I just released a new version that fixes some minor UI issues and improves the logging and reliability, but it doesn’t have any additional features.
You can find the latest version in the top post.
Since the last performance improvement SmartThings made, I’ve been seeing over 90% reliability of the beep feature, but results will most likely vary depending on the time of day.
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Nice job Kevin! Thanks!
When I press test siren it takes 10 sec’s to respond. When I press test beep , app says its beeping but no beep, then green screen goes to off and then I get a beep.
Sometimes I press test beep and the siren and strobe activate.
Just pressed the test siren button and strobe blinked. 6 sec’s later app screen turn to off and the siren started. Siren stops and the app screen goes green for a few sec’s the back to off
I seems to be getting different results every other test.
Any ideas?
If you were previous using a different Device Handler, you need to go into the settings and save. Which DH were you previously using?
If you had already done that, what are you using for the settings:
- Automatically turn off after:
- Length of beep:
- Strobe instead of beep:
- Both/on behavior:
- Always use both/on behavior:
What are you seeing in Live Logging?
I thought I should explain the limitations of the device, how the settings attempt to work around those limitations, and the pros and cons of using those workarounds.
Auto Off feature
The device has an optional built-in feature that automatically turns the device off after 30 seconds, 60 seconds, or 120 seconds.
If you have the "Automatically turn off after" option set to one of those values, the alarm will turn off after that amount of time regardless of ST having major performance issues or your internet/power going down while the siren is on.
Since the device has no off button and you can’t quickly get at and take out the batteries, it’s probably a good idea to have this feature enabled for normal use.
It’s important to turn this feature off while testing because the time doesn’t get extended every time the device is turned on.
For example, if you have it set to turn off after 30 seconds and you manually turn it on and then off 1 second later, the physical device will automatically turn off 29 seconds later, even if you started another test.
Since you manually turned it off, that’s not a problem for the first test, but if you happened to start the second test about 30 seconds after starting the first test, the device turning off from the first test will probably prevent the second test from doing anything or it will turn off almost immediately after turning on.
Default Behavior (Siren, Strobe, or Siren & Strobe)
The device allows you to specify what happens when the device is turned on, but when you change that value, the strobe flashes at least once to confirm the change.
The DH could check to see what the device is currently set to, but that would require it to send a command, wait for the response and if it isn’t set to the correct value, it would have to send another command to change it so instead of doing that, the DH always changes that setting before turning the device on.
Turning the device on too soon after changing the setting to siren causes the red light to stay on solid until the siren turns off which is why there’s a pause between the confirmation flash and the device turning on.
If you only plan on using the device for one action, enabling the “Always use both/on setting?” prevents it from changing the setting first so you won’t have the confirmation flash or the long pause before it turns on. When that option is enabled, the action specified in the “What should the ‘both’ and ‘on’ commands turn on?” option will be performed regardless of which test button you press.
If you want the option to use them independently, but you use the same action most of the time, checking the current setting instead of automatically changing it would be beneficial so I may add that as an optional setting in a future version.
Beep Feature
The device doesn’t support beeping/chirping so to provide that functionality, the DH turns the device on, waits the amount of time specified in the “Length of Beep” option and then turns the device off. Due to ST latency, a beep length of 0 ms usually sounds the same as a beep length of 100ms and sometimes the siren actually stays on for a couple of seconds. Since the platform changes ST made a couple of days ago, that’s only been happening about 5% of the time.
When the “Strobe Instead of Beep?” option is enabled, the “Always use both/on setting?” option is ignored because it needs to be able to change the default behavior in order to ensure that it doesn’t make a sound.
If you’re experiencing strange behavior, enable the “Enable debug logging?” option and look at Live Logging because it will output the action being performed and it always outputs the reason if a setting is overriding the normal functionality.
Battery Status
Most battery operated devices go to sleep and wake up at regular intervals so you can check the battery status. Since this device needs to be able to receive commands at all times, the device specs don’t mention that feature, and I haven’t seen any wake up events yet, I’m pretty sure this device doesn’t provide that functionality.
Not having that functionality will prevent the battery status from getting updated at regular intervals so I’ve added the Poll Capability. Based on the ST documention, the poll method should be called every 10 minutes, but if ST calls it at all, it’s usually only called every couple of days.
If you want it to check the battery more frequently, you could use a SmartApp like Pollster or the Simple Device Viewer SmartApp. I haven’t updated the documentation for that SmartApp yet, but there’s an option in the “Other Settings” section that allows you to enable polling.
Possible Future Features
I’m almost certain ST would reject this DH if I submitted it for publication because of the improper use of the Music Player/Speech Capabilities and also the reliability of the Beep feature.
Because of that and since I really don’t need the features below because I’ve already implemented them in my Aeon Labs Siren DH, I’m not going to waste time implementing them unless they’re something users want and the DH becomes popular.
Delayed Alarm: Allows you to specify an amount of time to wait before turning on alarm. Executing the off command before it turns on will cancel the delayed alarm.
Strobe Delayed Alarm: Strobes for a specified amount of time and then turns on the siren. Executing the off command will turn off the strobe and prevent the siren from sounding.
Can you please help me to install the siren?
I copied the code in the device handler, published for me…
and then what? My ST doesn’t recognize it yet. I know I am missing a step.
Thanks
If you’ve installed and published the device handler and this is a new device, it should automatically detect the device handler as long as you don’t have any other custom device handlers installed for this device.
If the device was already installed with a different device handler or you’re installing it new and it’s not selecting the correct device handler, go to the “My Devices” page from the IDE, click the Edit link next to the Device and change the Device Type to “GoControl Multifunction Siren”. Once you change the device handler and save, open the device using the Mobile App, go into the settings and save.
If you’re not seeing this Device Handler in the Device Type list, you most likely save it, but didn’t press the publish button.
Yes, I got it. ST recognized it at the beginning as a switch, and i deleted the device but not excluded it correctly, thats why It could not recognized it. After I took the batteries off and on again, excluded it through minimote, ST recognized it again and this time as a Gocontrol Siren. Thanks.
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Is the Aeon Labs siren device handler published?
Just to clarify for other users, the DH below is for the Aeon Labs Siren. The code for the GoControl/Linear Siren is in the first post of this Topic.
The Aeon Siren is a better product, but it doesn’t support using the strobe and siren separately which is why I’m using both devices.
One vote for the delayed audible alarm. It would be especially nice if the strobe alarm would go off first for 30 seconds before the audible alarm, as I could see it had been triggered and could disable it after accidental triggering.
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The custom command feature no longer works with SHM or Speaker Notify with Sound because they broke the custom message functionality in those SmartApps.
You can still use the device as an alarm or switch in those SmartApps, but if you want to be able to use features like beep, you will need to use a community developed SmartApp like either Rule Machine or CoRE.
The developer of Rule Machine doesn’t allow new installs so unless you already had it installed, you will have to use CoRE instead.
It looks like SmartThings fixed the custom message problem so everything should be working again.
Due to the home depot clearance, I ended up getting 3 more of these sirens so I’ll be adding some new functionality to this DTH soon.
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I’ll definitely be adding the delayedAlarm and strobeDelayedAlarm commands.
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I’m considering adding intermittentAlarm which would basically turn on and off the alarm for a specified amount of time and the on time and off time would be customizable.
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I’ve found the beep feature to be too unpredictable and loud to be of any use. I won’t remove the existing beep feature, but I won’t be adding the beepDelayedAlarm or scheduledBeep commands that my Aeon Siren DTH has.
I’m open to suggestions so let me know if you have any other ideas.
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Thanks a bunch for this excellent handler! It has made my Staples Siren work great (the one with a battery AND ac plug) and I am also about to purchase more of the other Siren’s with JUST the battery that are from Home Depot, like the ones you are referring to. So far, I don’t have many suggestions to make it any better than it already is. Works perfect for me! 
Do you know the name or model # of the one from staples so I can add it to the top post?
Considering the kit with the siren, motion sensor and 3 contact sensors is on clearance for $25 at HD right now, this is definitely the perfect time to buy it.
The name of the kit that was on sale at Staples this past February was the “LinearLinc Z-Wave Siren Strobe Combo” part # 1LIWA105DBZ-2 , and it is no longer available at Staples so you won’t even find it on their site anymore… I looked up on my Staples order page to find this info for ya. And yes, I just purchased 12 of those premium kits and found out that at least 8 of them are returns so I will be going back tomorrow to ask why exactly they are reselling used items as new… They were very cheap, but I am not liking that they were already installed at another place prior to me buying the rest that they had on their shelves! Cheap is GREAT, used, not so much! Lol
Thanks for looking up the information on that siren.
You had me worried so I just checked the 3 I bought today and they all appear to be new.
Lol , It looks like a company may have purchased these because they all had little stickers on them with QC numbers and some tech number who installed it. The problem is that they just put the damn things right back on the shelves without saying a word about them being returned and used, so that kinda makes me feel like they thought they could just pass off some used crap to me! Well I will see about getting them a tad cheaper maybe?? 
I think about $10/kit should be a reasonable price huh…