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European Z-wave frequencies with ISY?

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Posted

So... After all these years I just learned that Europe and the US use different frequencies for Z-wave! Quite annoying. Will the ISY994i Z-wave board in the US support European devices? Do I need to do anything special to get them to work? I am mainly looking at battery-powered remotes and switches since plugin devices from Europe are not compatible with US current or plugs.

We can't have North American buying European products! Maybe we should change the gallon, ounce and a few other things too. Maybe we can change pronunciation of the protocol from Zed-Wave too! :) :) 

What is a cubit?

Edited by larryllix

No, I don't think that Zwave devices with European frequencies work with ISY. Why, if I may ask, would you be surprised. Most European electric devices don't work in the US as they are either 220 or 240 Volt, so the element of your surprise surprises me.

One would need a EU plug-in Zwave I/O board or a Zwave USB key that ISY supports but the delays would be longer as they are not quite up to 60Hz yet. :) 

Edited by larryllix

1 minute ago, larryllix said:

One would need a EU plug-in Zwave I/O board or a Zwave USB key that ISY supports.

Theoretically that would work, but then all your devices would have to be European. Could one have a secondary controller with European frequency ?

1 minute ago, asbril said:

Theoretically that would work, but then all your devices would have to be European. Could one have a secondary controller with European frequency ?

Once polisy boxes contain ISY I would think they will only use external or  USB key type I/O. Then any matching frequency and voltage PLM or Zwave should work.

14 minutes ago, dbuss said:

It would be illegal for manufacturers to sell Z-Wave devices in the United States on that frequency.

Here's what uses that frequency band in teh United States.

https://fccid.io/frequency-explorer.php?lower=868.4&upper=868.4

To expand a bit on dbuss's point:  In the US, your EU z-wave device might be interfering with cell phone signals.  So, while you might get away with unauthorized use if all you were disrupting were business-to-business radio traffic, interfering with cell traffic is a whole 'nuther matter -- you might find one of those funny white vans bristling with antennae crawling around your neighborhood... followed by a visit, a fine, or worse if you persist... :-)  You can mess with the local tow truck's radios.  You can screw up nearby HAM radio operators all you want.  You can run 200x the legal power on CB radios.  The FCC doesn't seem to give a crap about that.  But... don't be messin' with cell phone service -- that'll get you quick attention!

Edited by mwester

3 minutes ago, mwester said:

You can screw up nearby HAM radio operators all you want.

Please don't.......  I am a HAM operator ?????

Edited by asbril

  • Author

Thanks for the info. Conclusion is I must use US remotes for Z-wave in the US. Going to be more careful on ebay!

1 minute ago, madmartian said:

Thanks for the info. Conclusion is I must use US remotes for Z-wave in the US. Going to be more careful on ebay!

Finally your avatar picture makes sense :-) 

  • Author
16 minutes ago, asbril said:

Finally your avatar picture makes sense :-) 

On Mars we use the same frequency everywhere. You Earthlings are weird! :) 

33 minutes ago, mwester said:

To expand a bit on dbuss's point:  In the US, your EU z-wave device might be interfering with cell phone signals.  So, while you might get away with unauthorized use if all you were disrupting were business-to-business radio traffic, interfering with cell traffic is a whole 'nuther matter -- you might find one of those funny white vans bristling with antennae crawling around your neighborhood... followed by a visit, a fine, or worse if you persist... :-)  You can mess with the local tow truck's radios.  You can screw up nearby HAM radio operators all you want.  You can run 200x the legal power on CB radios.  The FCC doesn't seem to give a crap about that.  But... don't be messin' with cell phone service -- that'll get you quick attention!

The cell phone companies provide a lot more revenue to the FCC than the tow truck operator does. Interrupting the general public's cell phone service gets a lot of attention from the public. Reasons not necessarily valid, but true.

Receiving a cease and desist order from the FCC usually gets one attention.

15 minutes ago, dbuss said:

Receiving a cease and desist order from the FCC usually gets one attention.

True but let's keep thia in perspective. The range of Zwave may impede the cell phones in your home, possibly the neighbor if you live in a condo, but getting a FCC visit is unlikely.

We see the same thing with Dual Band Insteon Modules.

The modules for different parts of the world. Use a different RF frequency.  Depending on what frequency is allowed in that part of the world.  Besides the different wall plugs and outlets for plugged in modules.

4 minutes ago, asbril said:

True but let's keep thia in perspective. The range of Zwave may impede the cell phones in your home, possibly the neighbor if you live in a condo, but getting a FCC visit is unlikely.

The cellular service provider would certainly attempt to resolve the problem before the FCC was involved. 

 

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