I installed two GE/Jaso 45609 light switches over the weekend. Both were operating fine in manual mode before I included them in my Vera Lite network (Firmware 1.5.459). Once I included them, one worked fine in manual and could be operated through my MCV network. The other switch wouldn’t do anything. The switch that isn’t working working gives me a “Failed at: Getting the Version” message on the UI5 and will not work in either manual or automatic modes. I have excluded and included the device once already with the same result. Both switches are being used as single switches (no 3 or 4 way), so pretty simple wiring. Any Ideas?
Not wanting to overlook the obvious, have you verified that the air gap isn’t set (little switch below the paddle pulled out) on the switch that doesn’t work at all?
As I recall, it makes a difference with the 45609 that the line/hot and load/light wires are hooked up correctly. Since these are usually both black wires with no markings, have you checked this?
[quote=“kkl, post:2, topic:172865”]Not wanting to overlook the obvious, have you verified that the air gap isn’t set (little switch below the paddle pulled out) on the switch that doesn’t work at all?
As I recall, it makes a difference with the 45609 that the line/hot and load/light wires are hooked up correctly. Since these are usually both black wires with no markings, have you checked this?[/quote]
Long time lurker, First time poster.
I have either this same switch or one very close to it. This was the second thing I added to my first Vera installation.
I had both of the above items from kkl wrong on the first go. Once I fixed those, the switch was working like a normal switch in the wall.
To add it to Vera over Z-Wave, (after I had played with it in the wall a bunch), I actually tried a few times to include it. I eventually cycled the breaker and on the initial power on it added fine. I was reading around that some devices only add on the initial power cycle. Or maybe I was just unlucky in my second device added. Good luck!
At the risk of asking something stupid, does the blue LED when your GE/Jasco 45609 is turned off? Does the blue LED extinguish when the switch is turned on?
Did you use mode 1 or mode 2 to include the switch? (is the switch close to Vera, or did you bring Vera up to the switch with the battery?)
I’m of the camp that their are no stupid questions! Sometimes the BEST stupid question put people onto solving the right problem.
To answer your question, the switch behaves exactly as you describe. Blue light is on when the (in my case) bathroom light is off, blue light is off when the bathroom light is on. If you get the load and the line backwards, or you don’t have a good neutral (both issues I had) then the blue light doesn’t work at all. The “spark gap” plug next to the blue light can also be removed, and when that is popped out, the blue light and bathroom light won’t work either.
Umm my technique might be a little weird, but I used a giant extension cord and a giant network cable and and brought Vera hardwired to the outlet. Then I used an iPad or laptop to include the device via the web console. And I figured out when they mean 3 feet for the include distance, they really mean 3 feet. Four and a half feet is right out.
I also let it hang out from the wall some as this was my first hardwire switch and it’s in a metal box, so I was convinced the RF wasn’t working because of that.
Then I think I power cycled the breaker to ENSURE the RF circuitry was on a fresh start… And as I recall it finally added. I recall nearly giving up it was so annoying to add (maybe 20 or 30 minutes of trying to add?). The Aeon Labs smartswitch lamp ones were cake. I think I used mode 1, to be completely clear. I tried mode 2 but I like to see what is going on.
It’s been the very reliable ever since. Just adding the first time sucked.
edit: grammer
So where I was going with that is that if the GE/Jaco 45609 is wired-in properly, the blue LED is a good tell-tale. I agree with kkl that the airgap can be an issue sometimes. Then my next question was intended to figure out if you paired the switch properly. Either method should work. Sometimes it takes rocking the switch on-off-on-off … etc more than a few times. Pairing seems to require a strong, clean signal.
Metal junction boxes can be a real problem when pairing. Sometimes it helps to pair the switch outside of the box. After the switch is installed into the metal box, it does not have as much range. Hopefully, once paired into the network, the switch will have another zwave device nearby to mesh its traffic through to the vera controller. Vera will do a series of “healing” the network, which will chose the best path, making things very reliable.
I am asssuming you got your other switch working just fine, or are you still stuck?
Most of my switches are GE ones and were pretty easy to include. I went the same long power cord/network cable procedure dragging Vera across the house.
Using my laptop to put Vera in include mode and with the zwave light slowly blinking, switching the GE off and on a few times until Vera started blinking fast and the switch was recognized and included. Flipping the switch a few times until the fast blink seemed to give great results.
Hi,
I reset my Vera lite to factory and lost my GE-87609 switch. When I try to add it, vera would not see it. I had to use the procedure below as by rtjonespe and it paired!
Thank you!
[quote=“BOFH, post:7, topic:172865”]Most of my switches are GE ones and were pretty easy to include. I went the same long power cord/network cable procedure dragging Vera across the house.
Using my laptop to put Vera in include mode and with the zwave light slowly blinking, switching the GE off and on a few times until Vera started blinking fast and the switch was recognized and included. Flipping the switch a few times until the fast blink seemed to give great results.[/quote]