Has anyone noticed, the Z-Wave repair blows the Jabsco (GE) Z-Wave switches. It’s very odd. I have 94 Z-Wave devices (all GE Outlets or Switches - minus a couple odds and ends). For the most part, the devices have worked pretty well for nearly three years (new house).
About a year ago, I installed two new GE Z-Wave outlets and kicked off a “Z-Wave Repair”. I noticed a device in my master bath “could not update route”. Upon inspection, the switch had the dreaded “blinking blue LED” and was fried. I bought another. A few months later, I kicked off another “Z-Wave Repair” and a switch which runs my under-counter lights “blew”. (All of these switches were working fine just prior to the repair). This one I sent to Jabsco and they replaced.
Today I just wrapped up a triple install in two spots (six switches - 2x Single, 2x Dimmer, 2x Fan). I kicked off a “Z-Wave Repair” to update the installs and now I lost a switch in my basement bathroom - immediately after the Z-Wave repair. Switch was working just fine 10 minutes prior.
Oddly, they only seem to be “Single Pole - non-Dimmer” switches that fail.
But I am curious - is there something resource intensive that “blows” switches during the Z-Wave Network Repair?
Are you sure the problem was not caused by turning the power on and off to make your changes. Jasco switches have been known to die from the surge when the power is restored.
Contact Jasco customer service by phone. They usually replace the switch if it is less than 5 yrs. old.
The areas I shut power off are unrelated to the area where the switches “blow”. Actually, in every past case, I didn’t kill the power to the switches that “blew” - they were on other circuits.
Also, in this most recent case (the bathroom)… I was just in there with the light on - came back to my desk - kicked off a Z-Wave Repair and “poof” - it’s gone. This time, no blinking LED, but the switch is definitely dead.
Appreciate it. It was this advice that got my last switch replaced under warranty.
But I am also still curious if anyone else has seen this happen during the repair process or if anyone is familiar with how the repair process works - for example, does it kick off a large Z-Wave Radio burst or something?
No special radio burst or anything like that. All a zwave repair does is the hub will request that individual devices report their current route, it will calculate the most efficient new routes, and send those back to the Devices. It should not put any more strain on any individual device than any other network command. And since the GE switches have been very popular since the beginning of smartthings, I am sure there have been literally thousands of customers running thousands of repairs without the issue of the devices dying.
I agree with the advice to get in touch with Jasco, it does sound like something odd is going on.
Same - I bet money OP took a surge. @Cory_Booth, do you have whole home surge suppression? If not - install it or get used to losing a lot more of these.
I know this is old but i just had my second zwave plus on/off switch die out drom a recent power failure in the area. First one was a giid few weeks ago & just yesterday was my second one. Both switches show as on in smartthings but i cant get them to repair & i am unable to reset them. They are ge switches i purchased from amazon but they are almost 5 years old. I had them installed when i redid my kitcheen in sept 2018. Do you think jasco would replace mine or shoud i just purchase new ones, & if new ones, any recommendations? Also merry Christmas everyone.
Have you pulled the “air gap” button? I occasionally have one fail to respond, but after I pull the button at the bottom out and push it back it it come back online. As for repair - they might…. They did extend the warranty due to the capacitor bug from years past.
Well i thought i purchased my switches on amazon but i couldnt find them in my orders so ot must have been bestbuy or lowes & i called jasco but am not getting anyone. So looks like im buying new switches. Was looking to get inovelli switches but eveeything is backbordered so probably ge switches again. @JDRoberts i know zooz makes switches also but amy other zwave or zigbee switches compatible with smartthings. I checked eve but says it only compatible with apple. Kind of disappointed about inovelli switches being back ordered because his switches are better then the jasco ones.
Jasco may replace the switches for me but i dont have the reciept & i think i kept the boxes so i can give them the info they need. If they dont replace them ill get zigbee but was hoping to get inovelli switches but they all are on back order.
I think they will. I gave them the model # listed in the device in the smartthings user app but it wasnt the correct #. I should have the boxes home as i kept most of them.
Any particular reason you’re not considering Zooz? They are very popular in the community and seem to be in stock more often than Inovelli. Good quality engineering, helpful tech support, good pricing. Historically, they have also done a good job of keeping up with the changes in the SmartThings platform.
Zooz Is the house brand for the retailer the smartest house. You can buy from their site or, if you prefer, through Amazon.
@JDRoberts i have spmw zooz products but inovelli swithes seem so elegant… not sure what word’s to use & i always thought inovelli switches were the most advanced. If jasco replaces my switches then im good for now, well until next project but if they dont ill give zooz another look. Your lots more knowledgeable then me but i always thought inoveli switches were the Mercedes of smart switches.
Inovelli and Zooz both started out as budget lines, but both evolved over time.
Zooz kept the mid range pricing but continued the startup mindset of offering the latest and greatest engineering features from the independent zwave standard. Design looks like a mass market product, well built, but looking pretty much the same as most of the other big Z wave brands. They do have some really nice multifunction devices with multiple buttons. They also opened up an Amazon storefront to increase availability.
Inovelli evolved in a somewhat different direction, with increasingly more expensive pricing and really slick design, what I would consider a gamer aesthetic. While also keeping up with the newest generation Z wave features. And adding an interesting line of Zigbee products as well. But with continual supply chain challenges. You can often find inovelli products sold on Amazon, but only by third-parties; they don’t have a brand storefront there.
So, from an engineering standpoint, I think the two brands are very similar for zwave, and both have historically had good customer service. Zooz is priced at about half the cost of an inovelli zwave switch with similar features. Inovelli Models do tend to look more expensive because of the unique design. Whether that’s worth the extra cost is a personal decision. Choice is good.
Inovelli does offer a line of Zigbee switches, and is working on a new line of matter over thread switches, so, if you’re looking beyond Z wave, they would continue to be a candidate.
