Month: March 2020

Automating Z-Wave/Zigbee Home Basics

Smart Home Lock Comparison

This page is a work in progress. As I test more locks, they will be added here. Thank you for your patience. Make/Model  Protocol Install Complexity Proximity Unlock Motor Noise Power-fail Backup Hub Command Reliability Lock Status Report Reliability User Report to Hub Reliability Alfred / DB1 Bluetooth Z-Wave Low Yes Low USB High High…
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Yale YRD156-ZW2 Smart Deadbolt Review

If you’re a dedicated Z-Wave enthusiast or you’re looking for reliable Z-Wave lock to integrate with your security system, this lock deserves a serious look. While it doesn’t have all of the cool features contained in the YRD256, this lock (YRD156) contains the functions required to ensure your smart home is safe and secure.  Buy…
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29 Home Automation Tricks

Here is the How behind the What. Since I use the Hubitat Elevation (HE) Home Automation Hub, all examples are based on HE and Alexa.

Lock Testing and Error Rates

When it comes to testing smart locks, I focus on two aspects: 1) does the lock do what it’s told to do when commanded by the hub; and 2) does the lock tell the hub what happened (locked, unlocked, which user, etc.). My goal is for these tests to be as automated as possible. The more…
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