I have been trying to use the default Z-Wave Metering Dimmer device handler with a Qubino Shutter interface. Initial results were promising: the device was discovered and it could be turned on, off and even have a level set. However in the few weeks since setting this up I found it to get increasingly unreliable. Now there is no control at all.
I have tried Excluding and re-Including the device many times and occasionally control is restored but it soon fails after a few on/off commands.
The Qubino is a Z-Wave Plus device, could that be the reason it fails?
Anyone had similar experiences? Is there a fix or an improved device handler for Z-Wave blinds control?
Using a device type that isn’t meant for the device it is controlling can have mixed results. In this case a custom device will need to be written to make sure it is using the proper command structure and following the spec of the manufacture.
Providing a whitesheet here for the device should help the community get you a device that could work to get you up and running.
In my case I believe the Qubino shutter interface is indeed logically a metered dimmer and ST appears to correctly identify this and use the Z-Wave Metering Dimmer device handler.
There are two problems with this device handler:
First it seems unreliable as I have described.
Second the device handler has On, Off and Set level commands when for a blind it should be Open, Close & set level.
The latter problem of labels is a simple edit in the IDE which I have managed to do OK and left all the other code the same for now.
However I now realize that Routines do not have a Blinds activity and so the blinds (even with new labels) need to be Set On or Off as though they were lights. It would be better if there was something similar to the Garage Door activity for blinds or shutters that does have Open, Close and set level commands.
BTW External motorized shutters are very popular across mainland Europe, which is probably why so many manufacturers produce blinds/shutter interfaces.It would be good for ST to support this class of device for international customers.