How to get a complete description of the available commands for a z-wave device?

Question

I bought a Zipato Bulb 2. The datasheet and user's manual are very minimalist with no comprehensive description of the available commands. I looked into the XML description of OpenZWave but it is also incomplete.

So I asked Zipato directly, but the contact I made is not on the technical side and he doesn't know what I am talking about.

How am I supposed to interact with Z-Wave products if I don't know the command they provide?

Answer 1

I'm not sure if you've seen this information, but here's a link to the user manual for the Zipato Bulb 2. It covers the command classes that the bulb uses. It should be the same as the OpenZWave XML file.

The devices don't usually come with much more documentation than that. Is there something you still don't understand after having read it?

Answer 2

You can find the list of command classes in the ZWave Alliance product database https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/2712/classes

Openzwave didn't support currently the Command Class Firmware Update Md V2, otherwise, all others CC reported are supported.

Answer 3

I have not found the manufacturers of devices to be a useful source of info. Best thing to do is to ping your controller through its API. The command will vary with difference controllers, but with an ISY994i controller, as an example, I would use the following command:

192.168.X.YYY/rest/nodes

X.YYY is the local address of your controller on the network. With my controller, this lists all devices and their sub-devices. For example:

AEON LABS SMART ENERGY SWITCH (DSC06106-ZWUS)

<node flag="128" nodeDefId="UZW0019">
<address>ZW004_1</address>
<name>ZW Main Computer</name>
<pnode>ZW004_1</pnode>
<cat>121</cat>
<property id="ST" value="0" formatted="Off" uom="78"/>

<node flag="0" nodeDefId="UZW002B">
<address>ZW004_143</address>
<name>ZW Main Computer Meter</name>
<pnode>ZW004_1</pnode>
<cat>143</cat>
<property id="ST" value="104991" formatted="104.991 Watts" uom="73" prec="3"/>

Again, it's going to be completely different for your controller, but you get the idea. Look to the controller's API, not the device manufacturer, for details on what variables you can set in Z-wave devices. Also, some controllers will support functions that other controllers don't support. Which z-wave chip is in the controller vs the device will also change what you see through the controller API.