Cheap Z-Wave Wireless Button?

[madmartian]

I need a cheap wireless Z-Wave button. I am familiar with "The Big Red Button" from Fibaro, Aeotec WallMote & nanomote, and some other $35+ buttons, while the $10-$15 buttons all seem to be Zigbee (why is that?!). I don't care what the button looks like since I'm going to wire it to a relay. I don't need fancy features or dimming. Just a button. I do need the battery to last as long as possible as it will require a ladder to change.

 

[asbril]

The cheapest solution that I cam come up with is a Zwave plug-in device.  As long as it is included in your ISY, it will work as a button. There several other plugs, but this seems to be the smallest and the cheapest.

[gviliunas]

7 hours ago, madmartian said:

I do need the battery to last as long as possible as it will require a ladder to change.

@madmartian   I'm having trouble wrapping my head around where and why you would place a button that you need a ladder to reach....

"John, did you clean the gutters this fall?"  "Certainly Martha, ISY says the Gutter Cleaned Verification button was pushed on Sept 2 at 14:53..."

[Teken]

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around where and why you would place a button that you need a ladder to reach....
"John, did you clean the gutters this fall?"  "Certainly Martha, ISY says the Gutter Cleaned Verification button was pushed on Sept 2 at 14:53..."

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[asbril]

3 hours ago, gviliunas said:

@madmartian   I'm having trouble wrapping my head around where and why you would place a button that you need a ladder to reach....

"John, did you clean the gutters this fall?"  "Certainly Martha, ISY says the Gutter Cleaned Verification button was pushed on Sept 2 at 14:53..."

Maybe a martian thing ?

[madmartian]

@asbril You missed the "wireless" requirement. Gotsta be battery powered. No access to a wall plug.

@gviliunas The doorbell chime is one example. It's high up. Thinking of attaching a Z-wave button (via a relay) instead of the chime and using ISY programming to make things happen when the bell is pressed. Could be especially fun for Halloween. Not that we'll actually have one this year, but I can dream. Of causing nightmares...

 

[gviliunas]

@madmartian  So, you are not really looking for a "button" to be pushed by a human. You are looking for a battery-powered z-wave digital input module that takes the "someone energized the doorbell" a ladder-length above the ground and notifies ISY. Is this true?

I also suppose that both the wire from the button and the wire from the 24VAC transformer meet at your bell....a ladder-length above the ground.

[madmartian]

@gviliunas Yes and no. I could use either such a module, which has a relay built-in, or use a button (such as one of the expensive ones I mentioned) with a separate relay. Either will work. Trying to keep the price down as I may need several.

@gviliunas

[asbril]

12 minutes ago, madmartian said:

@gviliunas Yes and no. I could use either such a module, which has a relay built-in, or use a button (such as one of the expensive ones I mentioned) with a separate relay. Either will work. Trying to keep the price down as I may need several.

@gviliunas

I am not sure that you can "wire" this, but it may be an option. I have not found anything else.

[gviliunas]

@asbril @madmartian That looks like a good option for "hacking to a solution." I am assuming that madmartian is up to the gutting and soldering challenge. ?

Thanks to @asbril I may have a long sought-after Z-wave digital input device.

[madmartian]

@asbril Gutting the mechanical functions could be cumbersome and at $40 it's no better than a remote switch like this https://smile.amazon.com/Aeotec-WallMote-Z-Wave-wireless-control/dp/B076DBD5JF

This might be the best I've found so far, but is still $30: https://smile.amazon.com/Hank-Controller-HKZW-SCN04-SmartThings-handler/dp/B0799SF1KC/

I don't understand why the Zigbee remotes are so much cheaper.

[madmartian]

Well whadayaknow, there is something that does EXACTLY what I'm looking for. It connects to the doorbell system (runs off 16V AC) and sends a Z-wave signal.

https://www.amazon.com/Nexia-Z-Wave-Doorbell-Sensor-DB100Z/dp/B017VVO9QQ

It's $45, but doing exactly what I need without hacking is a plus. And there may be others like it. I found it on this list:

https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-list-of-devices-with-dry-contact-input-from-external-sources/150510/2

More investigating to do...

[madmartian]

Much thanks to @gviliunas for prodding me to do the right search. I had given up on "multi input multi output" modules because they all use DC power and the doorbell uses AC. Thus I had resigned myself to using a 12V AC relay in conjunction with a battery-powered remote. It looks like that Nexia Z-Wave Doorbell Sensor is the only thing available that will take 16V AC as the input power.

[danbutter]

Is the doorbell the only thing you are planning on using this for?  I notice you said you may need several.

If it has to be zwave perhaps a door sensor and wire to the internal reed switch?

You can get door sensors for $18ish.

https://www.amazon.com/HAOZEE-Detector-Battery-Operated-Automation/dp/B07BK65MLH/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=z-wave+contact+sensor&qid=1595166621&sr=8-7-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSjlEM0VPNjhUNDVBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzQzNTc4M0E0SkhZVlVHRFlFNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjQ0NzMxRTc3MVhPRlhNNFFDJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

A water sensor with exposed contacts would be simpler to wire to, but cost more.

https://www.amazon.com/Ecolink-Zwave-Freeze-Sensor-FLF-ZWAVE5-ECO/dp/B0716YVPLG/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=z-wave+contact+sensor&qid=1595166621&sr=8-15

If you give more details on what you are trying to do there may be more options available for you.