfortunately, I don't know the specifics or all that much about the MiCasaVerde options and integration with Elk, which is my automation platform of choice.
 
Having said that, if I had the choice, I'd certainly look into MiCasaVerde a lot more than I did originally. I viewed it as a stand-alone Zwave controller, and went with the Leviton VRC0P-1LW instead.
 
For me, the Leviton works fine and I have no issues with functionality. However, I believe MiCasaVerde manages user PINs for locks, which is something the VRC0P doesn't do with Elk. Thus, I am limited to the 2 PINs onboard the locks, unless I want to connect to the VRC0P directly (via laptop) and issue commands to allow additional PINs to be used.

The way I see it, the Verde is designed for home automation and will be much stronger than the elk for HA which is primarily designed for security. If you can add Verde's HA ability to read Elk's sensors and then react to them by activating devices and lights in it's system that sounds like the best of both worlds.
 
On the other hand it does mean that you need two pieces of software to control the two systems which is not as convenient as controlling everything through ElkRP.
 
Long story short, I am getting near starting up my new Elk install and trying to choose how I will manage automation. I am looking at the Leviton Z-Wave adapter, Verdfe Z=wave and Pulseworx UPB adapter and a long way from a decision.
 
Any and all input would be appreciated, Mike.

 

[pete_c]

Yeah today my base home automation is considered the heartbeat of the house.  That is taken care of using the HAI OPII panel. 
 
I have numerous little events relating to the hardware managing the lights, HVAC, Sound, security that work just fine. 
 
The security combo automation panel will function just fine for the heartbeat of the house.
 
The software integration takes in some 25 pieces of hardware that interact for some higher levels of automation which really is way beyond the scope of the "heartbeat" of the home.
 
That said integrating of the panel features to the software takes automation to the even much higher.  IE: downloading NOAA satellite weather images is much more fun than grabbing satellite images from the internet or being internet dependent on my automation. 
 
I guess though that is me.
 
So I guess really though it comes down to what is "automation" today?
 
@Mike
 
Your questions have seeded a lively discussion here; well for me I guess.
 
I started to automate my lighting in the 1970's.  Back then X10 was considered for automation of lighting.  It evolved some over the years.
 
Today I can "automate" using a few protocols using the Homeseer Zee on a tiny Rasberry Pi.
 
I am also playing with a little combo switch / router / firewall with a touchscreen that also speaks Zigbee-Z-Wave today.  It currently also connects to the "cloud" for cloud based "automation".  It also functions as a wireless repeater, utilizes Wireless AC and has a 3.0 USB port on it.  This device is called the Almond +.
 
The little "motherboard" inside of this device is a bit smaller than the Raspberry Pi.  
 
The CAI Webcontrol microcontroller device mentioned above is another tiny little automation device.
 
For the newbie automation person or that tinkering DIY automation person; the above three devices are ideal and great starters.
 
BTW always tinkering here also have a Casa Verde device that I play with.

 

[mikefamig]

Yeah today my base home automation is considered the heartbeat of the house.  That is taken care of using the HAI OPII panel. 
 
I have numerous little events relating to the hardware managing the lights, HVAC, Sound, security that work just fine. 
 
The security combo automation panel will function just fine for the heartbeat of the house.
 
The software integration takes in some 25 pieces of hardware that interact for some higher levels of automation which really is way beyond the scope of the "heartbeat" of the home.
 
That said integrating of the panel features to the software takes automation to the even much higher.  IE: downloading NOAA satellite weather images is much more fun than grabbing satellite images from the internet or being internet dependent on my automation. 
 
I guess though that is me.
 
So I guess really though it comes down to what is "automation" today?
 
@Mike
 
Your questions have seeded a lively discussion here; well for me I guess.
 
I started to automate my lighting in the 1970's.  Back then X10 was considered for automation of lighting.  It evolved some over the years.
 
Today I can "automate" using a few protocols using the Homeseer Zee on a tiny Rasberry Pi.
 
I am also playing with a little combo switch / router / firewall with a touchscreen that also speaks Zigbee-Z-Wave today.  It currently also connects to the "cloud" for cloud based "automation".  It also functions as a wireless repeater, utilizes Wireless AC and has a 3.0 USB port on it.  This device is called the Almond +.
 
The little "motherboard" inside of this device is a bit smaller than the Raspberry Pi.  
 
The CAI Webcontrol microcontroller device mentioned above is another tiny little automation device.
 
For the newbie automation person or that tinkering DIY automation person; the above three devices are ideal and great starters.
 
BTW always tinkering here also have a Casa Verde device that I play with.

Wow you just went way over my head and I love it! Your house must be like an amusement park for HA enthusiasts. I am just a newbie and getting my feet wet and will have to put one foot after the other.
 
Thanks for all the info. Mike.

 

[pete_c]

@Mike,
 
You are welcome.
 
The home is my little personal automation sandbox.  Keeps me busy somewhat.
 
You came to the right place; Cocoontech; as users here have been automating before the time of the "cloud" and the little hand held computer days.
 
Here I remote controlled my home from various continents using first PDA (Palm and Microsoft) GPRS connected to the internet phones in the late 1990's.  This was a concurrent effort relating to work stuff / connectivity to the "work" mothership and my own personal little home "mothership".
 
By the 2000's I let my home do its own thing with little user intervention; well only watching it sometimes to make sure that its working.

 

[video321]

I'm using a Vera 2  with my M1 and after working out a few kinks it has been going well.
I have around 25 switches, 6 receptacles and a thermostat.
At the time I only considered it because I picked up a refurb from the manufacturer for $100. I can recommend it, but I don't do much at all with it and run it bare bones except for the M1 integration. I do have my scenes and thermostat schedules there and also set it up to send a couple commands to the Elk. It will, of course, respond to any zone violation.
 
One of my biggest likes is the app I use on my android devices - very slick and free.

 

[mikefamig]

I'm using a Vera 2  with my M1 and after working out a few kinks it has been going well.
I have around 25 switches, 6 receptacles and a thermostat.
At the time I only considered it because I picked up a refurb from the manufacturer for $100. I can recommend it, but I don't do much at all with it and run it bare bones except for the M1 integration. I do have my scenes and thermostat schedules there and also set it up to send a couple commands to the Elk. It will, of course, respond to any zone violation.
 
One of my biggest likes is the app I use on my android devices - very slick and free.

Will it send email and text messages based on triggers or events that it receives from the elk? I just learned to my surprise that the elk is not capable of sending email over my ATT mail server.
 
Mike.

 

[video321]

It does, but I don't use it (so I can't comment on it) as I have my M1 sending emails for me.

 

[smcdonal]

Hi,

     This is a great topic.  I was just about to post a question along pretty much the exact same lines.  I think my situation is similar to yours Mike.

My setup is an Elk M1 with UPB lighting.  I want to add Zwave door locks and I'm also trying to decide if I go with the Vera or the Elk sugested approach with the Leviton VRC0P.  I'm curious to know what would be the pros and cons to each approach.

Here is what I believe I figured out... if anyone wants to jump in to correct me that would be appreciated.

I think the lock functionality from the Elk is pretty basic.  Effectively, you are programming it yourself sending and recieving of text strings with Elk rules.  This is generally the approach that needs to be taken with any serial device that communicates via ascii strings over the serial port.  It seems that even if you went with the VRC0P option, for other Zwave devices, you would have a hard time mixing lighting technologies (ie UPB+Zwave), no mixing of thermostats (serial/Zwave), and rough (but well documented) support of locks.  I imagine that Elk will eventually program in the logic for the rule writing wizard in the future for the locks but it hasn't been done yet.

With regards to the Vera, it seems to do a whole lot more in terms of a controller but it doesn't seem to do UPB lighting.  So basically you get the Vera with all the features it comes with (which is pretty good) but to interact with the Elk (and by proxy the lighting) it becomes a bit limited.  The Vera, it seems, can "see" all the Elk statuses so it could act on alarm changes, zone changes, lighting changes (maybe?) etc.  I think the Vera can then trigger an Elk task which the Elk could act on (ie turn on light).  I'm guessing it can also change the alarm state (ie zwave lock is unlocked, disarm alarm) or the Elk could be armed and the Vera would "see" this and lock the locks etc.  I don't think it can actually tell the Elk to turn on any light unless its via a set "task" that triggers an Elk rule to act on a light.

Anyhow, my knowledge of the Vera is pretty fuzzy, but this is along the lines of how I think the integration would go.  If anyone could clear it up a bit more I'd appreciate it.

For now, given that the Vera solution is cheaper overall, and appears to provide a lot more functionality (free iphone app!), I'm leaning towards that but I'd love to hear any other feedback!

Thanks,

Steve