[RELEASE] Enhanced Z-Wave Plus Thermostat Device Handler - Honeywell, GoControl, CT, Linear, Trane, MCO, Remotec

I installed a CT101 yesterday and it defaulted to the Enhanced Z-Wave Plus DTH because I had already had it installed. For some reason I had no control over anything on the thermostat from SmartThings until I changed it back to the default DTH. I’d like to have the extra humidity and battery level information provided by the Enhanced DTH, but obviously need control over the thermostat. Any ideas as to what could have been going on?

Probably a problem with the platform communication since the custom handler runs in the cloud. Delete and reinstall the DTH and then switch over.

Thanks. I’ll reinstall the device handler before I install the other 2 thermostats and see what happens.

I switched back to your device handler from the stock CT100 because I like the sliders more. What I am afraid of is that even in battery saver mode it’s going to ping the thermostats every 30 minutes. I’m running via battery power so it seems like that will drain them pretty quickly. Is there anything I can modify in the code to change that to hourly?

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I think you may be confusing how battery saver works. It “limits” the platform polling to once every 30 minutes. If the platform polls less frequently then it’s okay. This is to prevent a situation when the platform sometimes polls every few minutes.

Also keep in mind that the CT-XX devices are FliRS beaming devices. That means your device wakes up every second to listen for any incoming messages. So changing the limit from 30 minute to 60 min isn’t going to be significant for your battery life, but reducing it from 3-5 min to 30 min does give you about 10% more battery life.

It is always best to use the CT-XX with the C Wire for improved performance and to use it as a repeater. If you don’t have a C Wire you can use the Venstar Add-a-Wire type device to create a C Wire for your thermostat.

Thanks for the info. Whenever I need some HVAC work done I will probably have them hook up the C-Wires for me. Everything goes into a zone control board and I don’t want to make a mistake with the wiring. I have no clue why they didn’t just hook up the C-Wire in the first place, the wires are there (but cut back too far for me to easily pull through).

Hey @RBoy, thanks for the response. I’ve been floating around different platforms and one thing I did notice is that somehow VERA allows for a single setpoint when using auto and it just allows for +/-2 degrees of fuctuation from the specified setpoint in auto. Any idea if they are just doing logic to offset that input to the respective heating and cooling or is there actually a third setpoint (cool/heat/auto)?

Logic, the thermostat and z-wave specifications only have heating and cooling setpoints.

Mini split controller that I have tested are from Remotec, Sensibo, and AirPatrol. The most robust integration and functionality are on the Sensibo. It reads the state of the mini split. It has humidity built in, too.

Incredible deal from the @TheSmartestHouse

$29.95 for the CT-101 thermostat that’s normally $75 to $100

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Question to see if anyone else has this issue, and if its a issue that this DH corrects or not.

Currently using just the standard CT100 Device Handler in SmartThings.

I have 2 CT100’s, but the 2nd one I’ve installed today is acting weird. If I cycle to “cool” from the DH, the AC never actually kicks on. The physical CT100 does update right away to say COOL, but that’s about it, the AC doesn’t work. If I cycle to AUTO on the DH it works fine, i cycle to COOL, nothing.

So i tried this on the physical box, if i cycle to cool, works, if i cycle to auto, works.So only seems to be a problem setting COOL from the DH, although the CT100 will update and say COOL, and you hear a Click, it never actually turns on the units.

I checked the other CT100 that I’ve had installed for a year and it works properly from both the DH and Physical. Cycle to cool, AC will kick on.

I’m not sure what is going on but I’ve noticed a difference in smartthings.

Weird Acting CT100 - RAW - zw:L type:0806 mfr:0098 prod:6401 model:0107 ver:9.01 zwv:3.28 lib:03 cc:20,81,87,72,31,40,42,44,45,43,86,70,80,85,60 epc:2 ep:[‘0806 31,85’]

Properly Working CT100 - RAW - 0 0 0x0806 0 0 0 f 0x20 0x81 0x87 0x72 0x31 0x40 0x42 0x44 0x45 0x43 0x86 0x70 0x80 0x85 0x60

Both have this in “Data”

productTypeId: 25601
manufacturer: Radio Thermostat Company of America (RTC)
productId: 263

Except the Working one has this additional value.

endpointId: 0

Why would they have different RAW output, and what is the extra value that’s present on the working one. Could this be a firmware issue?

Yep it’s a bug in the firmware for some CT-xx thermostats. When it’s switched remotely directly from heat to cool (or vice versa) sometimes it takes time for the thermostat to kick in. Hitting the reset button on the thermostat often fixes the issue or switch to off and then cool (or heat). Or just wait till the thermostat figures out that it’s supposed to kick in :roll_eyes:

Awesome… so is the firmware versions being different also causing the different RAW outputs? hmm… any way to update or change the firmware? Reset doesn’t fix the issue. Setting to COOL via the DH makes the CT100 never kick on. Temp just raises, was 4 degree’s off target and still nothing, waited quite some time. Doing it physical works, or setting the DH to AUTO works, just cool on DH makes it not kick on. Darn these things :frowning:

So just found out that when the thermostat reaches its cooling point and turns off. It will not kick back on when the temp raises. I had to cycle back around to auto for it to kick on cooling again. Would this be a broken thermostat? Is there a full factory reset for these things (not the zwave, but the whole unit)

This update may help workaround the firmware bug @RBoy was referring to. There is reset button on the top of the CT-xx thermostat (remove covering). For the Z-Wave models it is a black button you can press with your finger, for the Z-Wave Plus models, there is a small pin hole left of the wires section which contains the button. Don’t forget to press the refresh button after pressing the reset button or updating the code to initialize the thermostat.

Enhanced Z-Wave Thermostat with Temperature, Humidity and Auto Time setting - Version 04.00.01

  • Patch for CT-xxx firmware bug when switching from heat to cool

Key features of enhanced DTH:

  • Supports secure inclusion and encrypted communication for Z-Wave Plus thermostats
  • Battery saver option to extend battery life
  • Synchronizing SmartThings dead-band settings with thermostat (default is 1°)
  • Patches for firmware bugs
    • CT-xxx incorrect date
    • CT-xxx heat/cool switch over
  • Customize thermostat settings (CT-xxx and ZTS-xxx)
    • Temperature reporting threshold
    • Temperature swing threshold
  • Show fan state (running or off even when set to Auto mode)
  • Humidity
  • Battery
  • Clock
  • Heat/Cool temperature settings
  • Auto detect supported thermostat modes
    • Off
    • Auto
    • Heat
    • Cool
    • Emergency heat
  • Auto detect supported fan modes
    • Off
    • On
    • Auto
    • Circulate
  • Thermostat models tested:
    • CT-xxx Z-Wave
    • CT-xxx Z-Wave Plus
    • ZTS-1xx Z-Wave
    • ZTS-5xx Z-Wave
    • GoControl Z-Wave
    • Vivint Z-Wave
    • Lowes Z-Wave
    • Filtrete 3M Z-Wave
    • Honeywell Z-Wave
    • APX Z-Wave

@RBoy: I’m having two CT-100 running on C Wire but not working as a repeater. I paired the thermostats with the Smartthing hub and added the C Wire afterwards. As you described before, to have them acting as a repetaer I have to exclude the devices and then pair them again to Smartthings.

Question, I do have a lot ob webCoRE pistons which controls my thermostats. What happens with my pistons with the thermostats in my pistons, if I exlclude and repair them again? Do I have to update all thermostat related pistons (same thermostat name)

Thanks!

Yes, the C Wire needs to be connected when the thermostat is paired for it to be repeater mode. One possible way is to do a factory reset on the device. This should make the device unavailable to SmartThings and also exclude it from the hub.

To be safe, disconnect or power off your hub BEFORE doing a factory reset because some device send an event to the hub indicating a factory reset and the hub automatically then removes the device from it’s list of devices, powering it off or disconnecting will ensure it doesnt’ get that event.

Once it’s reset, power on your hub, goto your thermostat device page, click on the settings gear icon, scroll down and click on “Replace” device. It will search for the existing device and find it doesn’t communicate and will give you an option to pair a replacement. Now ensure your C-wire is connected and start the pairing process.

This should allow you to re pair the same thermostat without excluding it. Again, I’ve tried this once and it worked here in the lab but I didn’t have any attached apps to it, it was just a PoC so you may want to back up your apps/pistons to be safe before trying it.

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Thanks @RBoy for the very detailed explanantion. I will try it out and will let you know.

So as far as I know, the CT-100 does not report events back to smartthings on its own. IE, when fan kicks off/on or cooling is running or not. The only time SmartThings knows about these changes are when IT does the polling.

Do you know if this is true for all the CT-XXX? Are you aware of any thermostat that does report event changes? And then last is there a way to increase the polling rate of the thermostat so we can get a better level of history (although it would still be inaccurate, its better then the 30 minutes that smart things does now.)

Definitely not true of all CT-xxx models. Specific firmware have specific issues. Some of which have been patched in this DTH which others would require a firmware update (I.e. newer version)

The new CT-100 Z-Wave Plus model works just fine. Some of the older CT-100 Z Wave model firmware had an issue where the fan state wasn’t reported which was handled via a patch in the DTH. The CT-101 also works fine here in our labs.

It’s also possible that pairing issues leave device with a one way channel. It’s best to use the CT-XX with a C Wire attached and within 50ft if another active z wave device. You should also try to exclude and repair the device which can fix the one way communication issue.