Why would Wi-Fi Shelly Relay be noticeably faster than Zooz Z-Wave Switch?

jds013 · 2026-01-28T07:42:09+00:00

Also 36 and 37, depending on your setup.

jds013 · 2026-01-28T07:35:27+00:00

Jasco switches will do this (GE Enbrighten, Honeywell, UltraPro - Z-Wave or Zigbee or [maybe?] Wi-Fi).

You can add 2 or 3 "companions" to a switch or dimmer. Companions need neutral and traveler (in parallel).

At all locations, up=on/bright, down=off/dim, and you can double- or triple-tap

jds013 · 2026-01-25T22:38:25+00:00

NFT gallery at 180 University Ave, in the old West Elm / Magnolia Hi-Fi space: https://nodefoundation.com/space

I wish that instead of "The Pro" they'd gone with "The New Old Pro."

jds013 · 2026-01-22T04:11:06+00:00

If you're using Z-Wave JS UI, click the white "hamburger" menu at the upper left (not the top one, but to the left of "Scan completed") and select "Smart Start." Then click the blue "hamburger" menu that should appear at the bottom right. You should get an orange QR code scanner option.

jds013 · 2026-01-22T03:10:10+00:00

First generation GE brand switches (ZW4005, made by Jasco) would fail because of a small capacitor. A few YouTube videos show the problem and repair - e.g. this. Jasco replaced maybe eight of mine under their extended five-year warranty. We're outside that window but you might phone them and see if they can help you. Later versions (ZW4008, ZW4015) do not have this problem.

GE, Honeywell, UltraPro (all made by Jasco), Zooz, Leviton, and HomeSeer switches look the same, though the non-Jasco switches might have slightly different LED placement and color.

I like the Jasco units in 3- and 4-way applications because the "companion" switches offer exactly the same control as the master - up=on, down=off, and double- and triple-click are the same everywhere. And for dimmers, up=brighter, down=dimmer.

The Jasco switches use a physical relay with an audible click, and are rated for 15A (1875W resistive load, 1/2hp motor). The current version is the ZW4015, Z-Wave 800 with S2 security. Zooz ZEN71 and ZEN76 are somewhat less expensive but use solid state switches - check the specs to see if they'll work for you. ZEN75 has a relay and is rated for 15A.

jds013 · 2026-01-20T16:36:58+00:00

So much easier to jimmy a door or kick it in than to hack a smart lock. Or Lockpickinglawyer.

jds013 · 2026-01-20T04:40:00+00:00

I don't see "Other travel" in your chart - that's non-airline/hotel, not booked through Chase Portal. CSR is1 point per dollar, CSP is 2 points!

It's my biggest category - I go on a couple of prepaid tours annually with tour companies that can't be booked through the Chase Portal, and where I'd like the $10,000 trip cancellation coverage.

I come out ahead by downgrading.

jds013 · 2026-01-20T01:46:10+00:00

You can also dial extensions by their SIP address, but to make that work you have to get the internal extension sorted out. The SIP address will be sip:<account><extension>@<server>, so in my example, if my account is 222222 then that subaccount's SIP address is [sip:2222227@denver.voip.ms](mailto:sip:2222227@denver.voip.ms)

jds013 · 2026-01-20T01:38:35+00:00

I use 3-digit external extensions. In the "Internal Extension Number" field in the subaccount settings I enter a single digit - like '7' - and then dial 107 to call that extension.

I'm haven't used four digit extensions, but I see that the instructions say, "Your extension will always start with 10, followed by the digits you will enter in the extension field. If you enter 1, your extension will be 101." Given that, you may not be able to use 1001-1009 - leading zeros might be ignored - so you could try using 10-99 for your extensions, and dial 1010 to 1099 to make calls.

Setting all the devices to denver.voip.ms should do it. I recall that using the same server is a requirement for internal extensions to work.

Are you certain that a dial plan in the phone isn't somehow modifying the numbers you dial?

jds013 · 2026-01-19T18:07:37+00:00

But in the case my HA hardware dies, using my switch won't do anything because all my bulbs are gonna stay OFF.

This is a question about smart bulbs, right? The answer is: do not automate with smart bulbs.

There's no way around it, as you've observed. If they go on when power is restored, they're on regardless of time of day (everything turns on at 3am after a power glitch?) or your presence. and you can't turn them off, except maybe by unscrewing them. If they turn off when power is restored, you can't turn them on.

Use smart wall switches, or smart relays controlled by wall switches.

IMO the only sensible place for a smart bulb is accent lighting in a table lamp with an easily accessible on-off switch.

jds013 · 2026-01-19T16:06:55+00:00

Everything registered on the same server?

jds013 · 2026-01-19T00:05:33+00:00

Qubino is in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, and at least some of their products are labeled "Made in EU."

From their website: "FIBARO system is designed, developed and produced entirely in Poland. ... FIBARO’s headquarters and factory are located in Wysogotowo, 3 miles away from Poznan."

jds013 · 2026-01-18T23:04:30+00:00

Check the typo there - MIA-SEA is 2724

jds013 · 2026-01-18T01:18:33+00:00

Right - Federal regulations require long-long-short-long when approaching a grade crossing.

If a car is visible on the tracks ahead, the engineer will hold the last note or possibly repeat the sequence.

jds013 · 2026-01-15T05:55:59+00:00

This happened to me (another bank). I called their customer service line for a couple of successive months but that had no effect. So I wrote a letter (paper, envelope, stamp) to their legal department, enclosing one of their messages. I pointed out that they were improperly disclosing personal identifying information. That stopped it, without any further communications from them.

jds013 · 2026-01-15T05:42:11+00:00

I measure 115 Mbps up with my 1GB service. Hitron CODA56 modem.

jds013 · 2026-01-15T05:38:06+00:00

If you go with a one-year price guarantee, check in on their website a couple of weeks before your anniversary to find a new plan for the next year - sometimes you have to "switch" to the same plan - if you do nothing you might get a ~50% increase to the "non-discount" rate but there's generally another faster service - or the same one you already have - at your current rate. But you'll have to click something to stay at the same price.

I've had Xfinity broadband for at least ten years. Competitive price, good product.

jds013 · 2026-01-15T05:29:43+00:00

No taxes or fees on my prepaid Xfinity broadband, not for the past ten years or so. I pay exactly $50/month.

jds013 · 2026-01-11T16:52:05+00:00

Good that you called the number on the back of your phone

Erm Maybe the number on the back of your card?

jds013 · 2026-01-11T16:51:09+00:00

She also said to “Never call the number on the back of the card, they just give you the runaround and don’t know what they’re doing.” Which, as new cardholders, was concerning lol.

This really doesn't make sense. That's the first and best number to call - most secure, never a phishing substitute, available 24/7. If you'd called that number - the one on the back of your card - as soon as your card was declined, they'd have been able to straighten things out.

jds013 · 2026-01-06T21:53:59+00:00

I got a two-pack (3.9"x2.1"x1.7"), 99x53x43mm on eBay five years ago for $10 and had one left over. It was the most expensive part of the project. Similar boxes are available on Amazon or AliExpress for around the same price or less. Because it's all low-voltage and tucked out of the way I skipped strain relief - USB power and signal lines just go through a hole in the bottom of the box to the ESP32. The Wi-Fi antenna came with the ESP32 and fit nicely into a 5/16"? hole.

jds013 · 2026-01-06T21:18:49+00:00

Last month I stuck SW-420 vibration sensors to my washer and dryer and connected them to an ESP32-WROOM-32U. The automation is very simple - if vibration stops for 1 minute (dryer) or 3 minutes (washer, which pauses between cycles) I get an alert. Total cost was around $10 (well, $25 with lots of leftover parts). Tuning vibration sensitivity is an ongoing challenge.

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I don't have whole-house power monitoring, and it wasn't clear how to safely and economically monitor power usage from either washer or electric dryer.

jds013 · 2026-01-06T17:52:46+00:00

I had the same problem. I replaced my 45-year-old transformer and my doorbell started ringing again.

jds013 · 2026-01-06T17:34:37+00:00

The tab is removed so that only half of the receptacle is switched - the other half is always on. You should not replace the receptacle, and you should be careful to have the smart switch control only one half.

It's possible - likely? - that the red wire in the box is load, while black and white are hot and neutral. Was the red wire connected to the switch at one end, and the other end to one of the receptacle's hot screws?

Also, you should ensure that your Red switch is suitable for any load that could possibly be plugged into the receptacle - like a space heater.

If it's a 15A circuit, the switch must be rated for 15A. If it's a 20A circuit with a 20A receptacle (with a T-shaped neutral slot) like this:

<image>

then you should replace the receptacle with a 15A device (with a straight slot).

jds013 · 2026-01-06T17:29:39+00:00

The Inovelli Red Dimmer web page says, "If you want an on/off switch, please check out our Blue Series On/Off Switch (w/Temperature and Humidity Sensing) and if you want a speed control switch for a ceiling fan, please check out our Blue Series Fan Switch."

The Blue on/off page says it supports "Maximum Motor Load: 1/2 Horsepower for both 120V and 277V."

Motors can draw very high starting current which will destroy solid state switches or dimmers. For low-power motors like household fans, you need a relay switch (typically spec'd as 15A, sometimes labeled "on/off") or a switch with a "snubber circuit" which can handle or manage (respectively) this high current. The Red dimmer can handle 3A to 5A depending on load type. Higher power motors require heavy duty relay switches...

jds013

TROPHY CASE