Smarthings, Google Home & SimpliSafe Alarm Issues

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
1

This might be more of a Google Home issue, but maybe not.

I have SmartThings connected to Google Home. When my wife and I leave the house, a SmartThings momentary switch is turned on. This is one of those vEdge Creator virtual switches.

Google Home is connected to SmartThings. Google Home can arm my SimpliSafe alarm. I have an automation in Google Home that arms SimpliSafe if the SmartThings momentary switch is turns on.

This has been working for years, but just stopped working a day or two ago. I’ve rebooted everything. I’ve tested this manually. If I turn on the momentary switch in SmartThings, Google Home doesn’t run its automation. If I turn on the momentary switch in Google Home, Google Home doesn’t run the automation (although it might have worked last evening once). If I run the automation from the Google Home app on my Pixel 9 Pro phone, SimpliSafe is not armed. However, if I tell the Google Home in my kitchen to arm SimpliSafe, it gets armed.

Obviously, something is not connecting. Should I disconnect SmartThings from Google Home and try again. I have an Amazon Echo as well, but can’t recall if that can arm SimpliSafe (I don’t think so, which is why I went with Google Home). Why does it work if I tell it to but not if I use the Google Home app on my phone? Or the SmartThings app on my phone? Any suggestions? Thanks!

2

I did some further investigating. Google Home will still arm SimpleSafe, but it appears that the status of a switch can no longer be used as a Starter in the Automation. WTF? Now it’ll only work with starters like a specific time or at sunrise or sunset. Absolutely ridiculous. This is not progress! And it’s not a SmartThings issue, either. Oh well. Losing yet another way to arm SimpleSafe with some type of automation.

3

Are you in the “Public Preview” for Google Home?

There have always been a lot of … inexplicable … restrictions in Google Home but they seem to be loosening quite a few of them.

FWIW I was able to create an automation that was started by a virtual switch turning on.

4

I don’t think I’m on public preview. Not sure where to check. I can create automations that work with switches as well, but not turning on SimpleSafe.

5

Google Home App, Settings, Public Preview.

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6

Ok, I don’t have a security system so can’t check that. I’ve been on the public preview for at least a year. Within the last couple of weeks I’ve started to see limitations being removed as to what can be done with some automations.

7

I turned it on (Public Preview). I’ll see if it changes anything. Something changed in the last couple of days, for sure, as my automation was working a few days ago, and now it’s not. Thanks.

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8

With public preview, I can use a switch turning on to trigger an automation that’s supposed to turn on the alarm. The automation runs. It turns on some lights, for example. It just won’t turn on the alarm even though I can add this as an action. Oh well, maybe someday it’ll fix itself.

9

Does the same apply to disarming?

10

Disarming has never been an option for Google Home or Amazon Echo because of the fear that someone could yell from outside and disarm the system. They have both only ever allowed arming.

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