I’m slowly working towards a whole home automation system… Currently just dabbling really and trying to learn as much as I can before investing too much money in the wrong things!!
I’m looking at using Z Wave for sensors (door contact, motion, light etc) with an Aeotec Gen 5 z-stick and am considering investing in a RFXtrx433E for control using Lightwave RF light/power switches.
I’m really just after some advice on whether this sounds like a reasonable approach or whether I should consider just using z wave for everything? My main concern with z wave for things such as light/power sockets is the WAF… The ones I’ve seen just aren’t as aesthetically pleasant.
Lightwave is cheap and has been pretty reliable. Running it from RFX433 means you can get more transmitter power for hard to reach modules and changes to the wifi link firmware can break the binding. Rfx433 only works for the light/power units, not heating.
I got into zwave because my roof windows use it. It is much more versatile than lightwave and consequently a bit more fiddly to set up. There is a much greater range of modules, including some that can fit behind conventional switches. Because they communicate both ways, OpenHAB will know if a light was turned on locally, which light wave can’t do. Zwave modules cost more.
I’ve gone Lightwave for basic functions (retrofit dimmers and socket outlets) and zwave for more complicated requirements (lights controlled by more than one switch and where my rules need to know the state of lights)
My system is still in a very much beta stage, however Zwave has never missed a beat for me. Sockets I’m just trying a new addition to the market which work locally. There is a thread about them, I’ve only just received them so need to test though
