ST V2 Hub False Alarms with Ecolink Window & Door sensors?

UPDATE 4/30/2023: Its been a few weeks since I put a dedicated sensor on each window. This did isolate the problem for me to a specific window which had an older sensor on it. I replaced that and so far, no false alarms in those weeks. (Now if I could just get ST Support to fix the driver so the tamper alerts go away, I’ll be perfect again!)

Original Post on 12/2/2022:
I’ve had my STHM system running very well for years. The past few months, I’ve had 2 random false alarms on my living room window zone where 4 windows are connected to one EcoLink Z-Wave Plus sensor.

  • The switch events show the contact opened and closed 4 seconds later.
  • The windows have pre existing magnetic reed switches wired in series directly to the sensor’s dry contact switch. These reed switches are rock solid reliable.
  • That z-wave sensor connects wirelessly to the ST hub 6 inches away.
  • I’ve replaced that sensor in August after the first false alarm.
  • All window contacts show they are closed and I’ve verified that with a meter.
  • No windows have been opened/touched for a few weeks since winter set in.
  • I’m confident these are false alarms. All windows show no tampering and the cameras saw no activity at the moment of the alarms.

Does anyone know if the ST hub has a history of random false alarms?
It’s a V2 model that’s worked flawlessly for at least 5 years now. I’ve been considering upgrading to the most recent version

Any experience others have is appreciated.

I would not. The most recent version was released in 2018. SmartThings then decided to get out of the smart home hardware business and licensed the hub and some devices to Aeotec. The Aeotec hub is the only one currently on sale was new. It’s the 2018 hub in a new case.

Moving to a new hub requires that you go thru your devices one at a time and break their association with the existing hub, then add to the new hub. Then you have to recreate all your automations. It’s a lot of work for a very small difference in the hub hardware.

At four years old, you’ve gotta think a newer hub is due. Doubly so given that Matter is beginning to roll out.

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I thought about that. If there’s no significant performance improvements AND my false alarm is not common or related to the V2, there’s no reason to upgrade

I want to see if there is a polling setting that may be unique to this point in the hub.

For now, I’m going to put a separate sensor on each of the 4 windows I have daisy chained on that one sensor. It will enable me to identify a specific wire or reed switch that may be faulty. Or rule them out. If it turns out I have a bad switch or wiring, I can move the sensor to the window itself and bypass the wiring entirely.

I have this same problem, but using a V3 hub. So it’s not your V2 hub. I think (but not sure) a switch to an Edge driver which doesn’t work is the problem. I hope it is fixed…I use 6 of these sensors, and as you said, they have been “rock solid” for years.