Automated Home - Z-Wave Update

Z-Wave Update

Thursday, 29 October 2009

Our feelings for Z-Wave are pretty clear here at Automated Home. While we love the technology and feel its a worthy 21st Century replacement for X10, we hate the fact that despite the years and the promises, the UK still has a pitiful offering of hardware.

Videos like this beautiful new one from Coco just remind us how poorly the UK market is served. Come on Z-Wave manufacturers - the UK is waiting.

All Items Tagged Z-Wave : COCO- Controlled Comfort

Update 1 - Is the COCO system Z-Wave power or another wireless technology? Leave a comment if you know.

Update 2 - Looks like COCO is using system same / similar to the HomeEasy range

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written by Keith Doxey , October 29, 2009

Given that the whole EU is supposedly harmonised on 230V I see no reason why these modules cant be used in the UK.

Obviously there is the physical compatibility issue for the plug in modules but they look to be similar size to X10 modules so I suspect that it should be relatively easy to perform a transplant of innards and "upgrade" an X10 module.

I looked at a couple of datasheets and those that state a voltage say Max 230V but our upper limit for 240 still meets the maximum upper limit for harmonised 230v.

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written by Otto-Mate , October 29, 2009

Keith, there are certainly some modules you could buy from foreign shores and use here. However it's hardly ideal.

We need a decent range of UK modules available from UK retailers. Plug in modules are where most people start too, not in-line stuff.

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written by Neil Carmichael , October 29, 2009

Do we know why it is not available here?

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written by Keith Doxey , October 29, 2009

@ Mark. I agree totally that is isnt ideal. I was just making the point that you probably could use the modules if you wanted them.

@ Neil. Probably purely down to cost. Our switches and sockets are a different style to those in the rest of Europe. They would have to produce two versions of every module and at the moment the UK Home Automation market is still relatively small despite our efforts over the last decade or so to make more people aware of it.

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written by Mal Lansell , October 29, 2009

That gear is definitely not Z-Wave.

It looks identical to HomeEasy but annoyingly there is now an EU-except-UK variant of the protocol that has an extra bit in the messages.

This is incompatible with HomeEasy, and it's likely that CoCo is using this.

I can see no justification for that kind of difference - not making UK plugs is one thing, but deliberately varying the protocol so wired-in devices can't be used with UK-specific ones goes right against the spirit of the single market, IMO.

Once again we get the shaft. Makes me wonder
why we even bother with it all.

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written by Otto-Mate , October 29, 2009

Thanks for the clarification Mal.

Anyone from COCO care to comment on the tech used and the (in)compatibility with HomeEasy units?

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written by Finn Olese , October 29, 2009

do not worry it's not just in the UK it is hard to get some good products here in Denmark we also have our problems, especially because we run a completely different type of contacts

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written by Pinx , November 16, 2009

Recently, Duwi (duewi.de) has started making relatively affordable z-wave devices.
The INTERACT line consists of stick-on switches and build in receivers. If there's enough space behind your wall, you could put the receivers in there.
Check http://www.home4u-store.com/ for prices.

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