Duelling Z standards and power outlets

Ent · May 10, 2018 9:34 am

Hi All

I am new here. Spending a large fortune on setting up my new house for home automation and security. Went for Cat 6 backbone for POE security cameras and Ubiquiti Pro wifi platters to create a reliable wifi net that means good coverage in the house. I even brought a Google Home Assistant and a TP-Link switch to play with. The Hills 128 alarm is connected to the internet along with the Hikvision cameras.

But then I am crashing and burning on door locks. Wifi is a power hog so battery powered locks are rare. The only front runner is the Crowd funded Gate system. But at two weeks of use before changing battery pack not exactly what I am after. Other smart locks use a mixture of bluetooth and the duelling Z standard systems.

My requirement is for a deadlatch system that on opening the front or back both will be unlocked. Only digital lock that can do a deadlatch (can not be opened from inside without a key) is the Lockwood 001 lock. But that is not wireless enabled. The joys of security. Plus smart locks in general get slammed on lock forums for been extremely poorly designed for physical security, by that generally mechanically junk.

Anyway, the above suggests I should look at one of the Z standards. Both have advantages and disadvantages along with some concern that the frequency used in Europe and the USA for Zwave are not licensed for use in Australia. Plus I have a problem of coverage in a rambling house that required the wifi net installed.

My proposed solution is using smart power outlets and light switches to extend the wireless net to reach the lock sites. But when I look can find not much on wired in power outlets. Indeed I find it hard to find any wired in smart sockets and even harder to find if they mount to existing power outlet wall plates.

So, do Zwave and Zigbee wired power outlets exists? Any idea on smart locks with deadlatch capability? And which of the Z standards is best supported and will go forward?

Must admit at the moment becoming very frustrate with this whole home automation business due to the lack of reliable information.

Cheers

arcadelt · May 10, 2018 10:03 am

What is your use case for a deadlatch? Unfortunately most smart lock are retrofits and do not deadlatch, so as you have found you have limited your options. Most digital locks are not smart, so don't link or allow remote access.

Ent · May 10, 2018 12:40 pm

Massively improved security as the lock has to be defeated from the inside rather than a simple turn the knob.

Ent · May 10, 2018 12:42 pm

Anyway back to wired in power outlets that act as Z extenders. Do such beasts exist?

And what is the best Z to chose from?

arcadelt · May 10, 2018 1:01 pm

Ent

Massively improved security as the lock has to be defeated from the inside rather than a simple turn the knob.

Surely security has fail if they are already inside?

Ent · May 10, 2018 1:04 pm

arcadelt

Ent

Massively improved security as the lock has to be defeated from the inside rather than a simple turn the knob.

Surely security has fail if they are already inside?

So let’s make it easy if they force a back toilet window to walk your 65” screen tv out the front or back door?

Neighbours tend to get suspicious if the see goods been removed by windows and not so much if by a normal door.

arcadelt · May 10, 2018 1:06 pm

Ent

arcadelt

Ent

Massively improved security as the lock has to be defeated from the inside rather than a simple turn the knob.

Surely security has fail if they are already inside?

So let’s make it easy if they force a back toilet window to walk your 65” screen tv out the front or back door?

Neighbours tend to get suspicious if the see goods been removed by windows and not so much if by a normal door.

No, just walk it out your 65" wide window instead. Point is, one of your criteria is limiting your others. You have to figure out which criteria is more important.

arcadelt · May 10, 2018 1:13 pm

Ent

So, do Zwave and Zigbee wired power outlets exists?

Probably not in Australia as the market is too small; however, this site is probably not the best one to get such an answer, so you might want to consult one of the dedicated home automation websites/forums or one that is a bit more tech oriented (sorry homeone, but it’s about depth of knowledge).

Ent · May 10, 2018 6:53 pm

Actually these type of forums tend to better as you are more likely to get the warts and all approach than this is great.

Home automation is growing and might wind up as common as the smart phone. Someone might have used the stylish Clipsal rang of momentary button push switches and wired in a controller behind it.

The also appears to be no active smart home forums in Australia.

On locks I would hazard to guess many would not be aware most locks can be bumped in about the same time it takes to open them with a key by someone with very little training. Get ready for the European style insurance lock, where to get insurance your locks need to be of a certain standard.

Mean time around 1 in 68 homes a year are burgled. Yeap, once in a lifetime average but still a very traumatic event even if you have a good insurance company.

arcadelt · May 10, 2018 7:24 pm

Ent

Home automation is growing and might wind up as common as the smart phone. Someone might have used the stylish Clipsal rang of momentary button push switches and wired in a controller behind it.

IMHO, I think home automation is on the increase because of the internet of things, and most products in that category are for retrofit. Unfortunately traditional wired in automation is probably on the decline. Anyway, I'm now subscribed to your thread so we'll see what other responses you get.

Ent · May 14, 2018 10:25 pm

Sockitz appear to be an option, assuming their website actually works! The approach is sensible with you buying the power outlet and also been able to chose the communication module from either Zwave or Wifi. Gives capacity to help mitigate jumping the wrong way.

They have a C USB charging version which would be handy for say a room set up as an office. As said they are a hard mob to get a response from. But their ideas are on the money.

Brought another TP-Link switch for a difficult to reach power outlet controlling the heater in my office and second Google Assistant. Yeap, software challenges. Could not add new device so had to delete the TP-Link and reconnect to Google Home.

Very handy little device if some what clunky in appearance. Power monitoring good as with a oil heater it is the cycle on time that governs power consumption so you get a good idea what it takes to heat a room.