Best Device To Spread the Z-Wave Love

This applies to my house. 1920’s construction, no neutrals at the switches. I got by with an older GE dimmer (without neutral) and an Aeon microswitch, but have recently added a few Iris sockets (more for the ZigBee repeating, but Zwave is a plus) and can reach out to the garage now without issue.

Placement is key. I’ve placed the hub in a location where it has no large metal surfaces between it and the two repeaters in the central stairway. There’s wood floors in the way, but that’s easier to get through than ductwork and mesh. From there it’s a fairly straight shot down the hallway or out the window to the garage.

I’ve found that the Iris sockets do still seem to repeat when the ZigBee switch is off. The errors that I’ve seen in the Z-wave repair occurred with my GE and Aeon microswitches as well, and with or without the Iris repeater in the mesh. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be reaching the garage as easily.

I have a couple extra Iris sockets. If I’m feeling adventurous, I might tear one open and see if power really is cut to the Z-wave radio…

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That’s interesting. That is how I would’ve expected it to work, but then there were multiple forum reports, including some on iris forums, that’s the zwave got turned off with the table lamp. :disappointed_relieved:

Let us know what you find out!

It’s hard to say what’s actually happening (a network map in the IDE would be awesome). It could be coincidence that the garage became reachable after adding the Iris plug. Maybe the network found some other route that just managed to work that time.

Anyone know if these use security screws? Might have to stop at Harbor Freight on the way home and get some cheapo security bits.
Snaps together.

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I would love to move my hub further from my router and more centralized, BUT I have no CAT5/6 runs in my house so without running one through plaster walls, I am basically stuck putting the HUB where my router is right?

Also, as far as the in-wall relays, I am not so sure I could fit those behind light switches and/or outlets in my house. Everything is tight in the boxes the the old wires with cloth wrapping are very hard to maneuver.