Frequently Asked Questions About the ZSE29 Outdoor Motion Sensor

 

This is product is discontinued and replaced with ZSE70.

What does that mean?

 

 

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INSTALLATION QUESTIONS

Can the ZSE29 be installed outdoors?

• Yes, under a sheltered area, without direct sunshine or exposure to rain, within range of your Z-Wave hub (some drizzle is fine). Make sure the installation location is a clean, flat, and dry surface.
• Test the device before mounting it (see the device manual for tips on how to test the unit’s Z-Wave functionality and motion detection). Some other mounting tips:
  • Your S2 Motion Sensor best detects movement to the sides of the lens rather than directly in front of it
  • Mount it 6 ft above the ground
  • Don’t have it facing a window, direct sunlight, or near any heat source (boilers, radiators, etc)

What is the operating temperature of the ZSE29?

• -4° - 104°F

What are the dimensions of the ZSE29? How big is the device?

• 4.0" x 3.5" (base) x 3.5" (tall)

What is the wireless range of the sensor?

• Z-Wave devices work best in a mesh network, so even though the sensor has a range of up to 100 feet line of sight, this means 100 feet with other Z-Wave signal repeating devices between where the hub is and where the sensor 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.

What kind of battery does the ZSE29 use / need?

• The ZSE29 sensor is powered by 3 x AA (1.5 V) batteries (included) OR by micro-USB (not included). Find the micro-USB cables and appropriate power adapter to add to your cart here:
  • MICRO USB CABLE 3FT, WHITE
  • MICRO USB CABLE 10FT, WHITE
  • USB POWER ADAPTER PLUG, 1 A, WHITE
• Z-Wave devices use a different technology so they wouldn't be able to accommodate the requirements of PoE like some security cameras for example.

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.

Does the micro-USB charge the included battery?

• NO. The ZSE29 sensor can ONLY ever be powered by ONE power source.

Will it work in environments colder than what it is rated for? (Battery Power)

• Cold temperatures can reduce ion mobility, increasing the batteries' internal resistance and dropping the output voltage. No energy storage is lost, it's just that the energy doesn't get to the device, it dissipates internally. So in cold weather it may stop responding, but once it warms up, it should still operate and respond. The sensor needs a certain amount of voltage from the battery to report, and when that energy is dissipated due to the cold, you get a loss of function until the battery is warmed.

What is the battery life of the ZSE29?

• You should get around 9-12 months out of the ZSE29 sensor with normal use.

Can I use rechargeable batteries?

• We don't recommend it. Rechargeable batteries usually decrease in max voltage with time, so you may see a shorter battery life if using these. The Z-Wave chip manufacturer also requires all Z-Wave devices to report low battery at 2.6V and many rechargeable batteries are not full 3V when charged so it may seem like the battery is empty even at full charge.

What voltages should the battery report for 100% and when there is a low battery alert?

• 3.2V - 3V is a full battery (100%) and the Z-Wave chip manufacturer requires all Z-Wave devices to report low battery at 2.6V.

How do I get the most battery life out of my ZSE29 sensor?

• We recommend pairing Z-Wave devices to your hub without security (if your hub lets you choose during inclusion). S2 security adds an additional layer of information to communicate with your hub which can drain the battery quicker than you'd like, in rare cases.

What is the warranty coverage for the ZSE29?

• 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 ZSE29 device manual?

• Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 Outdoor Motion Sensor ZSE29 VER. 2.0 Manual (PDF)

PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY QUESTIONS

What value represents insufficient light such that you would want a light to turn on?

• The sensor reports the light level to the hub in percentage which is then converted to lux on select platforms (100% daylight is the equivalent to around 50 lux so it will max out at this value). For insufficient light, we would recommend trying programming automations when the sensor is at 20lux or lower.

Does this sensor report temperature and humidity?

• No. The ZSE29 sensor will only report motion and light/lux. For an outdoor rated temperature and humidity sensor, we would recommend the ZSE44 XS Sensor.

Can I program the sensor to trigger other devices via direct association in case the hub is offline?

• Yes, you can program the ZSE29 to trigger other Z-wave devices, like a light switch, via direct association. The device communicates directly with the switch allowing for quicker responses and can then send the command even if the hub is down.
  • Both devices need to be included on the same security level in order to be associated. The highest security level the ZSE29 supports is S2 Unauthenticated.

It takes 10-20 seconds for the sensor to detect motion again after changing back to 'no motion detected' status - is that normal?

• Yes. Any Z-Wave motion sensor will have a cooldown period of 10-20 seconds depending on the brand. A Z-Wave motion sensor will not act like your typical hardwired security sensor from an alarm panel which does not have a cooldown time. This cooldown period was implemented for two reasons:
  • To save battery life
  • To not overflood the Z-Wave network with unnecessary reports.

Will the ZSE29 act as a signal repeater for other Z-Wave devices in my network?

• No. Battery powered devices will not act repeaters. 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.
• Even if powered by USB, the ZSE29 was not programmed to act as a signal repeater.

Z-WAVE QUESTIONS

Do I need a Z-Wave hub to buy this device?

• Yes. The ZSE29 sensor is a Z-Wave device which would need a Z-Wave hub in order to receive the motion, temp, humidity, and light reports 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. 

Is the ZSE29 sensor 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 ZSE29.

Will this sensor work with my alarm panel?

• NO or it will pair with very basic binary sensor functionality for motion alerts only. 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. 
• To our best knowledge, most alarm panels don't support multi sensors so the ZSE29 won't display correctly in their interface. There is nothing about the Outdoor Motion Sensor that we could change to improve compatibility with alarm panels, since this is a limitation of the hub and how it supports binary and multi sensors.  It would be up to your alarm panel to integrate the device, as it follows Z-Wave protocol and has been Z-Wave certified. There is nothing we can change on our end to have the device be recognized correctly. Read more about alarm panel compatibility here.

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

• ZSE29 Outdoor Motion Sensor Advanced Settings

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

• SmartThings Installation articles
• Hubitat Installation articles
• Home Assistant Installation articles
• Z-Wave System Installation articles

How can I tell what firmware my ZSE29 is running on?

• The firmware that your sensor 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 sensor's change log may display as 1.1 in your hub.

How do I update the firmware of my ZSE29 sensor?

• 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 ZSE29?

• ZSE29 Outdoor Motion Sensor Change Log

What series Z-Wave chip does the ZSE29 use?

• The ZSE29 uses a 500 series Z-Wave chip. This model is soon to be discontinued and will not be updated to the latest 800 series Z-Wave chip. There is a new outdoor motion sensor model in the works with no ETA at this time.

Is the ZSE29 available in other Z-Wave frequencies?

• The ZSE29 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 ZSE29 Outdoor Motion Sensor (and all of our devices)! If you can't find your answer there, reach out to us!