ZEN16 Multirelay FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About the ZEN16 MultiRelay

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ZEN16 Front ZEN16 Multirelay ZEN16 Back

INSTALLATION QUESTIONS

Can the ZEN16 be installed outdoors?

While it's not specifically rated for outdoor use, users have been able to successfully use the Multirelay outdoors with weatherproof boxes like the SockItBox: http://www.sockitbox.com/
You may also need a waterproof cord to extend to the box as well depending on your set-up. Just make sure that the temperatures won't drop below the ZEN16's operating temperature [32-104° F (0-40° C)] before installing it outdoors.

What is the operating temperature of the ZEN16?

32-104° F (0-40° C)

What are the dimensions of the ZEN16? How big is the device?

4" x 2.5" x 1.5"

Is device available in other colors?

No. The ZEN16 is only available in black.

How is the ZEN16 powered? What kind of power supply do I need?

The ZEN16 can be powered by one of two power supplies linked below:
- USB C with a 1 A Power Adapter plug (you just need a USB plug, the USB cable is included with the device)
- 12-24 V adapter (or any other 12-24 V AC/DC power supply)
Note: Please make sure you do NOT use both power supplies at the same time. Please do NOT use laptop or tablet chargers to power the ZEN16.
Important: Before making any connections, make sure you're applying the power supply to the correct terminals! There should never be any voltage applied to the Sw input terminals.
As long as you'll have a separate power source for the loads connected to the ZEN16, that will work since the MultiRelay needs very little power for the Z-Wave chip and processing commands.

What is the upper voltage limit when powering the ZEN16 via 24V?

28V is the absolute limit voltage. Any further fluctuations beyond 28V could damage the ZEN16/17. This is the current hardware limitation.

The adapter plug looks like my phone charger cube, could I use that instead?

NO. Your charger cube is an impulse power supply, while the adapter linked above is an external battery, which supplies constant, steady power.
The difference between chargers and adapters is impulse power supplies require a load to activate, so a particular amount of charge on the other side. Laptops, tablets, and phones have powerful batteries that will start drawing a certain amount of power which activates the power supply. If a given device doesn't draw enough power, the power supply / charger will not activate.

What is the wireless range of the relay?

Z-Wave devices work best in a mesh network, so even though the device has a range of up to 150 feet line of sight, this means 150 feet with other Z-Wave signal repeating devices between where the hub is and where the relay will be installed.
It is the hub that decides the communication route to each device. The more signal repeating (non-battery powered) devices included on your network, the stronger it is and easier it is for the hub to reach devices that are further away.
Environments with a lot of glass or metal elements, large furniture, and thick walls can also be very disruptive to Z-Wave signals.
- Basic glass can easily be penetrated by wireless signals including Z-Wave, but with double or triple pane glass windows it will reduce the strength of your Z-Wave signals. If your glass window is treated against emissions and radiation (these are typically present in new buildings as a standard so make sure to determine that before attempting, tints, films, or glazes may be a indication of that), these can be highly reflective and block/reflect Z-Wave signals.

Where can I find different wiring diagrams and programming instructions for my set-up?

Garage Door Set-up: What kind of wire do I use to hook between the relay and the wall switch? Will bell wire work?

The recommended gauge for 15 Amp circuits is 14 AWG and 12 AWG for 20 Amp circuits.

Garage Door Set-up: My opener has a light; can I control it separately with the ZEN16?

No, you will not be able to control your light with the ZEN16.

Can the ZEN16 be used in 3-way installations?

No. You wouldn't be able to use the ZEN16 in a 3-way configuration as it only supports single pole installs.

Can I use the ZEN16 to control a whole house fan?

Yes. We are working on creating wiring diagrams. In the meantime, please reach out to our support for help with wiring.

Can I use the ZEN16 to control DC motors with reversed polarization?

No. Only the ZEN17 can be used for DC motors with reversed polarization. It has NC and NO relays needed for that, while the ZEN16 only has NO relays.

Can I use the ZEN16 with my Ductless Mini-Splits for AC and Heat

No. The ductless mini-split is a closed system that works only with its own controller; none of our devices would be able to work here to add Z-Wave control due to the nature of the system.

What is the warranty coverage for device?

Zooz 500 series devices are covered by a 12 month warranty. Zooz 700 and 800 series devices are covered by a standard 1-year warranty and by an extended 5-year warranty if registered within 30 days of purchase. Please register your device here and review the full warranty policy here.

Where can I find the device manual for the device?

Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 MultiRelay Manual (PDF)

PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY QUESTIONS

What kind of load is the ZEN16 rated for? What is its maximum rating?

Relay 1: 15 A
Relay 2: 15 A
Relay 3: 20 A

What is the maximum voltage for the individual relays?

You can control a device up to 220 V on any of the relays.

What are all of the terminals on the ZEN16 for? What do they do?

Sw1 : wall switch to control R1 or dry contact input (like an analog sensor) for individual input monitoring for ZEN16 VER. 2.0
Sw2 : wall switch to control R2 or dry contact input (like an analog sensor) for individual input monitoring for ZEN16 VER. 2.0
Sw3 : wall switch to control R3 or dry contact input (like an analog sensor) for individual input monitoring for ZEN16 VER. 2.0
+ / - : 12-24V (AC/DC) Power Input
R1 : normally open relay controlling any load up to 15 A 1/3HP.
R2 : normally open relay controlling any load up to 15 A 1/3HP.
R3 : normally open relay controlling any load up to 20 A 3/4HP.
Firmware update 1.03 gives users the ability to change any of the relays to NC state. See "How do I update the firmware of my ZEN16?" below.
NO can mean "Z-Wave Off" or "Z-Wave On" depending on the values set for Parameters 21-23 in the 1.03 firmware.

What does input, output, normally closed, normally open, dry contact, and common mean?

Inputs: dry contacts, wall switches, Sw1 Sw2 Sw3 - these are dry contact inputs that can be monitored by the ZEN16 VER. 2.0 and their status will be reported to the hub once programmed. If using ZEN16 VER. 1.0, you could not separate inputs from outputs so the only recommended input type was a wall switch to trigger the load connected to the R outputs on the device.
Outputs: relays, NC / NO - the output terminals are designed for control of the connected load. They physically close the circuit to provide power to the load.
Normally Closed (NC): there IS contact between circuits in the default position and they are powered
Normally Open (NO): when they're not in use, there is no contact between the circuits and they are NOT powered
Dry Contact: A dry contact, also called a volt-free contact, is a relay contact that does not supply voltage.
- The relay energizes or de-energizes when a change to its input has occurred. In other words, a dry contact simply detects whether or not an input switch is open or closed.
Common (C): each relay terminal has 2 holes (openings). One typically takes the power source of the controlled load and the other opening takes the load connection, it doesn't matter which goes where.
- Some applications will require you to identify which opening on the R terminals is the common (so they know they can connect that part with the other relay terminals for a common power source for example).

What is the difference between the ZEN16 MultiRelay and ZEN17 Universal Relay?

ZEN16 VS ZEN17: What's the Difference

How do I control the inputs and outputs / relays and switches separately?

ZEN16 VER. 1.0: The inputs/outputs on the ZEN16 are tied together, and they appear as outputs in all Z-Wave interfaces for ZEN16 VER. 1.0.
ZEN16 VER. 2.0: This version can be programmed to have input and outputs appear as separate entities and be controlled separately just like on the ZEN17 Universal Relay.

Can I use an external antenna with the ZEN16?

No. There's no way to attach an external antenna to the device.

Is a wall switch necessary? I would like to turn on multiple devices remotely.

You don't need a wall switch to use the MultiRelay as long as your local regulations allow controlling an electrical load without an emergency wall switch.
From the device standpoint, you can only use the output (relay) part without having anything connected to the input/switch terminals.

Do any of your relays measure resistance (ohms) and can use that to control a light- dimming or brightening depending on the resistance measured?

All of our relays can only control on/off loads; they wouldn't be able to dim or brighten.

How much power is consumed by the ZEN16?

The ZEN16 will need up to 1 W to operate within a Z-Wave network.
The amount of power it uses depends on how busy the network is and how many messages it needs to relay. If you're looking for a lower-energy device, you may also look into the ZEN17 Universal Relay which is a similar product but based on the 700 series Z-Wave chip which greatly reduces the amount of power needed to communicate due to better signal coverage.

Are the Sw terminals wetted with some voltage by the ZEN16?

No, the switch (Sw) terminals cannot have any voltage connected to them or the device will be damaged.

Can the ZEN16 control 3 different loads within the relay's rating - 1 per each relay?

Yes. The relays are isolated.

What security level does the ZEN16 pair to my controller or hub with?

The highest level of security the Multirelay supports is S2 Authenticated.

Will the ZEN16 act as a signal repeater for other Z-Wave devices in my network?

Yes. Your Z-Wave hub decides which devices to use to reach other Z-Wave devices. Any non-battery powered Z-Wave device will act as a signal repeater; it would be up to your hub whether or not it will be used in a communication route.

Z-WAVE QUESTIONS

Do I need a Z-Wave hub to buy the ZEN16?

Yes. The ZEN16 is a Z-Wave device which would need a Z-Wave hub in order to control or monitor the connected load and customize advanced settings.
To control or monitor any of our Z-Wave devices remotely through your smart phone, you'll need a compatible Z-Wave hub. These devices require a central controller that communicates with them and sends commands. Once you have a controller, you would download that controller's dedicated app on your phone and control your connected devices through that app.

Will I still be able to control the ZEN16 or connected load if my Z-Wave hub is down or offline?

The ZEN16 - no. Connected load - It may depend on the set-up, but it most cases yes. The ZEN16 is simply adding Z-Wave control to your existing set-up, so you should still be able to control the connected device or load manually if the hub is offline.
For example, if using the ZEN16 to control garage doors, you'll still be able to use the wall switch to control the doors or the garage door remote, if you have one, if the hub is offline.

Is the ZEN16 compatible with my hub?

You can find a list of compatible hubs for a given device under the Works With section on the product's page. Here is the list of hubs compatible with the ZEN16.

Will the ZEN16 work with my alarm panel?

Alarm panels like Alarm.com will typically only support single switches, door locks, select thermostats, and any authorized items on their list. We would recommend reaching out to your alarm panel company to verify compatibility and to get the latest on any device integrations they may be working on.
The ZEN16 will likely not be recognized by your alarm panel, or pair only as a single switch, instead of 4 devices (one main device, and 3 child devices - one for each relay). It would also not give you access to the advanced settings. It would be up to your alarm panel to integrate the ZEN16, as it follows Z-Wave protocol and has been Z-Wave certified. There is nothing we can change on our end to have the Multirelay be recognized correctly; Alarm.com would have to support the integration. Read more about alarm panel compatibility here.

Can I connect the ZEN16 directly to my Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or other smart speaker?

No. Smart speakers like Alexa or Google are not equipped with a Z-Wave chip and are not Z-Wave gateway controllers.
Smart speakers are integrated with certain Z-Wave hubs, like SmartThings or Hubitat, which is how you can have voice control of your Z-Wave devices from your smart speakers.
Without a compatible Z-Wave hub, no Z-Wave products will function correctly with Alexa or Google alone.

Where do I find all of my ZEN16's advanced settings?

ZEN16 MultiRelay Advanced Settings

How do I add the relay to my Z-Wave hub?

How can I tell what firmware my ZEN16 is running on?

The firmware that your device is shipped with should be printed on the back of the device where the model specifications are. If your hub supports and properly integrates the device, you should also see the firmware listed in your Z-Wave interface.
Firmware that is listed as 1.01 (or any other value with a 0 in the middle) in the ZEN16's change log may display as 1.1 in your hub.

How do I update the firmware of my ZEN16?

Some Z-Wave hubs have a built-in firmware updater that you can use. Otherwise, we recommend using the PC Controller tool on the Simplicity Studio Software as described here. You will need to register your device in order to have access to Zooz firmware files.

How long does the update take? How do I know when it's finished?

Firmware updates should usually take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on connection quality and how much information needs to actually be updated on a given device.
- If it is taking longer than that, please try to bring the hub / controller closer to the device that is being updated.

Where can I find the history of changes and firmware updates for the ZEN16?

ZEN16 MultiRelay Change Log

What series Z-Wave chip does the ZEN16 use?

The ZEN16 VER. 1.0 uses a 500 series Z-Wave chip.
The ZEN16 VER. 2.0 uses a 700 series Z-Wave chip.

Is the ZEN16 available in other Z-Wave frequencies?

The ZEN16 is currently available in 908.42 MHz (US) frequency only. We do not currently have plans to release it in EU or AU frequency.

Check out the Zooz Knowledge Base for free support articles about the ZEN16 Multirelay (and all of our devices)!