Reddit reviews Leviton DZ15S-1BZ Decora Smart Switch with Z-Wave Technology, White/Light Almond, Repeater/Range Extender

The switch is a standard light switch. With HA switches you have to make sure they are fan compatible, but many are. This one is the one I used for 75% of my switches, whether light or fan.

Be very careful when buying smart switches to ensure that they will work with LED bulbs. The Leviton switches listed by abode as compatible will NOT work with LED bulbs.

If you want to use Leviton switches that WILL work with LED bulbs, this is their newest Z-wave switch.

Leviton DZ15S-1BZ Decora Smart Switch with Z-Wave Plus Technology

I have that switch and it works fine and dandy; just got it about a month ago. I'm assuming the dimmer would work just as well, but it's just a guess.

Others here have had good luck with the GE switches and LED bulbs. I started down the Leviton route and didn't want mixed brands, so haven't gotten any GE switches yet.

Also, it might be worth it to make sure you have neutral wiring in whatever location you want to install a switch. I have neutral wiring throughout my house, but there is one room where it looks like the electrician got lazy and the switch was wired from light, and therefore I don't have a neutral in that one.

Whatever you do, don't buy GE/Jasco switches. Google "jasco blue blink" for an example of how these switches like to die without any real reason for doing so.

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As each of my Jasco switches dies, I'm replacing them with Leviton switches, this is the switch that's replacing my on/off switches.

Non-abode cameras are limited as to what will work directly with Abode. Not a major loss in my opinion. I have one Nest camera, from my girlfriend's old apartment install, tied in to abode but it doesn't do too much with abode. It only seems to pull a single capture upon me manually telling it to. There are only a few that intergrate with abode.

That said I haven't delved to deep into it. I personally mostly use poe IP cameras with the feeds piping to a local computer running Blueiris. Cheap, local, and pretty robust software.

Automation is fairly good with Abode. Check the list on the sidebar of this sub-reddit. Use that list for official and unofficialy supported devices. Not all zwave devices are automatically compatible. I have most of my light switches with zwave connections and a garage door controler. Beyond that and Abode's devices I use other individual apps to control it. Neato vacuum and Rainmachine sprinkler controls for example I'd rather have their own company's interface.

I've gone with the Leviton brand switches. I liked the feel and control of their dimmers, while still being similar to a regular switch. This is a plus when the tech illiterate or guests come over and try to use them. They synced up first time with no issues. Fast and responsive when commands are sent. Dimming works well through Abode. I also have a Phillips color light strip that works just as well.

For my "dumb" ceiling fans on or off control (no stage or variable speed remotely):
Leviton DZ15S-1BZ Decora Smart Switch with Z-Wave Plus Technology, White/Light Almond, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ0WVKH/

Leviton DZ1KD-1BZ Decora Smart 1000W Dimmer with Z-Wave Plus Technology, White/Light Almond, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQX5L8P/

For bedside lamps, and a few other lamps:
Leviton DZPD3-2BW Decora Smart Plug-in Dimmer with Z-Wave Plus Technology, White, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7NPRSB/

I have other Wemo switches in the bathrooms that don't interface with Abode. I did this because they offered a more direct way to put automated countdown trimmers on exhaust fans. I really couldn't find a way with Abode & IFTTT to do countdown timers based on when I clicked the switch. Abode with IFTTT can do sun up, sun down, specific times, and other triggers but not count downs from when the switch was clicked on. There may be a way but I'm not much for programming. I also liked the wemo dimmer switch look, but only for the bathrooms since they couldn't do a two/three way switch. I don't normally need to control the bathrooms remotely, but can through the Wemo app if I need to.

I can't speak to voice automation. I have an Alexa pod but don't like to use it for other reasons.

Beyond that I went with Abode sensors. They work very well. I got onto Abode in part because of the water leak sensors. They work and saved me some water damage when the AC froze over and started leaking in the attic. The occupancy sensors are neat but I haven't made good use of them. The temperature sensors work but I wish they kept a running history of temps.

Windows and doors I used the old security system's reed switches and wiring soldered into individual abode door sensors. Works like a charm and is completly hidden. Added in acoustic and vibration/glass break sensors in various rooms for added layer of sensing.

Smoke alarm detector works well with my existing smoke alarms. They call you pretty darn fast with the monitoring service. I'd like to upgrade to something like Nest's smoke alarms but they currently are expensive to replace a large home's worth of fire alarms and don't automatically call the fire department through Abode.

Let me know what other questions you have and I'll try to answer them.

Smart switch is in fact the solution. I'm using this Leviton to do exactly what you described.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ0WVKH/ref=sr_ob_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492107608&sr=8-1

Dimmer

Dimmer Add-On

Switch

Switch Add-On

Home Depot Link

The sale at Home Depot right now is really good for them. I used camelcamelcamel and just waited for a price drop on Amazon to buy them all at once. They seem to fluctuate in price quite often.

The newer ones are Z-Wave+, the older ones are just Z-Wave. I run the Leviton Decoras (Z-Wave+) for switches & dimmers. I've added a few of the new GE Fan Controllers, but those have had a rough time being detected correctly by OZCP / HASS.

Leviton DZ15S-1BZ Decora Smart Z-Wave Plus On/Off Wall Switch https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01MZ0WVKH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4fs0CbYMVYCF0

This is the exact switch I bought

I was thinking to get this switch which uses z-wave -

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-DZ15S-1BZ-Decora-Switch-Technology/dp/B01MZ0WVKH/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517794593&sr=8-3

to connect to these outlets -

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-DZR15-1RZ-Controls-Resistant-Receptacle/dp/B01N6HT2YN/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1517795022&sr=1-5

I was just wondering if you use the wink hub to set this up, does it need the internet for it to continue working.

I use these in a 3-way configuration but the instruction manual had configurations up to 6-way I believe.

Leviton DZ15S-1BZ Decora Smart... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ0WVKH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Paired with:

Leviton DD0SR-DLZ Dual Voltage 120/277VAC Decora Digital/Decora Smart Matching Switch Remote https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AFU1JTK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_se6jDb6S0K3JB