A couple of years ago I abandoned an attempt to associate a Cooper RF-9540NAW and RF-9500 via a Minimote for use as a 3-way and the 9500 as just been stuck to the wall doing nothing. I’m now ready to try again but I never really understood the process and don’t remember where I left off.
For instance, can the Minimote be used both as a secondary controller and as a device with buttons at the same time? Are the devices supposed to be include into ST and the secondary association? Also, I’ve read about the new device handler and that it doesn’t work with battery powered devices, but does that mean I can use it with the 9540 and need a more complicated method to associate the 9500?
Currently, the 9540 works completely with ST and the 9500 is excluded from ST (as of yesterday). The minimote is included in ST and the app registers button presses. Maybe I’m mostly there already but I’m also willing to reset everything and start again. What do I do next?
Maybe I can help myself if I clarify the actual questions:
*If I plan to use the minimote to create an association do I start with all all three devices connected to the hub? Do I need to use particular device handlers long term, excluding any short term use of tweaker.
*Should I create the association for the mains powered device with the tweaker and then create the association for the battery powered device with the minimote?
All three devices have to already be on your SmartThings network or they won’t have device IDs.
First include the two switches. Then include the minimote. That way you can be sure that the minimote has the correct IDs for the two switches.
Make sure all three devices show up in the SmartThings app.
Once that’s done, you’re ready to do the association.
Remember that once you put the minimote into association mode, you are going to first physically tap on the target, in this case the 9540. That’s so the minimote will put the loadbearing switch’s ID on the list for association.
Then you are going to physically tap on the trigger, in this case the 9500. That will take the device ID from the 9540 and tell the 9500 to store it in its own firmware on the target list.
You actually aren’t going to “create the association” for the loadbearing device, so you don’t need the tweaker at all for the use case you were working on.
The target Devices don’t have to “support association” because all that’s going to happen for them is they will get a network basic command to turn on or off. The only reason they’re involved in the process is so the minimote can get the network ID of the device you want to add to the trigger Device’s list of Approved targets.
It’s the trigger device that has to support association. That’s the network giving the trigger device permission to send a command in the future directly to that specific target device without telling the hub about it.
So when we make an association, we make a list of approved targets and we send that list to the trigger device. The trigger device stores that list in its own firmware.
Thanks for the help and clarification @JDRoberts. I’ll have to wait until I get home rejoin the RF9500 and to break out the minimote to complete the steps. While I’m waiting for the work day to end I ran tweaker’s scan and print Assoc groups. I can see that the hardwired switch and the hub are in group #1. Do I need to fix this first?
12:42:48 PM: info Association Group #1 contains nodes: [01, 12] (hexadecimal format)
No, that’s what you want to have. The hub should always be in association group one. And remember, you aren’t going to change anything about the load control switch. The only reason you need to even touch it when you’re doing something with the minimote is so the minimote picks up its device ID and can give that to the battery operated device for the target list.
I had my minimote set up with scenes and associations for the buttons and I know I used to create an association. However, a recent difficulty caused me to reset it. I now find that ST minimote device handler puts the minimote into a mode that does not allow it to be used for scenes and associations or to create associations. This mode is not easily changed.
I began to write a custom DH for it but have not had time to get very far.
For what you are doing Tweaker will be your best bet.
Please be aware that you cannot modify your minimote with tweaker. Being battery device it is not able to be interrogated or configured except when in a special mode that is generally only used when adding it to network. There is a way to force it into that mode, but I was still unable to make tweaker for configuring a minimote.
Unfortunately, the Tweaker will not work with the auxiliary Switch ( The 9500) that the OP is using, because that is a battery operated device which cannot be put into configuration mode for long enough for the tweaker to work. It’s the same issue as the minimote.
I joined the 9500 and can see results of button pushes in live logging.
I associated wired switch to the 9500. When I press the big panel button nothing happens on the wired switch. However, I can control the wired dimmer from the 9500 dimmer buttons. Any ideas?
I also can’t figure out how to break the association and try again.
What DTH are you using for the battery operated switch?
I believe the only way to clear the associations on that device is to exclude it and then re-include it, but wait on that, I’m not sure you’re going to have to do that. If the dimmer buttons are working, the association is working. So it’s just a question of if the big button press is being processed or not. And that usually is an issue with the DTH.
The following is the DTH that most people seem to be using:
I recently found and am using the Beast DTH. I also tested what I think is the OEM 9500 DTH, and the thegilbertchan DTH I had added years ago, and landed on the Beast DTH. Live logging and the led on the 9500 shows all buttons register press.
I’m not sure what I did differently this time, but after I excluded the 9500 from smartthings, included it, set the DTH and went through the association with the minimote, it is working properly now. Thanks for your help. And for anyone that is interested I replaced the 2x 2025 batteries with 2032s for a tight but acceptable fit.
One final question is if the minimote can now still be used as a button controller after participating in the association?
Yes, the minimote is not participating in the association, it is only participating in the setup of an association for two other devices. You haven’t changed its functionality at all.
Now I’m curious. How did you add your minimote into ST? Everytime I add a minimote the DH in ST put it into a mode where all it is good for is to send button presses to ST. I used to have one of mine in ST and was able to use it to setup associations I used to control lights directly with association. It stopped working so I reset it. Now it add in like the 2nd minimote I have and is only good for button presses.
I’ve been a bit stumped by this so they are both sitting in drawer unused.
