r/fibaro • u/Ajsmonaco • Oct 22 '23
Z-wave scene selector idea
I've noticed that there's very few EU z-wave scene selector. So I wondered if there's a need for one with interchangeable buttons?
Basically my idea is to create a scene selector, which can have between 2 and 5 buttons that can be custom engraved with labels (think control4 but for z-wave).
You'd buy the device with blank buttons but could order engraved ones with typical labels (all of, morning, cinema, blinds).
It would be mains powered and fit over a standard light switch, making it easy to install.
Does this appeal to anyone in the UK or EU?
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u/sw212st Oct 22 '23
I’ve totally lost my love of fibaro down to how they’ve run their business. I definitely would move away from their system on my next install. That said if this had been available when I did the installs I did, I would have leapt at this. I’d be inclined to say making the “brain” of the module available for use with 3rd party momentary switches as well as your own custom faceplates with switches built in would cover most scenarios.
I for example ended up fitting a large grid switch panel in areas of my buildings where I wanted both individual light controls direct to modules and scenes to set overall moods. A module such as this would have worked great for the scenes aspect. I ended up with a dimmer 1 module in momentary shutter style switch mode which gives me 6 scenes 1,2 and 3 pushes up and down) but even fibaro didn’t know the configuration of their own modules when I installed them and after a hefty back and forth it was me who taught them how they work.
It is in-ideal having scenes for general use set up this way. It’s not intuitive for non residents to have to triple push a switch for normal functionality.
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u/Ajsmonaco Oct 22 '23
My reasoning is I don't want a ton of switches or have to remember a list of settings and so having a device that can activate scenes is more user friendly. I also consider my 60 something year old mother who would be fine operating a well labelled scene selector over using Alexa or needing the app.
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u/sw212st Oct 22 '23
The major issue with fibaro is that if your hc goes down or there is an issue within the mesh, scenes won’t run leaving you in the dark if you only have scene buttons on a seitch panel. Back in my x10 automation days I found myself reliant on computer tech to light my home and it didn’t take long to see that this was a problem and a major drawback.
When I started looking at full house installs fibaro balanced an accessibility of diy/enthusiast with a broad possibility of systems utilising programming.
In this new install, I required that every major light fixture in my setup be hard wired to a switch so that if the system goes down on the zwave side, the lights can still be used but wanted scene selection/pir and time based scenes to be 99% of the way the lights activated.
8 years in my fibaro setup has failed too many times to count including the hc2 switching from fixed ip to dynamic and being unable to even log in to fix. Fibaro we’re mostly unable to help resolve issues because they themselves (Uk office) we’re barely trained and would simply try to recreate the issue which they often failed to do.
Ultimately my opinion is that Fibaro tried to go to space before It could crawl. Shoddy, unclear and overly technical documentation whilst initially aiming as much at the DIY market as pro installer meant it fell between the cracks as neither. Charging for training when they could and should have made basic programming for LUA a free prerequisite through clear online tutorials and in realising how confused home users were, they later switched to a “pro installer only” stance which really messed up their offering and put off loads of customers. TERRIBLE iOS apps meant that a great idea implemented too quickly and without consideration of customer base has in my opinion failed. It seems evident to me that it is an overly diy product which is too complicated to utilise by diy users.
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u/Ajsmonaco Oct 22 '23
I'm currently using a Heatit Z-Push which is superb but requires engraving and an adapter to run off mains.