Z-Wave and Arduino

Developer's Corner General Dev Discussions
#1

Is there anything Z-Wave similar to TW523 of X10?

I stumbled upon this tutorial http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/X10

If it would be possible to pair some Z-Wave interface with Arduino board, with Vera as the system brain, some truly futuristic creations could appear into this world…

#2

Ok, found some ugly way, may be there’s something better

Arduino have a serial controlled board: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardSerial

Leviton has serial Z-Wave interface: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?item=173512&section=15188

So we can easily make stuff like proximity sensors, ultrasonic, capacitance, or accelerometers capable of issuing Z-Wave commands…

#3

AFAIK, the Leviton Z-Wave Serial interface you referred to can only work as a controller, but from what you are saying you want it to work as a Z-Wave device, combined with one of the sensors you mentioned… Plus it’s quite bulky - there got to be a better way.

#4

Leaving bulky aside, here’s how it’s gonna work.

Sensors (virtually any kind) are connected to Arduino board (they have mini version), which can be easily programmed to output anything via USB or serial port. It certainly can issue ascii sequence required for Leviton to send a z-wave command - this way it can control other devices directly.
I’m not sure whether it can issue a command that can be intercepted by another controller (USB stick plugged into Vera), but I suppose a workaround can be found. I remember AutomationVista used a concept of a “virtual device”…

The only “open” Z-Wave interface I’m aware about is leviton RZC0P. But the board does have USB port, I’m not sure it’s feasible to make it work with z-wave USB controllers though… Would be nice. DIY z-wave modules :slight_smile:

#5

Just an FYI, I know there’s a LinuxMCE interface for Dallas 1-wire, which could use the other USB. It’s not wireless. But for the geek who wants everything, you can get stuff like sensors, potentiometers, etc., for around $3 that run on a single pair. I’ve debated about adding this because if you’re going to want to use this for alarm sensors, and you already have long runs of wires to with dozens of sensors, you want a way to use the existing wiring without having to spend the money for a battery operated sensor at every window and door.

1-wire Support
#6

Is there any newer information for Arduino or something similar? I would love to pair the hardware flexibility of the Arduino with the software fecundability of Vera.

#7

What are you looking for? Vera supports serial interface, AFAIK that’s all you need. Sky is the limit

#8

and if you want to ease yourself into the Arduino space, and concentrate on the Luup connector, you can use something like:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9521

It’s basically an Arduino with a pre-flashed protocol for talking to the various input-output’s. It will save you having to write both ends of the Protocol, since they already have 1/2 of it on the [Bus Powered] box.

#9

I guess I was thinking of a stand alone z-wave module with Arduino as opposed to hooking my Arduino into vera. Kind of like the ZigBee Arduino shields. [url=http://hackaday.com/2008/11/02/wireless-arduino-programming-with-zigbee/]http://hackaday.com/2008/11/02/wireless-arduino-programming-with-zigbee/[/url]

#10

There’s no Arduino z-wave, but you can do xbee with arduino and xbee on serial port on Vera side

#11

… and it is that easy with XBee, as you need only do a one-time config (Windows Tool) to setup the XBee’s with a PAN to get them working as a remote Serial Port “pairing” (no code required to the simple stuff). If you buy XBee v1’s, you can also program your sketches over the link (v2’s can no longer do that) if you want your “Device” to be remote, but patchable.

If you that route, the “counterpart” code in Vera can do the legwork to proxy anything you want to do (to trigger/activate Scenes, expose values or minimally take input)

I haven’t seen a TTL-level Serial ZWave device, as a Shield would need, only USB ones so I think you’d be out of luck there.

I did test-uploaded the Sketch that the SerIO uses, to my FunnelIO board, to see if it would work, and it does. I was originally intending to use the combo (FunnelIO + XBee + Lithium Ion Polymer battery) to do exactly that - a Serial-attached remote “sensor” for Vera with a whole bunch of input/outputs. Just haven’t gone any further with it at this time.

#12

Searching on the Internet today I found on Ebay (searching on arduino zwave) a Arduino controller kit with ZWave module (HC-10 + HC-20).

Apart from the hardware, there is also software support: “arduino-wukong” on github and the arduinozwave project on Google sites which includes a tutorial on a binary sensor.

Has anyone experience with this, good or bad?

#13

[quote=“Danfos, post:12, topic:164011”]Searching on the Internet today I found on Ebay (searching on arduino zwave) a Arduino controller kit with ZWave module (HC-10 + HC-20).

Apart from the hardware, there is also software support: “arduino-wukong” on github and the arduinozwave project on Google sites which includes a tutorial on a binary sensor.

Has anyone experience with this, good or bad?[/quote]

I saw this too, but it appears finding the HC-10/HC-20 is kind of hard to find these days. There is one combo I saw on eBay with the HC-20 + HC-11 that says it should still work with the wukong stuff.

The problem is that the cost of putting this all together looks like it would be prohibitive and unless you are doing something really custom, it’s probably cheaper just to buy off the shelf z-wave sensors, etc.

I’m in the process of putting together an arduino solution to replace an old SmartHome X10 IOLinc that handles my garage door sensors and switches. But I’m going to be doing that via ethernet and not z-wave.

Bruce

#14

I would like to use a module like this to make a something that allows me to control 2 or more and inputs and 2 or more outputs. If you like to do that with standard modules you end up with for instance a Fibaro FGBS-001 universal sensor and a Fibaro FIB_FGS-211 dual relay switch. That looks a lot less flexible and more expensive then the HC-10 + HC-20.

#15

Look at the arduino plugin. That will get you the interface without needing z wave for cheap. Then just figure out how to program arduino to do what you want.

#16

Thanks, found Arduino Sensor Plugin and yes that looks like a much better solution for this.