Domoticz

Installation:

We will perform the installation on a system with Windows 10 installed. Installation must be very easy according to the website. It is a matter of downloading the software and starting the installation. I had the whole run within 2 minutes. Management is done via your web browser that starts automatically.

Then it is important that we can also control devices. For example, we want to be able to turn a lamp on or off. To test this well, I want to use the Z-Wave and 433Mhz protocol. Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol and is distinguished by 2-way communication and can build a mesh network. This allows the devices to communicate with each other, giving you better coverage in your home. Because this software is very focused on budget home automation I also take the 433Mhz protocol with me. This protocol distinguishes itself by price, has 1-way communication and is not secure.

Z-Wave installation:

To be able to use Z-wave devices I have to install a controller. After all, Domoticz is only a software package.

The following controllers are supported:
Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Stick S2 (non-Z-Wave Plus)
Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5 (Z-Wave Plus)
Vision Z-Wave Stick ZU1401Z-Wave.
Me RaZberry (Raspberry PI GPIO daughter card)
Z-Wave.Me RaZberry2 (Raspberry PI GPIO daughter card with better antenna)
Z-Wave.Me UZB Z-Wave Plus USB stick

We will use the Aeon Labs Z-Stick Gen5. Installing this was just a google job because it was not entirely self-explanatory. Hereby it is good to know that use is made of the Open Z-Wave database for the added devices. Not all manufacturers use this, so not all Z-wave devices will work properly.

Add devices

To add a device go to the menu item "Setup" and then to "Hardware" and then click on setup again (with the Z-Wave stick). Then click on "Node management" on the right and then on "include node".

After this you have to put the device in the learning mode. You will have to look this up in the manual of the product because there is no further explanation given by Domoticz. Often it is 3x in succession pressing a button or the device with power. There is also an add button on the dashboard. Unfortunately I am unable to add anything via this route. Via the first route mentioned.

Aeon Labs Smart Dimmer (Z-Wave Plus)

A nice test is to add this dimmer and see if it works properly. It was found neatly and I see all end points / options appear. This way it can set the dim level and the color of the LED. This plug also has an energy measurement (current and total consumption) and this is also shown.

So this all works great.

Fibaro Relay Switch 2

Adding the Dimmer was of course not entirely fair because it is not sold very much. That is why we now take the Fibaro Relay Switch 2, which has been sold in large numbers and always works fine on the controllers that we have tested.

We add it to the Domoticz again. What is immediately noticeable is the speed at which the addition goes. This is super fast and the switch has been added in no time. Unfortunately, when switching the switch on and off via the interface, I see nothing happening at the lamp. Also manually switching on via the wall switch does nothing in Domoticz. After googling for a while I see that the system needs to be rebooted, but also after this there was no response yet.

I do not give up as quickly as this is common with Z-Wave devices, so I try again. After the reset and adding, I see it appear again and now the switch works. Switching via the wall switch now also works. Unfortunately this is only for a short time because after a reboot the wall switch works but via the interface no longer works. Now this could of course be related to range, but the controller and switch are only 50 cm apart. I see through the Domoticz forum that more people are suffering from this problem.

Neo Coolcam Power Plug

If we go for budget, the Neo Coolcam connector is of course a good candidate. This is already available for € 20.00. We will of course also add this. He was found neat and see the on and off switch, current consumption, total consumption, voltage and ampere.

433Mhz/RFXcom

Do you really want to get started cheap with home automation then the 433Mhz protocol is a cheap solution. KlikAanKlikUit is a major manufacturer of these, which are available at the hardware store or via our partner of course. For example, there is already a plug in between for € 19.99.

To work with this protocol you need a controller again. This time we use the RFXcom USB module which is for sale for € 110. We will install this first. You can do this by supplying it with power via a USB input. Then go to the hardware panel and select RFXcom there to add it.

Easy Living Connector

I don't have that much 433Mhz equipment but I still have this plug from the Homewizard. First I tried to add it via the main screen, but unfortunately this did not work. Then I went to the RFXcom settings but you can't add anything there. So just consulted Google again, I found that you had to add it to "manual light/switch" as an HE/EU device with a random code. After this it was added and you can operate it via the dashboard. The intermediate plug responds well to commands.

Cresta Thermometer

The following device is one of the cheapest thermometers from Cresta. In addition to the temperature, it can also measure the humidity. I already have a few in use in my house and these were immediately found without adding.

Click On Click Off Wireless Motion Detector

The wireless KaKu motion detector's turn is the last device. I have not used this for a while, so I first replace batteries and put them in learning mode. Unfortunately, he is not found and I do not find out much via google why this is. If I look at the RFXcom (controller) website then it should be supported.

Zigbee

While writing this article there is no possibility to get a Zigbee USB stick working with Domoticz. There are several other ways to connect the HUB of both Ikea and Xiaomi. In this way you can operate your lamps via the HUB.

We will make an extensive article about this. These products are in fact very technically interesting in terms of price.

Dashboard/Switches/Temperature/Utility

If you have added a device, they will appear on different dashboards. For example, if you have added a lamp, it will come to the switches section and, surprisingly, a temperature meter to the temperature. You can mark a device as a favorite and it will appear on the dashboard.

Weather:

There is a "Weather" tab where you can display the local weather reports. How you can get this working does not speak for itself, but you can find out via the WiKi of domoticz: https://www.domoticz.com/wiki/Virtual_weather_devices