Minimote and Ezlo Plus

Community Playground General Discussions
#1

Hey everyone!

I have 2 Aeon Minimotes that I’ve used for years with various Vera units and they’ve worked great.
About 6 months ago I switched to an Ezlo Plus and I love it and everything has been working great, except for the minimotes.

I’ve included the units without any issues using the Aeon Minimote selection. I noticed that instead of actually being able to assign scenes to the buttons, now I can only use the buttons as TRIGGERS within a scene. No prob…
I’ve set meshbots up via the MIOS web interface using various buttons on both remotes to trigger both scenes and devices directly, but the buttons never trigger anything although the scenes can be run manually and they work great. I’m just trying to toggle a GE appliance switch connected to a light.
I’ve also set up scenes using the VERA iphone app and I have the same result.
I’ve tried reloading the latest 1.19 firmware to them, done the “hold 2-button reset” to clear all the settings back to factory defaults, paired them up to the Ezlo and unpaired them numerous times, and everything appears to work except the buttons will not trigger a scene. I even added them to the Ezlo using the “generic Z-wave” option and no button-joy.

Scene
Scene1564×562 67.4 KB

What’s the secret sauce to get these things to work? I love how simple it is now with the Ezlo to just use the buttons as a trigger instead of having to add a scene to each button and hit the “associate” button on the remote and then SAVE to scene assignments, but unfortunately there seems to be something I’m missing…

I’ve attached an example pic of a scene I have tried to use…

Thanks everyone! :slight_smile:

-Greg

#2

On that screen shot where it says the current button 1 state is “idle” does that state change when you press that button?

EDIT: Nope it does not change the state on that Meshbot rule view. I just paired a spare MiniMote to my Ezlo Plus.

EDIT 2: Its working OK for me, I created a Meshbot rule with Button 4 as the trigger and my action was to Toggle a lamp. When I press the button the lamp is turned on or off OK. I don’t see that status changing from Idle in the Meshbot trigger however.

But looking at the online Api Tool and the broadcasts it does change state.

  {
    "date": 1702645559343,
    "data": {
      "id": "ui_broadcast",
      "msg_id": "657c4f61123e4315306ec1aa",
      "msg_subclass": "hub.scene.run.progress",
      "result": {
        "notifications": [],
        "scene_id": "64c0fc1f123e4315e0e83b71",
        "scene_name": "Globe Big Lamp Toggle",
        "status": "finished",
        "userNotification": true,
        "nma_timestamp": 1702645601642,
        "nma_timestamp_ms": 1702645601642,
        "nma": {
          "host": "wss://nma-server7-ui-cloud.ezlo.com",
          "port": "443"
        },
        "controller_id": "90000413",
        "controller_uuid": "d1109a40-7f32-11ea-ab2d-b7c43c5254eb"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "date": 1702645559331,
    "data": {
      "id": "ui_broadcast",
      "msg_id": "657c4f61123e4315306ec1a9",
      "msg_subclass": "hub.scene.run.progress",
      "result": {
        "notifications": [],
        "scene_id": "64c0fc1f123e4315e0e83b71",
        "scene_name": "Globe Big Lamp Toggle",
        "status": "started",
        "userNotification": false
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "date": 1702645559279,
    "data": {
      "id": "ui_broadcast",
      "msg_id": "657c4f61123e4315306ec1a8",
      "msg_subclass": "hub.item.updated",
      "result": {
        "_id": "657c4c88123e43147c6edadd",
        "deviceCategory": "remote_control",
        "deviceId": "657c4c87123e43147c6edad9",
        "deviceName": "Minimote (Black)",
        "deviceSubcategory": "",
        "fwTimestampMs": 1702645601547,
        "info": {
          "zwave.references": [
            {
              "channel": 0,
              "class": 43,
              "managing_commands": [
                "SCENE_ACTIVATION_SET"
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "name": "button_state",
        "notifications": [],
        "roomName": "Lounge",
        "serviceNotification": false,
        "syncNotification": false,
        "userNotification": false,
        "value": {
          "button_number": 4,
          "button_state": "idle"
        },
        "valueFormatted": "",
        "valueType": "button_state"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "date": 1702645559241,
    "data": {
      "id": "ui_broadcast",
      "msg_id": "657c4f61123e4315306ec1a7",
      "msg_subclass": "hub.item.updated",
      "result": {
        "_id": "657c4c88123e43147c6edadd",
        "deviceCategory": "remote_control",
        "deviceId": "657c4c87123e43147c6edad9",
        "deviceName": "Minimote (Black)",
        "deviceSubcategory": "",
        "fwTimestampMs": 1702645601536,
        "info": {
          "zwave.references": [
            {
              "channel": 0,
              "class": 43,
              "managing_commands": [
                "SCENE_ACTIVATION_SET"
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "name": "button_state",
        "notifications": [],
        "roomName": "Lounge",
        "serviceNotification": false,
        "syncNotification": false,
        "userNotification": false,
        "value": {
          "button_number": 4,
          "button_state": "press_1_time"
        },
        "valueFormatted": "",
        "valueType": "button_state"
      }

Here is my Meshbot rule:

image
image1105×571 49.9 KB

#3

What is the firmware version of your Ezlo Plus controller?

image

Don’t think it would make any difference, but I used the Android MIOS app to pair the MiniMote to the Controller as I was having issues logging in to the Vera mobile app for some reason.

My Minimote is also 1.19 firmware.

#4

Thanks for the quick reply!
It looks like our meshbots are the same, so I guess it comes down to either the model of minimote you have (black one vs. the white one I have) or something else is hosed in my minimotes themselves…
As I mentioned I had previously used the motes with Vera and had to assign scenes to buttons using the blank (associate?) button on the remote…
Maybe something is still set internally, although I did do a factory reset by holding down the 2 bottom buttons and watched the lights alternate back and forth until they went solid…and then added them back in to the Ezlo…

How did you add them to your Ezlo? Did you choose Aeon Minimote from the list?

Also, how do I run that online API that you mentioned so I can get a log and check my button states for changes?

Thanks so much! :grinning:

-Greg

#5

Hi Greg.

This Minimote was also paired to my Vera Plus initially. I selected to Delete Device and then Unpair and pressed the Learn button on the Minimote, this removed it from my Vera Plus.

Then in the Android Mios app connected to my Ezlo Plus I tried to pair the Minimote. I used the Minimote device type in the app not Generic Z-Wave device.

The first time I tried to pair it to the Ezlo Plus by pressing the Learn button on the Minimote it did not work. The Ezlo Plus didn’t seem to be going into Inclusion mode. So I power cycled the Ezlo Plus and tried again and then it did work as the light on the front goes purple I think and I was able to then pair the Minimote OK.

I then created some new Meshbot rules with “Toggle” actions for my lights and devices etc and in their triggers I assigned the various buttons of the Minimote. I used all 8 buttons for 8 different Meshbot rules, short press and long press etc.

All is working fine for me. I don’t think white vs black Minimote should make any difference.

You can login to the Online API Tool here Ezlo API Tool connect it to your Ezlo Plus and then press a button on your Minimote, scroll down to the Broadcasts section and then I pressed the “Copy” button to copy the output to the clipboard, I then pasted it into to Note pad so I could read it properly and that is how I got the above output I posted above on this thread.

You should see something like this “button_state”: “press_1_time” if it has recognised the button press from being “Idle”.

#6

One thing I do NOT like about how Ezlo are now doing things is that in the web UI or app there is no longer a central area where you can go to, to see or assign at a glance all the buttons and what scenes they have been assigned too. This is how it looks on the Vera UI7 web UI, we have nothing similar on the Ezlo system.

So you have to remember which Meshbot rules you assigned to which buttons and edit each of those rules / triggers individually.

image

#7

Yes, I totally miss that screen!

Per your previous question, the minimotes are on 1.19

I checked and this is my firmware and device info

IMG_7075
IMG_70751512×2016 1.74 MB

You can see I’m not as current as you in either the firmware level or advanced scene level.
I just did a reboot of the Ezlo and it didn’t update. Is there another way to force an update?

#8

My Ezlo Plus is enrolled in the beta program probably why its a higher version.

@osman Is serial number 90036612 also enrolled ?

No only doing a reboot can force a new firmware update if one is available, as far as I know.

Thanks

#9

Yeah thought you had, in Vera UI7 you had to go to the Advanced area of the Scene Controller device then click on “Select Scenes for Device Buttons”

image
image939×467 36.6 KB

#10

Yeah - that’s the screen I’m used to seeing on the Vera, but the way Ezlo is doing it now seems so simple, if I can only get these stupid remotes to cooperate :slight_smile:

I saw your post about you being in the Beta program AFTER I asked for support on getting the unit updated, so I sent another request asking to enroll me in the BETA program…David replied right away and is on it! :slight_smile:

If going to the BETA firmware doesn’t get my buttons to work I guess both remotes somehow failed at the same time? Seems strange as they pair correctly, but who knows! It’s tough to find anything comparable to these awesome remotes nowadays…

-Greg

#11

OK try rebooting your controller then see if it updates to the same versions as mine is ?

When David has confirmed its been added to the beta program that is.

#12

This part seems to be a bug, I have created a ticket for the devs to look and see why that trigger text does not change state when you press a button. As this would be a good visual indicator for the user when troubleshooting etc.

image
image781×579 31.5 KB

#13

I have used Minimote with no problem on Ezlo Plus for 2 years. I create a meshbot for each button. Here is one of them:

minimote meshbot
minimote meshbot1920×907 87.3 KB

1 Like
#14

I spoke with Jonathan today, and he got me up to 2.0.48.xxxx and has added me to the BETA program.
When I asked why I didn’t have 2.0.50 like someone who has been helping me in the forum (so we’re comparing apples and apples on this minimote issue), he said you have it because you are on a “different” program…
So congrats on being part of the “Elite” I guess LOL! :slight_smile:

-Greg

#15

Hey there! Thanks for your reply! :slight_smile:

Very strange - your meshbot is set up like mine but for some reason the button presses aren’t recognized…

I just made a new one and did what you did with both short and long presses covered and it still doesn’t work…

Mesh
Mesh1654×437 62.1 KB

Here is the info on my minimotes - how does that compare to yours?

Minimotes

Thanks so much for your help!

-Greg

#16

Also, just in case I’m doing this wrong…
When I set up the meshbot I am choosing AUTOMATION MESHBOT and then LOCAL

Same for you guys?

-Greg

#17

Strange. I have the same MiniMote as you (see below). Since you have two it seems unlikely they would both be faulty.

In order to narrow it down can you add a few actions in case it is something to do with the device you are trying to control? i.e. turn on 3-4 different devices and see if any trigger.

If that brings no joy you could try to directly associate the minimote with a ZWave device to cut out the Ezlo Plus connection. This might give some truth on whether Ezlo is sending proper ZWave commands. This also seems a longshot because Minimote wouldn’t pair if the basic ZWave subsystem were faulty.

Of course you could delete the minimote, factory reset minimote, then pair it again with your Ezlo to see if that works.

Screenshot 2023-12-16 at 13-59-14 MiOS Smart Home

#18

Yes that is correct “Local” Meshbot.

Did you look at the broadcasts in the API tool ? To see if the button press is happening ?

#19

Cw-kid -
Hi! Yes! I love that API link you sent me! While I was watching it stuff was showing up for my Schlage deadbolt and my Honeywell T6 pro thermostat :slight_smile:

Nothing ever shows when I push any buttons on either minimote…

CuriousB -
I did add some additional actions like a notification via push/email and turning on several other devices and nothing worked or showed up in the API so I’m pretty sure the minimotes are just not sending the button presses correctly, or the Ezlo is not receiving…(lights do show on the minimote when I push the buttons…Blue and Red together and then a quick red flash a second later)

I removed the motes and unplugged the Ezlo and started it back up and re-added the motes and recreated the meshbots still no joy…

-Greg

#20

This is very strange then as its working for two of us here. If the button presses were working you would see it working in the broadcasts in the API as I showed above.

Plus you have tried other actions which rules out an issue with the original Action in that rule.

Did your controller get updated with the beta firmware yet?

You have two Minimotes paired? Not likely both are faulty.

Have you always had both Minimotes paired? Maybe try unpairing one to see if the other starts working?Just a guess.

You might have to turn on debug logs at level 4 in the controllers settings and reboot it then press the buttons and make a note of the date time you did that.

The logs are located in this folder /tmp/log/firmware I usually use WinSCP to access the file structure of the controller and download the logs, or maybe support can access them?