Set up simple Z-Wave configuration from scratch

I fell sort of dumb asking this question, but the documentation I could find doesn’t help me, Googling throws up lots of links that are plain wrong and/or confusing. I have a simple test rig: Raspberry Pi 4B 4GB, Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5+, Fibaro FGS-213 Single Switch and openHAB 3.1.0 Release Build (the openHABian image). My goal is to automatically toggle the Fibaro switch every 30 seconds.

I had tinkered with so many settings I have gone back to having just 2 Things installed and online: the Z-Stick and the Fibaro switch. Where do I go from here to achieve my goal?

An aside: This is in preparation to transitioning about 25 Z-Wave nodes and some complex LUA coding from a VeraPlus.

Hello John,

It’s a very good idea to start with just one thing to get the concept of OH.
You have read this?
https://www.openhab.org/addons/bindings/zwave/#z-wave-in-practice

For automation you need rules.
https://www.openhab.org/docs/configuration/rules-dsl.html#defining-rules

The documentaion is in general a good point to start.

Thanks for the links Christian, but the first just describes the fundamentals of Z-Wave and the second is no help because it has skipped forward several stages from where I am. I think I need to define Channels and Items first and this is where I came to following circular links in the documentation that then completely looses me. I can’t help feeling that I am missing something fundamental, somewhere.
I think I need an idiots guide to achieve my goal as stated above “My goal is to automatically toggle the Fibaro switch every 30 seconds.”

One step at a time, forget 30 secs, first get the zwave device controlled from openHAB.

That comes in steps as well, first get the zwave controller working with openHAB. This is binding and Things setting up.

Then get the Fibaro device linked to the binding g this is about automated discovery of Things and channels.

Only when that is completed move to Items, the representation of device in openHAB.

After that’s working, you can think about rules to automate and time actions.

How far have you got?

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Hi rossko57,
OK. I have Z-Wave Node 004: FGS213 Single Switch 2 and Z-Wave Serial Controller in Things.
I have Switch 2 in Items. Next?

Can you control your device from UI? No point trying to automate without being able to control it first.

Then you’ll need to write a rule. Decide when you want this flashing to start. Decide if you ever need to stop it. These influence the structure of your rule.
Search posts here for flashing or beeping for ideas.

Example

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‘Things’ shows the FGS-213 as ‘ONLINE’. I have the switch in ‘Items’, ‘Channel Links’ shows it as ‘ONLINE’, but when I toggle the switch in the Item page nothing happens at the physical switch device.

BTW: Thanks for your patience :slightly_smiling_face:

How close is the controller to the switch?

About 1 metre (3 feet).

Nothing there tells us there is any linkage between the Item you are poking, and the actual device.
You are going to have to follow the detail trail, and pay attention to types - stuff isn’t going to work if you link number channels to Switch Items.
So, start with your Thing in the UI, look at its channels, understand what they are. You won’t be able to turn lights on and off via a tamper alarm channel. See what Items are linked to channels, check that’s the same Item.

If I remove power from the FGS-213 I eventually get a ‘ERROR:COMM’ notification in Items. So, this leads me to think that it openHAB can ‘see’ the switch.

Just in case I am going down a rathole I am going to test the FGS-213 on my VeraPlus system…

Tested the FGS-213 on my VeraPlus - worked perfectly.

Got the FGS-213 back on the openHAB system. Have have the Item displayed, I click on ‘Channels’, now what to do. The documentation gives me no clue.

I did exactly as I did in the past and now the Item can be switched on and off!!! No idea why. What is the next step? A Rule?

Make a careful note of your working Item name (not label, not description), so that you can refer to it in a rule.

Refer to post #6 for design decisions you must make.

You must also choose which of the several rule systems you wish to work with. You may have a preference for working with UI or text files, and/or a programming language variant. The choices are not well documented but there is a lot of discussion here.

I’m going to have to leave this for a day or two now. I’ll experiment more and get back to you if I need more help.
Thanks.