I am using 4 Yale Real Living Touchscreen Deadbolt locks on my house. They are currently connected with the generic “Z-Wave Lock” DTH provided by SmartThings. I’m getting tired of the inconsistency in reporting accurate data using the generic DTH.
Example: Lock 1 reporting unlocked and battery at 45%. False. The lock is locked and the battery is dead. Lock 2 reporting unlocked and battery at 60%. False. The lock is locked and the battery is dead. And so on…
For those who are using RBoy’s custom lock DTH: is it worth spending $38 or will I get more of the same?
FWIW, I am using RBoy’s DTH with 4 Schlage Z-Wave locks and have had no issues. Three of the locks have been installed for over 2 years. The fourth Schlage lock just replaced a Yale Real Living lock that failed after 1 1/2 years. While the Yale was installed, the RBoy DTH seemed to work fine.
One other point - if you pay the $38 for access to his server, you also get access to other high quality DTHers and SmartApps. For example, I’m using RBoy’s Universal Lock Manager SmartApp to manage user access codes, etc. with my locks. Nice app and, again, no problems since installing it.
Lastly, RBoy is actively supporting the DTH, Lock Manager SmartApp, and other offerings. I’m definitely a satisfied customer.
I also give as many thumbs up as I canto @RBoy and his stuff. I have been using the Lock DTH and SmartApp for a while, and it is FANTASTIC.
And I second the “you get a whole bunch more awesomeness” for $38. And they are regularly updating their stuff to squash bugs, add functions, or fix stuff created by ST Firmware updates.
First, from the hardware side: what brand and model of batteries are you using? And how far is the lock from the closest zwave repeater that supports Beaming?
I’m with JD on this. The DTH only reports what the hardware sends. If you have issues now you will continue to have issues. Mind you, I’m a huge RBoy fan. But you need to troubleshoot and fix whatever is causing your issues first.
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RBoy
(www.rboyapps.com - Making SmartThings Easy!)
6
Like @JDRoberts said start by adding a repeater close to your lock, it’s incredibly helpful.
Also check out these posts to understand how locks and batteries work across different models and how they may impact your lock’s workings. These talk about Schlage locks but Yale locks operate in a similar manner.
The DTH will unlock many advanced features within your lock and fix lots of bugs in the locks/stock DTH but as @nathancu said it’s better to start by looking at the underlying issues.
I appreciate all the feedback and constructive suggestions! I was hoping to get a few more years out of these locks, but maybe the tech has improved.
I’ve had all 4 Yale YRD240-ZW-0BP since June 2015.
The bugs I’m experiencing have been present since day one: this isn’t a new development.
I have a relatively small home (1,900 sqft) with multiple GE z-wave switches in most rooms. Two of the four locks are less than one foot from from a GE z-wave switch. I assume the switches participate in repeating the z-wave signal, but I am not certain. Is it possible to determine whether or not they repeat?
The issues are present whether I use expensive name-brand batteries or rechargeable li-ion batteries.
RBoy
(www.rboyapps.com - Making SmartThings Easy!)
10
How about trying a new Z-Wave module. Some modules are known to have issues after a few years. Yale has an advantage that the modules are replaceable and I think there’s been a firmware update for these modules in recent years.
That might be a cheaper option, but I’m not experiencing new issues as if the module is going bad. It’s always been bad at reporting. Do you think a new module will have better firmware or updated tech to more efficiently report?
