Smart Things

I have a 2GiG system, would like to connect it to Smart things, I believe someone in ST was able to create a code and has it working, but what others options do I have that you guys can share?

Thanks

I haven’t tested it to be sure, but Lutron’s RadioRA 2 and Caseta Wireless Smart Bridges now support SmartThinga. So, if Alarm.com takes the signal, they should work in Alarm.com.

No code is required. This is a primary-secondary controller network where the 2GIG acts as a secondary controller.

All devices would be learned into the primary, then the secondary linked. Compatible Z-wave devices would be shared with 2GIG.

This post goes over the basic process of adding a 2GIG panel as a secondary controller.

You cannot control the 2GIG Panel from a Z-wave controller (as in you cannot arm/disarm directly, etc.) Integrating allows multiple control methods of the same devices.

If you are just wanting both your SmartThings and GC2/Alarm.com to control the same Zwave devices then no (well, little) sweat. After you upgrade the GC2 to at least 1.14 firmware then just re-add the devices to your ST as the primary controller and make the GC2 the secondary (while the ST is running on its batteries and physically within a few feet of the GC2 to copy the device list):

https://suretyhome.com/forums/topic/the-latest-on-smartthings-v2-and-gc2-compatibility/#post-44245

If you are thinking you want your ST hub to also monitor/control NON-Zwave 2 gig devices - no Bueno. Anything like door & window contacts, wireless motion, 2gig smokes are all proprietary to 2gig and the GC2 panel. The ST hub can’t see those. I have watched the ST forums for a couple years now and have seen no one pull off some kind of GC2 device > ST trick (except for a guy that built a Raspberry Pi kit to the ST and reverse engineered the wireless protocol - think UNSTABLE alarm events if you even had the time/geekiness on your side).

What I had always hoped for is some CLEAN way for at least the GC2’s main alarm state to quickly carry over to the ST’s alarm state so the ST can perform any of 1000s of custom ST actions and notifications beyond what an Alarm.com subscription can do today. There is a trick by burying a Zwave switch or dimmer as a “state sharing device” in the wall (that does not actually control any light) and have Alarm.com actions change the state. Then the ST hub constantly monitors that device state to change alarm status. But again, not reliable, and you still have to rely on Alarm.com actions and possible delays/outages.

And this will never go ST > GC2 as 2gig won’t allow Z-wave devices to trigger their panel alarms. This is why you can’t even hook up, say, any of some really nice Zwave smoke detectors to a GC2 like you can ST. It really comes down to most Alarm mfrs really don’t want other 3rd-party devices to mess with their alarm status. Makes sense since they can be liable for false or missed alarms I suppose.

What I had always hoped for is some CLEAN way for at least the GC2’s main alarm state to quickly carry over to the ST’s alarm state so the ST can perform any of 1000s of custom ST actions and notifications beyond what an Alarm.com subscription can do today.

Have you tried using a Mimolite and the Open Collector output on the GC2? You can set the open collector to activate on alarms, then the Mimolite sensor circuit would be wired to it and the other hub could monitor that device status.

On a GC3 there are even two different independently programmed open collectors, so you could monitor two scenarios that way.

Have you tried using a Mimolite and the Open Collector output on the GC2?

Hmmm, guess I never thought of hardwire (and apparently no one on the ST forums did either when I just searched again?). Looking at the MIMOlite specs it looks like the OC outputs up to 16 VDC while the MIMO input takes up to 16VDC so that should work. I see there is an unofficial MIMO device driver for the ST as well.

So with only one OC pair on the GC2 I guess you either get to pick sending an alarm event to ST via a MIMO Zwave event or just monitor arm/disarm state, not both. But it at least takes Alarm.com out of the delay for reliability! Do I leave Q-78:CO Mode on the default “sounder alarm(11)”?

So what about ST -> GC2? I see the MIMO has a Zwave-controlled relay output as well. Can that trip an immediate generic perimeter alarm back to Alarm.com? I already have a takeover for all the door/window contacts (on Loop 1 I believe, have to check). Can I wire the MIMO relay as normally-open on Loop 2/Gnd? Or can you only use one loop or the other on a GC2 at a time? I can’t connect the MIMO relay to the takeover on the other side of the house because I don’t have any extra wire going back from the OC output on the GC2. But it would also kinda be nice to have an important Zwave device or two over on the ST that could trip a call to Alarm.com.

Do I leave Q-78:CO Mode on the default “sounder alarm(11)”?

You would want to program Q78 for what you are looking to monitor. I would suggest 6, 7, or 8 depending on your intended usage if you want to monitor alarms.

6 is Burglary alarms. 7 is fire alarms. 8 is any alarm.

So what about ST -> GC2? I see the MIMO has a Zwave-controlled relay output as well. Can that trip an immediate generic perimeter alarm back to Alarm.com?

You could wire up a DW10 to the relay or wire the relay back to the panel terminal block and trip the sensor from an ST action, yes. That would give you the ability to generate an alarm based on other automation.

Can I wire the MIMO relay as normally-open on Loop 2/Gnd? Or can you only use one loop or the other on a GC2 at a time?

Just for clarification, “Loop” refers to separate wireless sensor functions. You’re referring to zones. Yes, you can use both wired zones, programmed independently.

You could wire up a DW10 to the relay or wire the relay back to the panel terminal block and trip the sensor from an ST action, yes. That would give you the ability to generate an alarm based on other automation ... Just for clarification, “Loop” refers to separate wireless sensor functions. You’re referring to zones. Yes, you can use both wired zones, programmed independently.

I’m talking about the “Hardwire Loops” terminals 7 and 8 (and Ground on 3) as per pg 15 of the Install Guide. I can simply wire the normally-open relay of the Mimo to either terminal 7 or 8 to trigger a generic GC2 alarm once SmartThings tells Mimo to close, correct?

Then I assume I set up a Hardwire Loop 1 sensor as a Perimeter so it only triggers when the GC2 is in Away or Stay? The way I read this instead of MimoLite I could buy the full $80 Mimo with dual output relays and also tie to Loop 2 for a 2nd SmartThings alarm condition?

Obviously the active alarm state sent from GC2 to the Mimo (then SmartThings hub) is tied between Open Collector (terminal 4 and gnd 3), correct?

I can simply wire the normally-open relay of the Mimo to either terminal 7 or 8 to trigger a generic GC2 alarm once SmartThings tells Mimo to close, correct?

We are discussing the same thing, yes, you would be using the Fortrezz Mimo relay to trip sensor hardwire inputs on the GC2.

Then I assume I set up a Hardwire Loop 1 sensor as a Perimeter so it only triggers when the GC2 is in Away or Stay?

Proper programming would be determined by the use case, but yes perimeter would trip alarms during Away or Stay arming.

Note that we do not necessarily recommend doing this, as this kind of integration naturally opens up a lot of false alarm potential if the triggering action is not reliable.

The way I read this instead of MimoLite I could buy the full $80 Mimo with dual output relays and also tie to Loop 2 for a 2nd SmartThings alarm condition?

If you are referring to the MIMO2+ found here, I could not say for certain that it is compatible. I would assume so, but we have not used one to verify this.

Obviously the active alarm state sent from GC2 *to* the Mimo (then SmartThings hub) is tied between Open Collector (terminal 4 and gnd 3), correct?

Yes, the Open Collector/Gnd would be used to trip the Mimo input. On a GC2 there is one configurable open collector. You would want to program Q78 for what you are looking to monitor. I would suggest 6, 7, or 8 depending on your intended usage if you want to monitor alarms.

6 is Burglary alarms. 7 is fire alarms. 8 is any alarm.

FYI on how to tie SmartThings hub arm/disarm states with GC2 using MIMOlite as the intermediary as well as the MIMO’s relay for any Zwave device on the ST hub to cause an actual GC2 alarm sent to central dispatch: