Part Number: WZ_LVS250
The WZ_LVS250 Wireless Baseboard Thermostat replaces the old mechanical baseboard thermostat without requiring installation of extra wires for communication or power. Using the ZigBee protocol, the WZ_LVS250 provides wireless relay control of one zone of 120 or 240 VAC baseboard heaters. It connects to a central monitoring station to allow for monitoring and changing of parameters.
Using the built in motion detector and Walker’s Temperature Predictor the WZ_LVS250 controls the baseboard heater to give the room a stable and comfortable temperature while at the same time reducing energy.
I’m in contact with one of their team. What would be necessary in terms of access to their zigbee syntax for increasing it into ST? I’m no Python expert - I’m a hardware person - so any tips on what to request would be great.
This is the only option for home automation with line voltage baseboards except Caleo which isn’t available AND uses WiFi and a server.
The key to integrating it with SmartThings is to get a list of its supported ZigBee Clusters. You can control the device through those clusters with a SmartThings custom device type. Do you have device? When the device connects to the SmartThings Hub it will query it for its supported end nodes and clusters. If it uses standard clusters integration will be very doable. On the other hand if they are using private clusters then you will need their documentation.
Gotcha. No I don’t have the device yet, I saw it for sale at about $250 which isn’t too bad with PIR built in. The email thread went dead, I suppose they want to sell only building management systems or they aren’t interested in onesie-twosie domestic users?
Have you looked into using the Aube RC840T relay with a low voltage thermostat? It is designed to use a low voltage thermostat to control line voltage such as baseboard heaters. I’m not sure how big it is but it appears that it may fit in the box behind the your thermostat. It’s not too expensive either and you can pair it with your favorite low voltage smart thermostat. I believe you could wire several of these relays to a single thermostat if you wanted to. I haven’t tried it yet but it is on my wishlist
Yes I’m aware of that system but pretty much the only benefits of electric heating (and they are few and far between lol) is the ability to shut off rooms and areas that aren’t in use to chop large chunks out of the excessive bills they produce.
Using a Nest or whatever with a bunch of relays would require some wiring in of relays at the fuse box, as well as ripping out the convection baseboards and replacing them with hydronic to maintain a stable temperature with a 15 minute relay duty cycle.
Another solution would be a Nest per room and a relay, and at $300 per room it’s not a cheap route, and the relay would be audible and the baseboard would need to be changed.
I am thinking of something like a z-wave light dimmer controlling a triac or a solid state relay. I hate the relay noise as well. It’s too late for this winter but I will look into this come summer if such a thing exist.
I think within a few months the choices will be clearer yes. I went with Dimplex Connex to fill the space in the bedroom until a Home Automation enabled solution materialises. No way was I gonna run the electric all night.
Here’s a more general thread discussing baseboard heating.
I just ordered two Aube RC840T relays to run in conjunction with my Nest thermostats. I will be installing the relays in a mechanical room and am not concerned with the relay noise but I am curious as to if any of you in the ST world have installed these relays and how they worked for you. I am concerned with the 15 min duty cycle and am now wondering if I should have went for the solid state version.?
I went with Dimplex Connex. I got the whole house outfitted with nice new designs for ~$1000 including the controller and shipping. I especially liked the choice of three energy densities.
I used the low energy density PCM and PCL series in the kid’s bedrooms to reduce burn risks and I used the high energy density LPC series to create more useable wall space in the living room and master bedroom. I use the fan heater to blow air into the kitchenette. I had to move some outlets from above the LPC (thanks 1970’s) because the wall gets extremely hot by design.
If they bring out a Home Automation interface then I will probably jump in but the combined feature of proportioning heat control, modern design and variable heat densities along with good cost for the total system won out over lots of NESTs and relays + a load of replacement traditional heaters.
