Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in1

Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in1 Multi Sensor

The Aeotec Multisensor 6 has a lot of promise for an all around sensor. I mean come on, it has six different sensors – so what more could you want? There is a part of me that likes the idea of all six sensors in a single small box. There’s another part of me that says, what’s the point? I rarely have a need for Humidity, Light and UV sensors. When I do, they’re great. When I don’t, I feel like I’m wasting my money on a bunch of features I don’t need. So for the sake of this article, we won’t take my feelings into consideration. We’ll only focus on what this sensor does well and not so well. And before you drop $60 on a multi-sensor, this is good information to have.

Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in-1 on Amazon

Overall Rating

Overall this is a nice unit. My recommendation would be to only use it where/when you need the advanced capabilities. If you’re only looking for a simple motion detector, there are more affordable sensors on the market. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one that is loaded with features, as long as you’re not on the Wink Hub, this is your favorite little friend.

Motion Features

Motion detection is a key feature and most motion sensors have ranges of 30 feet (10 meters) or more. I find the 15 foot (3 meter) specification to be limiting. Users should be able to use sensitivity settings to increase/decrease false alarms. Having the ability to use indoors or outdoors is nice, however, according to the manual, “Please note that when installing outdoors of your home, your MultiSensor should only be relied on for temperature, light, humidity, and ultraviolet readings, whereas the motion-sensing capabilities should be disabled on your gateway in order to avoid false motion readings.” So if you’re considering this as an outdoor motion sensor, you may want to reconsider according to the manufacturer.

Feature	Specification
Detection Angle	120^o
Detection Distance	15 feet / 5 m
Indoor / Outdoor Rating	Indoor Only / Outdoor ¹– IP20
Motion Reset Timing	4 min Standard (hub adjustable with custom device handler)

The unit can be used outdoors but must be protected from moisture. The manual specifically says, “position your MultiSensor 6 in a sheltered location. It is best if you MultiSensor 6 is not directly exposed to rain…”

Additional Features

As a 6-in-1 sensor should be, this is packed full of the essentials. The only thing really missing is wind speed, wind direction, and barometric pressure. Just kidding, this thing is great. I would have hoped to see a broader range for the temperature, but only because it makes the ‘Outdoor’ claim. If you have harsher winters, use this outdoors with caution. I suspect it operates at better ranges than what is advertised, but if you have problems, you’re outside of the manufacturers specification and it’s not their fault.

Feature	Specification
Light / Lux	Yes – Lighting: 0 LUX to 30000 LUX
Temperature	Yes Measured Range: -10°C to 50°C / 14°F to 122°F. Operating Temp: 0^o – 40^o C / 32^o – 104^o F Temperature Accuracy: +/- 1^o C / +/- 1.8^o F
Humidity	Yes – Measured humidity range: 20%RH to 90%RH. Humidity Accuracy: ±3%RH (at 25°C/77°F). Operating Humidity: 8% – 80%
UV	Yes – UV Range: 0 to 10 UV index
Vibration / Tamper	Yes

Hub Compatibility

This information was up to date when I created this post. As always, firmware update, device drivers and compatibility is subject to change based on hub updates and device manufacturer updates.

	Hubitat	SmartThings	Wink Hub	Vera
Compatible	Yes	Yes	Temp & Humidity Only	Yes … but …
Custom Driver Required	No – Standard Driver is Limited Custom Device Handler is available	No – Standard Driver is Limited Community Device Handler is available	No – Not Available	Custom Configuration is Required
Preferences (below)
Motion Re-trigger Interval	4 min (Standard DH) Custom: 20 sec – 4 min	4 min (Standard DH) Custom: 10 sec – 6 min	N/A	Vera folk know how to set the commands. You can use the ranges as described to the right as a guide.
Motion Sensitivity	0 (min) – 5 (max)	0 (min) – 5 (max)	N/A
LED Indicator Mode	Fully Enabled, Disabled with Motion, Fully Disabled	Fully Enabled, Disabled with Motion, Fully Disabled	N/A
Temperature Change Trigger	Tenths of a degree	Tenths of a degree	N/A
Temperature Offset	-128 to +127	-10 to +10	N/A
Humidity Change Trigger	by % change	by % change	N/A
Humidity Offset	-50 to +50%	-50 to +50%	N/A
Light Change Offset	-10 to +10 Lux	-1000 to +1000 Lux	N/A
Light Change Trigger	Adjustable (enter LUX value)	Adjustable (enter LUX value)	N/A
Sensor Report Interval	20 sec to 24 hours	20 sec to 24 hours	N/A
Enable Selective Reporting	N/A with this particular DH	Yes – through the Custom Handler	N/A
UV Offset	N/A with this particular DH	-10 to +10	N/A

Power Options

I always prefer the CR123 batteries, for which this takes 2. I also like having the option for continuous power (micro USB) on my motion sensors, which this device offers. Motion sensors are an integral part of home automation and security, and leaving this critical function up to batteries is not always the best route. Happy to see both of my favorite power options available on the Aeotec MultiSensor 6-in-1.

Power Type	Qty
CR123 Battery	1
Micro USB	Yes
AA Battery	No
AAA Battery	No
Other	No

Overall Performance

For the most part the unit performs very fast across all hubs as noted below. All tests were performed on clean hubs.

Hub	Minimum Response Time (seconds)	Average Response Time (seconds)	Max Response Time (seconds)
Hubitat	0.49	0.55	0.58
SmartThings	0.54	0.74	0.87
Wink Hub	N/A	N/A	N/A
Vera	0.34	0.76	0.94

END

Aeon Labs Aeotec Multi Sensor 6 Motion Sensor Multi Sensor Z-Wave Plus

Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in1 Multi Sensor