[OBSOLETE] Z-Wave Power failure sensor!

[joelw135 (Joel W)]

I am perplexed by this Z-Wave power failure sensor. If the power fails in the whole house and you are home you obliviously know the power is out. So no sensor needed. But if you are away and power fails, unless everything including the Internet is UPS powered, then how does this sensor alert you? I know around my area, if there is a major outage even FIOS with their solar backup system is usually also down. So again even with UPS backup there is no alert. The only thing I can see is cellular and the hub is connected to that working. Or I am missing the whole idea of this sensor? For one single circuit I can see it working. But to do it on one circuit any 120v device, be it an outlet would work.

[tgauchat (ActionTiles.com co-founder Terry @ActionTiles; GitHub: @cosmicpuppy)]

@joelw135

Z-Wave power failure sensor

Existing / duplicate topic?

Power Outage Sensor

Has anyone used a Z-Wave Power Outage Sensor like this with SmartThings? Seriously looks like a simple EcoLink style door or window open/close sensor that was hacked with an iPhone charger to acheive. Not looking for a ton of reporting, monitoring, or hooking up to the panel (like the Aeon stuff does). Plugging into an outlet or power strip would be more than ample for what I’m trying to monitor. Simple device that my wife could setup and get alerts when the outlet is not ON is all that is needed. (Basically setup directly in-app without coding, regardless of how easy it may be.) Was hoping to possibly acheive with a SmartThings Outlet (F-OUT-US-2) and the “Notify Me When” SmartApp/Automation. But simply triggering an alert when it is turned off via power (not button press) does…

[joelw135 (Joel W)]

@tgauchat

Existing / duplicate topic?

Thank you, similar minds think alike.

[JDRoberts]

Check the product description. Most devices of this type include the following:

Internet modem, router & z-wave hub MUST BE ON BATTERY BACKUP for operation (internet must be available during power outage)

[joelw135 (Joel W)]

@anon36505037

But you still need your router on UPS for it to work.

I agree, that is why I posted so many negatives. To many things can prevent this from working as it should.

[marktheknife (Mark)]

Just because it wouldn’t work for you doesn’t necessarily mean others won’t find a way to integrate it into their setups.

Personally, before buying a z-wave (or zigbee) device, I ask myself, “how will this help me when the zombie apocalypse comes?”

But that’s just me.

[marktheknife (Mark)]

Hmm, not according to this source, a well-researched one I’m sure.

https://books.google.com/books?id=YCCWAgAAQBAJ&lpg=PA61&ots=XlS9uCOhJ5&dq=z-wave%20zombie&pg=PA61#v=onepage&q=z-wave%20zombie&f=false

[Lgkahn (Larry)]

Not unless device is close to hub and connected directly ie no repeaters as most likely switches and other zwave repeaters will be down during power outage and your mesh will be fubared.

[Conrad01 (Conrad Lidgett)]

I’ve recently took a flyer and purchased a z-wave nodon smart plug. The instructions say (and I checked it out with one of their techies) that it can detect a power failure / recovery and send out notifications.

The instructions here: https://www.vesternet.com/mwdownloads/download/link/id/807
shows the parameters that hold these statuses.

Smartthings picked it up as a z-wave on/off switch so it works with z-wave. And now the missing bit: The Device Handler. This is something that I’m totally failing to get me head round so am looking for some help. Does anyone have a basic device handler that can be amended to make the connection to the notifications coming out of this device? I’m more than happy write the piston and do testing if anyone can help with the handler.

Thanks

Conrad.