Effective Battery Management

[simplextech]

I've searched but I came up empty handed as the term "battery" comes up far too often.

Is there any effective/functional/usable method to monitor battery devices other than just replacing them on a schedule or waiting for them to stop working?

I have an older motion sensor that is (as of today) not working with a last switched on of last night and the "low bat" node is still showing "Off".  With this I can presume battery monitoring does not work?  Or should not be considered reliable?

[paulbates]

I've had the older MSs for a while. While the low battery sensor typically goes off, sometimes its too late by the time it does and the MS will exhibit odd behavior or stop working, which supports what you stated above. If I have one that sets off the low battery node, I factory reset it and restore device to resuscitate it (except in winter, see below).

The additional complication for me that they are all outside exposed to the elements in Michigan winters. If the temps get really cold, it can effect the battery and make it set off the notification even though it will be fine when things warm back up.

I've resorted to a 2 twice a year schedule for all of them based on the most used sensor; Mid-late fall and spring.

Paul

[simplextech]

7 minutes ago, paulbates said:

I've resorted to a 2 twice a year schedule for all of them based on the most used sensor; Mid-late fall and spring.

 

I read your earlier posting about the schedule

I'm just looking for a game plan of the same.  Do I treat them like old fashion smoke detectors and change the batteries twice a year (or more) just because.  Or is there a reliable automated method.... frankly I've not found any device/system with reliable battery reporting whether it's z-wave or zigbee it doesn't seem to matter the battery reporting has never been reliable (my experience).

[paulbates]

2 hours ago, simplextech said:

I read your earlier posting about the schedule

I'm just looking for a game plan of the same.  Do I treat them like old fashion smoke detectors and change the batteries twice a year (or more) just because.  Or is there a reliable automated method.... frankly I've not found any device/system with reliable battery reporting whether it's z-wave or zigbee it doesn't seem to matter the battery reporting has never been reliable (my experience).

I fully get it and its not ideal. But at the end of the day I need it to work even when I'm traveling, so the "just because" is the "least worst" option. And the sensors do otherwise work. The best answer is to put them on 9 volt transformers but there is no power nearby

Paul

[simplextech]

6 minutes ago, paulbates said:

I fully get it and its not ideal. But at the end of the day I need it to work even when I'm traveling, so the "just because" is the "least worst" option. And the sensors do otherwise work. The best answer is to put them on 9 volt transformers but there is no power nearby

Paul

I get it.  It's the best option for assured reliability.  I was just checking to see if maybe it was me being dumb and not knowing something about these sensors or some ISY trick.