This is a review of the 100+ series wall switch and dimmer from HomeSeer. For a review of HomeSeer’s latest 200+ series switch and dimmer, please see:
DarwinsDen.com HomeSeer HS-WS200+ & HS-WD200+ Review and SmartThings Device Handlers.
Originally Published: 8 April 2016
Initial Impressions
This is a preliminary review of the HomeSeer Z-Wave Plus HS-WS100+ on/off switch and HS-WD100+ dimmer switch. I’ve also posted SmartThings Device Handler/drivers, Central Scene Notification Information, and some comparison images with the GE Z-Wave switch equivalents.
These new switches appear to be manufactured by Dragontech, but have custom HomeSeer firmware that provides double-tap, triple-tap, and hold functionality for both up and down presses, as well as instant status – all via Central Scene Notification. These new switches include the new 500 series Z-Wave Plus module sporting extended range and network-wide inclusion (NWI).
Interestingly, these HomeSeer WS100+ and WD100+ switches physically look and feel very similar to their GE 12722 and 12724 counterparts – including very similar casing and screw terminals. The WS100+ on/off switch also has the same (annoying for some) short delay as the 12722 before the physical relay responds after a press. The WD100+ dimmer performed similarly to the GE 12724 dimmer, with no flickering or noticeable hum when used with a dimmable LED bulb.
I am not aware of what, if any actual components of these switches may also be shared with the GE’s, but could it be that we may soon be seeing a GE branded variant of these switches available at Lowe’s?
The HomeSeer HS-WD100+ Z-Wave dimmer includes 7 level LED dim indicator status and an air gap switch
Aside from the added LED dim level indication on the WD100+, the main physical differences are that the HomeSeer switches have bluish-white and slightly brighter LED indicators, and the WS100+ on/off switch does not include an air gap switch as does the GE on/off switch.
The LED dim level indicator, instant-on, and double/triple press and hold functions worked well in my testing and are welcome additions to the GE capabilities, at an only slightly higher price-point. These are now my top recommended switches in the bang-for-the-buck category.
A simple use case for these switches might be to turn on your porch light with a single press, include pathway lighting with a double tap, and also include flood lighting with a triple tap.
If you like the GE switches, you’ll really like the HomeSeer switches. If you don’t care for the GE switch look & feel, or the ~400ms delay on the physical relay of the on/off switch, these may not be quite what you are looking for, and you may be more interested in the Cooper Aspire, Leviton, or other offerings in the Z-Wave In-Wall Switch Comparison Table.
Issues to be aware of
EDIT 15, June 2016: HomeSeer has implemented a firmware update for the HS-WS100+ on/off/on toggle issue described below. HomeSeer has also updated the HS-WD100+ dimmer firmware to enable control of the dim rate when controlled remotely. This update also enables a much slower ramp-up of the dim level when controlled remotely, which I believe will resolve issues some users have had using this dimmer with certain bulbs. If you have a HomeSeer controller or a hub that supports over the air updates, the updated firmware can be downloaded from HomeSeer here.
I initially had an issue with the HS-WS100+ On/Off switch where the switch would turn on as expected when manually pressed or held, but sometimes would then immediately turn off and finally back on again. I observed this behavior when testing with a SmartThings Hub, HomeSeer controller, and also an Almond+. The switch never exhibited this behavior when it was left un-paired to a controller. HomeSeer support quickly sent me out a replacement and so far, I have not seen this exact annoying behavior after a normal on press, although it does occasional toggle off and back on again when held on. I have seen other reports now of this behavior, and it appears that so far, HomeSeer support has been quick to respond with replacement switches.
I also saw an issue with the HS-WD100+ dimmer using a non-standard LED fixture with built-in, non-replaceable dimmable LEDs. Occasionally, when remotely setting the switch to a high dim level after it had been off, the fixture LED’s would remain barely lit, despite the switch LED’s indicating the high level had been set. The fixture always works fine with the GE Z-Wave 12724 dimmer. I did not check the dimmer output with a multimeter, but I suspect it may have been an issue with the fixture not correctly handling the ramp-up behavior of the switch, and not an issue with the switch itself. I did not experience this issue when testing with other incandescent and dimmable LED bulbs.
SmartThings Device Handlers for HomeSeer HS-WS100+ & HS-WD100+
I’ve written the following device handlers for the Samsung SmartThungs Hub that handle both double-tap, triple-tap, and hold notifications for both the up and down cases for these switches. They also handle a scene notification for normal press up and press down for “instant” on/off status notification.
Update 26-September-2016: The WD100+ device handler has been updated to support preference options for ramp rate configuration, switch reversal, as well as an option to turn the light on full brightness following a double-tap up action.
Update 14-January-2017: The WD100+ device handler has been updated to an option to set the dim level to 25% following a double-tap down action. Also, additional button results have been added for single press up (button 7) and single press down (button 8) actions. These are useful for enabling smartApp rules to execute on single tap up/down actions regardless of whether the switch is already currently in the on or off state.
The device handlers also include virtual buttons on the mobile app for all the possible button states.
Device Handler Installation:
The HS-WS100+ and HS-WD100+ SmartThings Hub Device Handlers can be downloaded at:
Installing the Device Handler:
- Login at https://account.smartthings.com
- Select “My Device Handlers” and select “Create New SmartDevice”.
- On the “Create New Device Handler” page, select the tab “From Code”, and paste in the code from either of the above links into the IDE editor window.
- Click the “Create” button at the bottom.
- Click the “Save” button above the editor window.
- Click the “Publish” button and select “For Me”.
The device handler is now ready for use.
HS-WS100+ and HS-WD100+ Button Mappings
| Action | Button# | Button Action |
| Double-Tap Up | 1 | pressed |
| Double-Tap Down | 2 | pressed |
| Triple-Tap Up | 3 | pressed |
| Triple-Tap Down | 4 | pressed |
| Hold Up | 5 | pressed |
| Hold Down | 6 | pressed |
| Single-Tap Up | 7 | pressed |
| Single-Tap Down | 8 | pressed |
If you don’t need all of the virtual double/triple tap and hold buttons on you mobile app and just don’t want all the clutter, SmartThings community developer erocm1231 also created a WD100+ device handler without all the fuss right around the same time I developed these. This handler uses the same button mappings as described above.
The ability to have multiple SmartThings device handlers available within a couple days after a product release is not uncommon, and is a testament to the SmartThings flexible architecture and the very supportive SmartThings community members.
A special thanks to SmartThings community member Dale Coffing for testing the dimmer device handler on Windows Phone and for providing this short video of the WD100+ device handler virtual button function on Android.
Which SmartThings SmartApp should be used with these?
HomeSeer Z-Wave Plus Switches: HS-WD100+ On/Off (left) and the HS-WD100+ Dimmer
To execute actions within the SmartThings architecture based on these new capabilities, you’ll need to use a SmartApp – and there are several options available. If you are only interested in making use of double tap and triple tap functions, the stock SmartThings Smart Lighting and Button Controller SmartApps can be used to trigger actions based on the first 4 buttons configured in this device handler. If you would like to make use of all 6 functions, Dale Coffing has also put together a modified Button Controller SmartApp (more info here).
If you’re also looking for a universal Rule Engine capability (and are brave enough to try the Beta version), the new CoRE (the Community’s own Rule Engine, pioneered by intrepid developer Adrian Caramaliu) SmartApp, can also perform this function – as well as just about everything else.
Central Scene Notification Information
Up/Down: Scene Number
| Up | Down | |
| sceneNumber | 1 | 2 |
Press Type: Key Attributes
| Single Press |
Hold | Double Tap |
Triple Tap |
|
| keyAttributes | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Images
HomeSeer HS-WS100+ compared to GE 12722
HomeSeer HS-WS100+ compared to GE 12722
HomeSeer HS-WS100+ compared to GE 12722 (back)
The referenced device handler breaks under the newest Samsung SmartThings app. If you try to use a device with this handler for Smart Lighting the app will become unstable and you won’t be able to select multi-tap and hold virtual buttons to trigger events.
Here’s the fixes:
1. Remove the unicode triangle characters from descriptions.
2. Add this function:
private getSupportedButtonValues() {
def values = [“pushed”, “held”]
log.debug (“getSupportedButtonValues() called”)
return values
}
3. Update the configure function adding:
sendEvent(name: “supportedButtonValues”, value: supportedButtonValues.encodeAsJSON(), displayed: false)
Thank you! I’ve merged in your Github pull request for the WS100+ Device Handler Very much appreciated.
Hi! Thanks so much for writing this DTH! It has worked great for the two years I have been using it. I switched over to the new Smartthings App yesterday and I can’t get the double, triple tap, etc to work anymore. Looks like Mike Rossman figured out the code issues? I am not a programmer, where do I find the code with those changes in it? Also, I am having the same problem with my wd200+ dimmer switches. But I was using the HomeSeer DTH for those. Haven’t checked their site to see if they posted an update to work with the new app yet. Is there a better DTH I should be using for those switches with the new app? Thanks again! -Brian
I wasn’t sure what to do with those instructions either but the pull request spelled things out more clearly. The lines in red are the ones being changed or removed, and the green lines are the ones being added/replacing them. I found that while Automations still don’t work properly in the new app (I don’t think this device handler was designed to do that), the Smart Lighting app DOES work, since double/triple taps are mapped to button 3, 4, etc. Button 3, 4, etc are selectable within the Smart Lighting app. So, I’m able to get my scenes working again.
https://github.com/DarwinsDen/SmartThingsPublic/pull/4/commits/c5a08831e83f6c10c3c2f1e6e50e0d2c2556b204
I’m not able to get the additional button features to work in the newest Samsung update (May or June 2021?). They worked prior to that point. Is there another update to the code needed, DarwinsDen?
Hey Darwin, just discovered your device handler for the HS-WD100+. When I try to create new device handler I get the following error? Any clues to what I need to tweak?
Org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed: script_dth_metadata_65cc1e47_a8b3_46e8_b9ab_c0df9a8c06f5: 300: The method public java.lang.Object setLevel(java.lang.Object value, java.lang.Object duration) { … } duplicates another method of the same signature . At [300:1] @ line 300, column 1. def setLevel(value, duration) { ^ script_dth_metadata_65cc1e47_a8b3_46e8_b9ab_c0df9a8c06f5: 280: Repetitive method name/signature for method ‘java.lang.Object setLevel(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object)’ in class ‘script_dth_metadata_65cc1e47_a8b3_46e8_b9ab_c0df9a8c06f5’. @ line 280, column 1. def setLevel (value, rate=null) { ^ script_dth_metadata_65cc1e47_a8b3_46e8_b9ab_c0df9a8c06f5: 300: Repetitive method name/signature for method ‘java.lang.Object setLevel(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object)’ in class ‘script_dth_metadata_65cc1e47_a8b3_46e8_b9ab_c0df9a8c06f5’. @ line 300, column 1. def setLevel(value, duration) { ^ 3 errors
Thanks!
Sorry about that. I had a git pull/merge issue. Please grab the code again from the repository.
Hey Darwin, have you been able to get the HS-WS100+ to work with the new Samsung SmartThings (Smart Connect) app (not referring to the Classic app)? My HS-WS100+ show up in the new app, but when I click on them they say unable to connect, although I can use them just fine in the Classic Smart Things App.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Thanks!
I have installed the WD100 Device Handler and am able to control the Kitchen light from the phone just fine. Within the Smartthings IDE I see the Kitchen light and it has the type of WD100+ Dimmer.
When I go into Webcore ion my phone and look at the list of actuators – for some reason the Kitchen light is not showing in that list so I cannot select it to add it to Webcore’s list. Which means I cannot create a Piston to use it.
Any ideas as to why this might be?
Hi David. The WD100 device handler has a capability Actuator show this should show up when you add devices under WebCore->Settings->Available devices->Which actuators. I can’t say I’ve seen this issue before. The WD100+ should also show up as an option in WebCore under “Which dimmers and dimmable lights”. Are you able to add the device to WebCore using that option?
Hi Darwin, have you looked at the Hubitat hub? I am having a tough time with my WD100+ dimmers in Hubitat and wondering if you have had any luck there?
I’ve been keeping an eye on Hubitat, but haven’t yet pulled the trigger on giving it a trial review. Despite the occasional hiccup, I’ve been fairly content with SmartThings reliability for my basic home operation needs and the HomeSeer controller works well for me for mission-critical, near real-time operations.
That said, as I delve into electric utility demand management, I am moving into an arena where even a short half hour internet or SmartThings server outage could end up costing several hundred dollars in utility demand charges. Porting my demand management smart App to Hubitat may be the perfect solution. I’ll certainly post here if I end up getting a Hubitat and delve into operations with the HomeSeer 100+ and 200+ lines.
When you get ready to try out the upgraded speed and reliability found in standalone local control a Hubitat system provides and want to port over this excellent ST device handler to a Hubitat driver make sure to post up in the Hubitat forums and I would love to help beta test the driver for you.
Any plans to offer a device handler for the new WD200+ dimmers/switches?
Hi Kyle. Great news! I was contacted by HomeSeer and informed that they have already created a SmartThings device handler based on my code for the WD100+. Their commitment to the SmartThings platform is impressive. Since its based on the previous handler code, existing SmartApp rules should work as-is if the device is swapped in place for a WD100+.
The new WD200+ device handler can be found here: http://helpdesk.homeseer.com/article/177-smartthings-handler-wd200. I plan on reviewing this switch at some point, and will be happy to make any suggested tweaks to their device handler if anyone has suggestions.
Hey Darwin,
Thanks for the info! I’m having trouble copying your code. This is the error I keep getting, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed: script_dth_metadata_c3e4955a_44f5_43ef_b22c_341d3a70039d: 72: expecting ‘}’, found ‘:’ @ line 72, column 32. 72 fingerprint deviceId: “0x1101”, inClusters: “0x5E, 0x86, 0x72, 0x5A, 0x85, 0x59, 0x73, 0x26, 0x27, 0x70, 0x2C, 0x2B, 0x5B, 0x7A”, ^ 1 error
Hi Rolis. It appears the code being selected may be incomplete for some reason. Try hitting the “Raw” button to the upper right of the code block on GitHub and then select edit->select-all and copy that before pasting into the SmarthThings IDE. Hope this helps. Let me know it goes.
It worked! Thank you for the quick response. Now to confirm the taps!
Any chance you could do a Device Driver for the HS-PA100+ as well? It’s HomeSeer’s Z-Wave Plus Plug-In Outlet
https://shop.homeseer.com/products/homeseer-hs-pa100-z-wave-plus-wireless-appliance-module?variant=23040717254
Hi Darwin. I just bought a HomeSeer Dimmer with 5.17. I installed the handler “darwinsden : WD100+ Dimmer”, was there something else I needed to do? The Smarthings app custom virtual buttons seem to have no control over the dimmer (like double tap, tap hold, etc.), yet…the apps ON/OFF works, %Dim works, and config settings get sent to the dimmer (like I can control the ramp, and the other options on the config page). Any ideas?
Hi Jonathan. In order to make use of double/triple tap and hold whether from the virtual buttons, you’ll need to configure actions in a SmartThings app such as Advanced Button Controller (ABC), CoRE, or one of the many other SmartThings Smart Apps that allow you to configure button actions. This is also true for the physical buttons resulting from single/double tap and hold, with the exception of the actions that can be defined in the switch config/preferences. If you are using a SmartThings smart app to define actions for the buttons presses and if things still are not working, please let me know which smart app that you are using and I’ll do my best to help debug the issue.
Thanks Darwin. I tried the Advanced BC, although it just clocked when I tried to configure it. So next I tried your BC, and it setup just fine. I then configured a DimLevel 1 for virtual button #1/2 to mimic a manual double tap up/down behavior. That gives me an (up) dim to 99, and a (down) dim to 2, when I hit those on-screen buttons. And that worked beautifully, just exactly as I imagined.
But Im a little confused on how to use the single tap hold icons on the right of the phone display. my assumption (per your chart) was to use the virtual button 5/6 setup. but when i configured dim1 held, nothing happened, and if i configured dim1 pressed, i essentially got the same effect for those right side icons as my left side icons. i was thinking by holding the on-screen single tap hold icon, it would be like manually holding the dimmer up or down. As long as i held my finger to it, it would dim or un-dim…Maybe it doesnt work like that??? Can you explain how the right side icons are intended to be used. Thanks.
Unfortunately Smartthings mobile app UI doesn’t detect holding down the virtual buttons, so there was no way for me to support detecting a hold vs a press with the virtual buttons. Pressing the hold up/down virtual buttons will return the same button (5 & 6) pressed (vs hold) action as you would receive from the dimmer if you physically held the switch paddle up or down. Assigning which buttons and actions are triggered was arbitrary- I could have also configured these as say, to send a button 1 & 2 hold response. The main purpose (at least for me) for the virtual buttons was to test or trigger the rules that you program in for the additional capabilities (double/single tap and hold) of the switch that you might add through the button controller or CoRE apps.
The hold up/down virtual buttons do not also perform the standard dimming capabilies of the physical switch. So, as an example, in addition to turning on the light connected to your switch, you could configure double tap using the button controller app to turn on some of the ceiling lights in a room, double tap could turn on some ceiling and some wall lights, hold could then turn on all ceiling lights and wall lights. Those additional non-organic functions you have programed in with the buttons could also be triggered with the virtual buttons.
I find hold button triggers useful for the WS100+ on/off switch, but frankly I haven’t found a good use for hold buttons for the WD100+ dimmer, since hold also controls the dim level of the light.
I realize this is a long and somewhat confusing explanation, but hope this helps!
Also wondering, is it possible to toggle the “click” sound? I would like to be able to disable the noise the switch make when turning on or off.
I believe the “click” sound on the WS100+ is from the physical relay actually turning the switch on/off and there is no way to silence this.
Is it possible for the hold up/down (long press up/down) to not control the switch on/off status? For example if the switch is on, and I physically long press down – I would like it to trigger a hold down event, but not turn the switch off. Vice versa as well, if the switch is off and I long press up – I would like it to register the command, but not turn the switch on.
Hi Chris. Unfortunately, turning the switch on/off with a hold up/down event appears to be a default behavior of the switch firmware and I haven’t seen a configuration setting available in the firmware to tchange this behavior.
I just bought one of these with 5.17. 2 weird things happening. First, the apps custom virtual buttons have no control over the dimmer (like double tap, tap hold, etc.) . The apps ON/OFF works, %Dim works, and config settings get sent to the dimmer. Like I can control the ramp, and the other options on the config page.
Also if I perform a HOLD TAP locally, then single tap up/down no longer cause an immediate OFF/ON. Instead the light gradually (per the ramp settings) goes off or on. It continues to behave that way until i do a local double tap.
Anyone have a 5.17 Dimmer. Anyone else experiencing these issues? Suggestions
Hey Darwin,
Posted this over on your ST community link but figured it would be equally nice to keep your own page active as well 🙂
Amazing device handler! Wanted to thank you for the hard work and making all these advanced options available to the community.
Is there a way to mess around with how the LED indicators on the switch work? I’m used to my GE dimmers that have that little night-light LED that comes on when the switch is turned off. I would like the lowest indicator LED on the HomeSeer to stay lit when lights go off….is that possible at all from a Device Handler perspective?
Thanks!
Hi Tariq. This has been a common request, but unfortunately, HomeSeer does not currently provide a way to directly control the behavior of the dimmer LED’s. There have been a few request to HomeSeer to add this capability to their firmware, and if they happen to get around to doing it, I will update the DH to support it.
In the meantime, HomeSeer suggests setting the dimmer level to 1% immediately whenever the switch is detected as turned off so that the bottom LED will be lit (and hope that a 1% dim level on your light is not noticeable). You could try doing this with CoRE, or modify the DH to do this, but to me it just sounds like it could cause more trouble and unexpected side effects than it’s worth without the firmware to properly support it.
Hello! I just received some of these dimmers today and I am yet install them. I plan on using the these devices handlers and it sounds like you did a fantastic job! I wanted to verify something in your last post. I am using the ST hub v2 and if I am reading this correctly I can download and Install the HS Controller software and pick up the $40 dollar z wave stick from His in order to update the firmware if need be? I hope this is true I have been looking for this answer all evening 🙂
Hi Will. For non-HomeSeer software users, HomeSeer has suggested in their forum to download the HS3 software and run it as a trial to perform a firmware update if needed. You will need a HomeSeer SmartStick or other Z-Wave interface.
Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!
Hey, I used your script for the WS 100+ and it works perfectly! Thanks! I have tried to use the WD 100+ and the handler loads but when I go to assign different button taps (1-8) it doesn’t let me assign a button, it just keeps giving me the WD 100+ switch itself as the option and not “button 1-8” could there be something wrong with the code or with my process? It works just fine for the switch, but not for the dimmer…
Ok, well now the double tap options work from the APP ONLY when physically pressing the switch for double/triple tap functions on the SWITCH it doesn’t work… Initially nothing would work UNTIL I pressed the “configure” button in the ST app and then the app starts functioning BUT the switch still doesn’t work. When I press the configure button the firmware changes from “–” to “5.7” I don’t think this is right and is what is causing the problem with the physical switch not working… any ideas??? I thought the firmware on the WD-100+ was supposed to 5.16 just like on my operational WS-100+.
Thanks!
Hi Mike. It sounds as if SmartThings may be using the stock Z-Wave dimmer device handler instead of this custom HS-WD100+ device handler code. Possibly the dimmer handler code didn’t end up installing correctly or just wasn’t associated correctly to the dimmer. In the SmartThings IDE “My Device Handlers” tab, verify that there is a “darwinsden : WD100+ Dimmer” that has “Button” listed in the capabilities column. In the IDE “My Devices” tab, select and edit your switch to verify and ensure that it is using this device handler. The GUI on your mobile app for the dimmer should look the the image shown in this post. Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks sir, all checks out, the app on my android phone looks just like your screenshot. I had zero issues with setting up the WS100+ and the firmware on the app (which looks just like yours) says the firmware (of the switch I assume) says 5.7. On the WS100+ it says 5.16… I’ve removed the switch and firmware time and time and time again… nothing… could it be that Homeseer sent me a switch with an incorrect firmware? I used the device handler code from the link below. I assume you copy and paste all the lines of code starting with line one or the lines that are in bold or does it matter?
https://community.smartthings.com/t/release-homeseer-dimmer-and-switch-hs-wd100-hs-ws100-device-handlers/73836
Thanks!
Mike, you may be on to something questioning the 5.7 firmware version. That doesn’t seem correct to me either, unless HomeSeer made an undocumented large increment in their versions. You might want to contact HomeSeer support with a question on that firmware version. They are usually very responsive and helpful.
Another possibility could be a z-wave mesh issue or connectivity issue with your hub. By chance, is the dimmer located farther away from your hub than your other devices? If there is an issue here, a z-wave repair might give additional insights. Good luck!
The dimmer switch is very close (in the same room) as the hub. I’ve tried Z wave repair. I contacted Homeseer and the switch has firmware 5.7 which is older. They are currently on 5.14 for dimmer. I wonder if you can update the switch firmware via ST as I don’t have a Homeseer hub? Thanks, if not I’ll just send the switch back and make sure they send me one with 5.14 installed so the handler will work correctly
Unfortunately, there is no way to update the firmware with the SmartThings Hub. You’ll need the HomeSeer controller software and either a HomeSeer hub or a Z-Wave stick. Good to hear they’ll send a replacement. From what I’ve seen, they support this switch very well regardless of which Hub is being used, and have been very supportive of these SmartThings device handlers.
I’m having the exact opposite issue. The dimmer works fine but the switches doesn’t give me the option to assign the different actions.
Thank you for your recent update to include the button events for single up and down presses in Smartthings. Unfortunately, when I try to use those buttons in CoRE, they are not showing up as events in IDE Live Logging. Any idea why Smartthings is not handling them as button presses?
Hi Sean. Which device are you experiencing issues with – the WD100+ dimmer or the WS100+ switch? When you look at the device UI in the mobile app, do you see the Tap-up/Tap-down indication on the main tile? Does the “Recently” tab entries give any indication of a button 7 or 8 press?
Thank you for this amazing write-up and IDE. I am currently using your IDE for the WD-100+ (installed the IDE around January 14, 2017).
Unfortunately I’m running into the same issue that Bobby had in August 2016. I am not able to dim past 60%. I can force it below if i’m persistent, and keep trying to dim it, but it’ll immediately brighten back up to 60%.
I’m going to try re-installing the IDE this weekend, in case I screwed something up. Just thought I’d mention it in case you might have any ideas 🙂
Hi. I am testing a couple of the Homeseer Z-Wave Plus dimmers and comparing them to the GE Z-Wave dimmers. I like the Homeseers, however, I am trying to turn off the indicator lights and don’t appear to be able to using either of the device managers above. Do those functions actually work in the device managers? I haven’t seen anyone comment either way. Did I use the appropriate installation method (i.e., controlling the switches through the device manager using the simulator)? Or, is there another way to connect the switches to the device manager?
Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.
–EJ
Thanks for all of the great information. I just bought a wink2 hub to use with some older GE z-wave dimmer switches. Since my switches won’t work correctly with LED lights I’m looking to make an upgrade.
I’ve been intrigued by the lights reviewed in this article, but I’m also intrigued by the Lutron Caseta dimmers. What are your initial thoughts on the Lytton devices? I’m intrigued by the Apple HomeKit compabiliy of the Lutron devices even though I plan to use some sort of hub.
Also, with the Homeseer switches, are they a glossy white finish? Or, are they a matte finish? My interior designer wife really wants glossy.
Thanks again for all of your great knowledge.
The addition of multiple nearby devices, exclusion of the MB switch and subsequent repairing of the MB switch has resolved the issue. Thank you for your help.
Excellent. I was hoping your Z-Wave mesh just needed a bit of bolstering. Thanks for the update.
I can control the on/off and dimming behavior of the switch using the ST mobile app and it’s state is properly reflected within the app. Moreover, I can invoke the UP and DOWN double-tap routines using the SmartApp and they work perfectly. Repeated Z-wave repairs complete with innocuous messages such as “Foyer has rejoined” – never any mention about the problematic MB switch.
Since other switches using the same FW run this same SmartApp successfully elsewhere in the house, I still suspect poor mesh connectivity. I’ll retest after installing some more devices nearby and Z-wave repair cycles.
Hello –
I have installed your HS-WD100+ device handler v0.17 (10/05/2016) and v0.2 of the Button Controller Plus SmartApp
by Bruce Ravenel, Dale Coffing to control a WD100+ Dimmer using a SmartThings hub v2.
An HS-WD100+ installed in my Den successfully controls lights in response to UP/DOWN double-taps. So, I am confident that the Device Handler and SmartApp are correctly installed.
However, a second HS-WD100+ located elsewhere in the Master Bedroom (MB), has been programmed via the same SmartApp so that the UP double tap turns on some lights and turns off a fan, and the DOWN double-tap to reverses these operations.
The MB double-tap features execute properly when started manually via the soft control panel for the WD-100+ available from the
Things | Right Now menu within the SmartThings iOS app. But, manually double-tapping the physical HS-WD-100+ switch does not initiate these actions.
The MB switch is otherwise functional. Pressing and holding the DOWN and UP buttons dim/brighten the load light as expected.
Any idea why the physical switch isn’t triggering the specified actions?
Hi Jim. There was a similar issue reported a week or so ago from another user that appeared to be related to the switch not pairing correctly with the SmartThings Hub the first time. In his case, removing/excluding the switch from the hub, and then re-adding it/re-pairing it resolved the issue. If you haven’t tried it yet, hopefully this will resolve it for you. Probably unrelated, but the firmware in his switch was reported as 5.16 which is not yet available from the HomeSeer downloads page, so I have been unable to test with it.
Darwin –
Thank you for responding. I excluded, then re-paired the device, then re-associated the SmartApp, but to no avail – same symptoms. The WD100+ is running FW 5.16, but so too is the WD100+ in my Den which successfully runs the same SmartApp properly with other loads.
I did have trouble pairing the MB WD100+ when initially installed. In fact, I replaced it when I first saw this behavior, but the replacement exhibited identical symptoms. Discovery failed again during the exclude/re-pair sequence this morning, but succeeded on the second attempt. So perhaps this is some communications issue.
Sorry to hear it’s still not working. I wonder if you may be having a Z-Wave mesh network issue. Possibly another Z-Wave mains powered device is not correctly relaying? Couple of questions: Can you control the on/off and dimming behavior of the switch from the ST mobile app, and does the mobile app show the current correct state of the switch? You might try a Z-Wave repair from the ST IDE or mobile app and see if that improves things and/or returns with an error in the logs.
if I did have a 3 way circuit, does the other switch have to be the WA100+ or will the WD100+ or WS100+ still work if I have it installed and have my currently installed regular Lutron dimmer? Or am I going to need to swap the Lutrons out for the companion switch as well?
Thanks I figured out what I was doing wrong and why I was not able to find or add the switches before, noob error. Finally figured it out right when you replied back.
Glad to hear you’ve got it figured out!
If it’s a conventional 3-way circuit with a traveler wire, you should install the appropriate HomeSeer recommended companion switch with the WD100+ or WS100+. The HomeSeer companions operate differently than conventional 3-way switches and are designed specifically to communicate with the HomeSeer switches – and it’s the master switches that control the load. I’m not an electrician and the details of Z-Wave companion switches aren’t typically provided, so I can’t recommend substituting any other switches. Usual disclaimer: please consult a licensed electrician if you have any questions or doubts.
Thanks so much for this handler. It works really well!
You are welcome. Glad it’s working out for you. Thanks for the feedback!
Back again…So another question. I installed two of the WD100+ dimmers. Was able to add things to Smartthings. I can see them turn them on and off via the Smartthings app. See the current status in the app.
The thing that I am stuck on now is, how and where would I go about and configure the WD100+ double, triple tap, and tap and hold functions? That is where I am now lost.
Thanks
Hi Donnie. It would be good to first verify that you are using the Darwin’s Den device handler for the switch. The user interface in the mobile app for the switch should look similar to the one in the post above that shows a tap 2, tap 3, and hold row. The UI should show which button action (eg, double/triple tap, etc) you last performed on the switch (the UI in the post is from an earlier version, so it will look slightly different). If your switch is showing the stock Z-Wave device handler instead, edit the device in the IDE devices tab to use the “WD100+ Dimmer” Type.
Smart Lighting is probably the easiest Smart App to get the switch actions to work. In SmartLighting, first, choose which switch/action you would like to perform when your WD100+ is double/triple tapped or held. Then, when the app asks, “How do you want to trigger the action”, select “Button Pressed/Held” (followed by Done). When asked “Which Button” choose the appropriate button based on the HS-WS100+ and HS-WD100+ Button Mappings table above.
In the preferences section of the Darwin’s Den device handler for the WD100+ in the mobile app, you can also enable the switch itself for double or single tap to full brightness, as well as configure the ramp rates for local and remote control.
Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes, and/or if you have any issues.
Got the dimmer switches today. I just had one question if I did have a 3 way circuit, does the other switch have to be the WA100+ or will the WD100+ or WS100+ still work if I have it installed and have my currently installed regular Lutron dimmer? Or am I going to need to swap the Lutrons out for the companion switch as well?
Since I did not buy any companion switches figured I would ask before I start to install since if I do in fact need the companion switch I will just install the dimmers in some single pole circuits instead.
Thanks for the information. I will have to play a bit more on device handler side of things. It is definitely new for me. Do you have any useful or recommended tutorial links?
One of the main objectives I would like to be able to do is my light on the dining room. Since it only has one light switch for the room which I thought was stupid. Never understood why they didn’t write a 3 way and have another switch at the other end of the room. Cause the way it is now you have to walk through the room in the dark to turn on the light or walk completely around the house and come in through the notched to turn on the light. Rather then coming in through the main entrance and going through the dining room.
Figured I could add a WD100+ for one of the switches in the foyer to do multitap or a hold which would trigger the dining room lights.
I would have to find other things to make those other tap and hold features to incorporate with other smartthings devices as I am still creating and filing out my house with devices.
I really like those sensative (I think that was them) motion door/window sensors. Your review was awesome.
The SmartThings forum has a nice custom code overview FAQ put together by the sapient and magnanimous JD Roberts at: https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-an-overview-of-using-custom-code-in-smartthings/16772. The WD100+ and WS100+ switches are ideal for the cases you describe, where the original additional switch locations are inconvenient or non-existent. Thanks for the great feedback!
Thank you for the information I do appreciate it.
Just some other questions for you. The WS100+ that is just a companion switch for a 3 or 4 way circuit that would have to have a WD100+ used in the circuit correct?
So I could not just put a WS100+ in my dining room so that a WD100+ I put in the entry/foyer could turn on the dining room lights, correct? I would need to get a WD100+ for the entry/foyer and either another WD100+ or another Zwave/smart switch for the dining room, correct?
Once I get my switches I may have some questions after I install them and everything.
Thanks again
Glad I could help. There’s one caveat to your question. The HomeSeer companion switch is the HS-WA100+ and not the HS-WS100+. The WS100+ is an independent Z-Wave on/off switch (it supports the same multi-tap and hold functions, without the dimmer capability).
So you are correct; You cannot just replace a standard switch with the HS-WA100+ companion switch and have it controlled via the WD100+/SmartThings. The companion switch is not a standalone switch; It does require a WD100+ (dimmer) or WS100+ (on/off switch) to operate. In fact, the WA100+ companion is not a Z-Wave capable switch at all and requires a traveler wire directly to the WD100+ or WS100+ for communication.
That said, the WS100+ on/off switch should work well for your needs in the dining room. If you put the WD100+ in the entry/foyer, it’s a fairly simple matter to configure say double-tap to turn on or off a WD100+, WS100+ or another Z-Wave switch in the dining room.
Hope I didn’t confuse things too much!
I had a question for you. Kind of new to all of this and especially with SmartThings and Device Handlers. I went ahead and followed what you said and just played it safe and added all 4 device handlers the 2 by you (WS100+ On/Off Switch Device Handler & WD100+ Dimmer Device Handler), the one by dcoffing : Button Controller Plus and the one by rocm123 : HomeSeer HS-WD100+ Dimmer Switch.
I have not gotten my HS-WD100+ switches yet since they are out of stock and back ordered, but should be in later next week or the following. So I was just getting prepared for when they show up I am good to go.
The questions I have is, where and how do you add the switches or the smartapps that I installed via Device Handlers? I looked in my SmartThings app on my Android phone and cannot find anything. So I was not sure if I missed a step, need to update something or if nothing will show up until I install the switches and have them up and running?
Second thing I wanted to know in order to use the multi tap functions like double tap and it would turn on or off another set of lights in the same room or different room. I would need the switch that controls those lights to also be using HS-WD100+ I assume or some other Z-wave switch?
Thanks
Hi Donnie. Once you’ve installed the switches, you can add them to SmartThings as you would most other Z-Wave or Zigbee devices. Just hit “Add a Thing” under the Things tab on the mobile app and then tap the WD100 on or off to pair it. If the device handlers are installed already and you’ve selected “Publish for me” on the IDE, the switch should automatically show as a WD100+ – otherwise it will show as a generic Z-Wave dimmer. Once installed, you can edit a device in the IDE to use a different handler if desired. Since you’ve installed both my handler and erocm123’s, I’m not sure exactly which device handler the system will choose – I would guess it would consistently choose one over the other depending on what order the software processes through the potential best fit device handlers.
In order to have the multi-tap function control another set of lights, the switch that controls the lights does not need to also be a WD100+; It only needs to be switch that has been paired or controllable via your SmartThings hub. Any Z-Wave, Zigbee, Wifi, or even an IFTTT switch that is controllable via SmartThings will work. If you just want to turn on or off another light in response to a double or triple tap, and you don’t need the hold functionality, it may be easiest just to use the SmartLighting stock app to control your other lights instead of the button controller app, but either approach should work well.
Good luck! Feel free to check back if you have any more questions or run into issues.
Can I connect my homeseer dimmers to Amazon echo through smarthings? If so, how can I connect it to echo?
Hi Don. Yes, once the HomeSeer dimmers are connected to SmartThings, they can then be controlled through the Amazon Echo. Instructions to set up Echo with SmartThings can be found here. Once connected and discovered by Echo, you can control the dimmer with voice commands using the name you have given the dimmer, such as “Alexa, turn Kitchen Light on” or “Alexa, set Entry Light to 30%”.
Thank you for the quick response! This was very helpful.
I’ve installed the button controller plus smart app on my hub but it’s not detecting any of the 4 HD-100+ that I’ve installed. Is that b/c of the way I’ve named them? Is there some simple reason? It says “”There are no devices of this capability.”
Hi Sam. It may be that SmartThings has not associated the Switch with the custom device handler. Did you install the device handler code and publish it to yourself before adding the switch to the hub, or was the custom DH code added after the switch was paired? If the device handler was installed in the IDE after the switch was paired to the hub, you’ll need to manually associate the custom device handler with the switch in the IDE. There is also a chance that SmartThings for some reason did not initially recognize the custom device handler when the switch was paired. In either case, from the My Devices tab in the IDE, select your device and hit edit and make sure the Type shows as either the WD100+ Dimmer or WS100+ switch depending on which one you are using. Let me know if this doesn’t help, and we’ll debug a little deeper.
Are there ANY z-wave decora style wall switches that work more like a traditional decora switch?
All of the ones that I’ve seen are momentary contact type switches, whereas a standard decord switch actually flips when it changes state. There are z-wave toggle switches that actually flip or or down, but I haven’t see this in the decora style.
The reason I’m looking for this is that we just moved out of a house where I had converted all the lights over to z-wave/x-10, and my family has insisted that they don’t want that done in the new house, unless I can find switches that “act like normal switches”.
Thanks,
Kelly
Thanks for the write up! Quick question…the example you mentioned regarding double/triple tap and turning on pathway /flood lights. I assume those lights have to be on their own zwave switch?
Thanks for the feedback. You are correct. These switches only directly support physical control of one circuit. The other lights triggered by double/triple tap need to have their own network switch that uses a protocol your controller supports, such as Z-Wave, Zigbee, Wifi etc. Assuming your controller supports these scene events, you’ll need to define the specific remote actions to take place for these devices in the controller rules/event engine.
Thanks a lot for the reply. I’m fairly new to home automation but I work as a computer engineer for my day job 🙂
Thanks so much for this writeup and the Device Handlers – double tap functionality was exactly what I was looking for. I am getting a strange issue with the dimmers where I can’t reduce them below 60%. I’m able to shut them off completely, but any value below 60% results in it just resetting back to 60%. Have you encountered this?
Hi Bobby. Sorry about that, I was testing a code snippet for someone who was asking for a dim level limit, and the change inadvertently made it into the repository when I updated another device handler. I’ve updated the code to correct this at the same GitHub location. You’ll need to go in there and grab it again. My apologies. Let me know if you have any more issues.
No problem at all – and thanks for the quick response. I’ve updated to the latest commit and everything is now working as expected!
I’m new to home automation and still figuring things out, but I need some switches soon. One thing that isn’t really clear to me is whether or not these switches work with smartthings out of the box for basic on/off/dimming. I understand that a handler would be needed for double/triple tap/etc, but those functions aren’t a priority for me and the zwave plus is preferred.
Thanks!
Hi Jimmey. While I didn’t do extensive testing before writing and updating to these custom device handlers, the HomeSeer switches will work as standard Z-Wave switches out of the box with the SmartThings Hub. I would update to the custom device handlers only if and when you need the double/triple tap and/or instant status. It’s great to have these as future options though if your needs change. Great question and I’ll update the page to include this information.
Hi,
Thanks for your blog post !
I still have 2 (dumb) questions :
– do we need a specific hardware to upgrade the firmware of the WD100+ ? I expect that my computer need a usb-to-zwave kind of dongle ?
– After hours waitingm I still don’t see the WD100+ from the SmartThings iphone application… I tried reset it (3 tap up, 3 tap down) but nothing… Can’t see it, can’t pair it… Any advice ?
Many thanks
Good questions. For the WD100+ firmware upgrade, you need a Z-Wave controller that is capable of over-the-air device firmware updates – which, unfortunately, SmartThings is not. So far, I only know from experience that the OTA update has been successfully performed from a HomeSeer controller. For non-HomeSeer software users, HomeSeer has suggested in their forum to download the HS3 software and run it as a trial to perform the update. You will need a HomeSeer SmartStick or other Z-Wave interface.
As far as pairing with SmartThings, I have been seeing increasing number of issues when pairing devices where the app doesn’t recognize that the device was paired initially and remains in paring mode, but if I cancel out of pairing, the device does show up on the app. Maybe it is actually there now in the device list if you exit that app and check it again?
Great information appreciate you putting this all together! I do have a question though, how do you program the 2, 3 and hold button commands? I see on the handler page you have made clickable buttons for the scenes but I am not sure how to program the scene in SmartThings. Is there a smart app I need to add to program? I just want to make the double button press turn on/off the switch and 3 other z-wave devices.
Hi Scott. Yep, you’ll need to use a smart app to configure actions based on the resultant button presses. There are several options. SmartThings community member Dale Coffing has just put together a modified Button Controller smart app to take advantage of all 6 buttons (more info here). Or if you’re looking for a universal Rule Engine capability (and are brave enough to try the Alpha version), the new CoRE (Community’s own Rule Engine) smart app can also perform this function. If you’re only concerned with the first 4 buttons configured in this device handler, the stock SmartThings Smart Lighting and Button Controller SmartApps can be used as well. I’ve also updated the post above with this information.
You are comparing Zwave Plus HomeSeer(dragontech) devices against Zwave GE devices… There’s significant technical improvements form this generational change in tech — you’re comparing 2012 generation tech to late 2015 gen tech and all you get out of it is the look and feel?
Hi Jessie, thanks for the feedback. In a nutshell, my intention for this preliminary review was to get my initial hands-on impressions out there while I worked on the SmartThings Device Handler code. The questions I have fielded on these switches to-date typically relate to details not available in the brochures such as physical look and feel, tap and hold function operation, LED color, performance latency (~400ms for the WS100+), and the on/off/on toggling issue that several others now are seeing with the WS100+. I know everyone it different, but since other family members and houseguests usually interact with light switches, these devices tend to be somewhat more personal than other tech devices, and in my experience, family acceptance factors come into play for quite a lot of people.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’ll be doubly sure to circle back around and detail out more of technical features.
Excellent write up!