Alarm.com Multi-Channel Z-Wave Switch Beta Testing

Product Updates
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Surety customers are now able to beta test Alarm.com’s coming support for multi-channel Z-Wave switches. If you have a multi-channel Z-Wave switch, you should now be able to use all of the endpoints (plugs or lights) in Alarm.com.

Requires a control panel that supports multi-channel Z-Wave.

What are Multi-Channel Z-Wave Switches?

Multi-channel Z-Wave switches are those that have more than one independent controllable output on a single Z-Wave device. Often, these are Z-Wave switches with 2 or more plugs that you can power devices & appliances with and control them independently. Relay modules with multiple dry-contact outputs and in-wall switches that control both a light and a fan are also common multi-channel Z-Wave devices.

How Do I Add Multi-Channel Switches To My Alarm.com Account?

Add them to your control panel like any other Z-Wave device. During the discovery process, Alarm.com will notice that it’s multi-channel and will add a switch on Alarm.com for each endpoint.

If your multi-channel device is already on your Alarm.com account, you will need to remove it and then re-add it in order for it to be detected as a multi-channel device during the discovery process.

After you’ve added (or removed) a Z-wave device from your control panel, use System Manager to immediately send the new Z-Wave device list to Alarm.com. This isn’t required but if you don’t then it may take a while before Alarm.com sees the new device.

What Limitations Are There?

While most multi-channel switches should work fine, some older devices may have issues, for example with reporting status updates. We’re not sure which ones, that’s why we’re beta testing. We want you to try it and let us know!

If your multi-channel Z-wave switch has power-metering, that’s not yet supported for each endpoint. Controlling each endpoint should work but power-metering may show inaccurate usage date.

Endpoint names don’t yet automatically sync between the control panel and Alarm.com. If you change the name of the switch in Alarm.com the name of the endpoint on the control panel won’t change with it. This is expected to be fixed soon but for now the workaround is to change the name both on Alarm.com and in the control panel.

Which Multi-Channel Z-Wave Switches Work With Alarm.com?

That’s why we’re beta testing, to find out! If you have a multi-channel Z-Wave device, please try adding it to your Alarm.com account and reply below to let us know how it works for you. Thanks!

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The Zooz ZEN16 Z-Wave Multi-Relay works well with my IQ Panel 4. All 3 relays show up in Alarm.com as light switches and work as expected.

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Yes! I’m seeing the following on my IQ4:
My Zooz ZEN16 came over (seeing three relays), as did my ZEN14 Outdoor Plugs. (Showing both plugs as independently controllable.)

Note that I did not need to delete and re-add, they just showed up when I sent the Zwave device list, but the old object was in there as well creating duplicates. I am in the process of deleting and readding to clean up the duplicate devices.

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I’m not sure if I should add this here or post it elsewhere, but just an FYI.

Not sure if related directly to this beta, but when I deleted and re-added all my devices with multiple channels/outlets, after that process everything z-wave going through the IQ4 panel got very slow. Commands to change a device status would happen about 5 minutes later, if at all.

After waiting about 20 minutes, I had the z-wave network re-discover itself, but the problem persisted. I then rebooted the panel, and with that the problem went away.

Just adding this for information’s sake in case it is related somehow.

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Linking post from another topic about potential ZEN14 issues…

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Good to know. Thanks! I’m curious, after you removed and re-added your multi-channel devices, did it fix the problem you described above where the ZEN14 plugs controlling your holiday lights were sometimes showing incorrect status in Alarm.com?

I’m wondering because Alarm.com said you have to remove them and re-add them but you said they showed up after just re-sending the z-wave device list to Alarm.com, which might not be a supported way of discovering additional endpoints.

P.S. yes, this topic is the appropriate place to report any issues you have with multi-channel z-wave devices during the beta test period.

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Yes, the incorrect status issue was after I deleted and re-added the devices.

(Even though they just ‘showed up’ I deleted and re-added them all just for safe measure before I tried to really use them)

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Will this also work if I have the zigbee daughter card for zigbee multi channel switches?

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I don’t think so. AFAIK this is just for Z-Wave multi-channel switches. If multi-channel Zigbee works for you that would be a pleasant surprise but I doubt it.

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The ZEN20 5-plug power strip works. All 5 plugs are controllable in Alarm.com. No issues with functionality.

Even the 2 USB charger ports show up in Alarm.com as switches. You can’t control them but you can see when a device is plugged in and charging. The status updates in Alarm.com were surprisingly quick, almost immediate.

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