Frequently Asked Questions About the ZSE18 Motion Sensor
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INSTALLATION QUESTIONS
Can the ZSE18 be installed outdoors?
- NO.
What is the best way to install the ZSE18?
- Attach your sensor to the magnetic base and position it to cover the area you wish to monitor. For best results, mount the sensor within 20 feet from the door and around 7 feet from the ground.
What is the operating temperature of the ZSE18?
- 32° - 104°F
What are the dimensions of the ZSE18? How big is the device?
- 2" x 2" x 1.75"
- Weight: 2.0 oz
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 ZSE18 use / need?
- The ZSE18 sensor is powered by a single CR123A battery (included) OR by micro-USB and power adapter (which are not included). Find the micro-USB cables and appropriate power adapter to add to your cart here:
- If powering by battery - please make sure to TRIPLE CLICK the Z-Wave button when pairing to join it as a battery operated device.
- If powering by micro-USB - please make sure to PRESS AND HOLD the Z-Wave button when pairing to join it as a constantly powered device.
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 ZSE18 sensor can ONLY ever be powered by ONE power source. If you leave the battery in and connect the USB power supply, the ZSE18 can be damaged and stop functioning.
Does the battery act as a back-up power source?
- No. See Does the USB power / battery power operation depend on if I included the ZSE18 into the Z-Wave network while on battery power or while on USB? below.
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 ZSE18?
- You should get around 9-12 months out of the ZSE18 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 ZSE18 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 ZSE18?
- Zooz 500 series devices are covered by a 12-month warranty. Please register your device here and review the full warranty policy here.
Where can I find the ZSE18 device manual?
PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY QUESTIONS
Is the ZSE18 an occupancy sensor?
- The ZSE18 is a Passive Infrared (PIR) based motion detector that looks for changes in temperature to detect motion.
What is the motion detection range of the ZSE18?
Does this sensor measure how bright the room is?
- The ZSE18 is just a motion sensor. If you're looking for lux sensors or multi-sensors that detect both motion and brightness levels, please try the ZSE40 4-in-1 Sensor or ZSE11 Q Sensor models instead.
Will the ZSE18 act as a signal repeater for my other Z-Wave devices?
- On battery power - no. On USB power - Yes. 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.
Can I use the ZSE18 to trigger the lights?
- Yes WITH a Z-Wave hub and smart light switches. See Do I need a Z-Wave hub to buy this device? below.
Does the USB power / battery power operation depend on if I included the ZSE18 into the Z-Wave network while on battery power or while on USB?
- You Z-Wave hub system won't be able to recognize the current power source automatically if you change it back and forth. The ZSE18 unit needs to be excluded and re-included following the inclusion steps above, depending on battery or USB power, since a node's role is established at inclusion.
- If you include as a USB device and then switch it to batteries, the system will still treat the sensor as routing node / signal repeater so the Z-Wave radio will remain on at all times and it will drain the battery.
How does the vibration sensor functionality work in the ZSE18?
- The vibration sensor is triggered only if you shake it consistently for 5-7 seconds. You can try it in your hand to look for an appropriate report but it should be displayed as a tamper alert or something similar.
- For a true vibration detection sensor, we recommend the ZSE43 Tilt | Shock Sensor.
Is the ZSE18 as fast as the ZSE40 for detecting motion?
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The ZSE40 has been optimized to work well for light automation so it detects motion immediately rather than waiting for 2 movements like most security sensors, including the ZSE18.
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The ZSE40 also has a bigger lens which means that detection range is closer to 40 feet as opposed to 25 feet for the much smaller ZSE18. If speed is your main concern, we'd suggest going for the ZSE40.
Z-WAVE QUESTIONS
Do I need a Z-Wave hub to buy this device?
- Yes. The ZSE18 sensor is a Z-Wave device which would need a Z-Wave hub in order to receive motion 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 ZSE18 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 ZSE18.
Will this sensor work with my alarm panel?
- NO. 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 binary sensors so the ZSE18 won't display correctly in their interface. There is nothing about theMotion 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?
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 ZSE18 is running on?
- 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 ZSE18 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 ZSE18?
What series Z-Wave chip does the ZSE18 use?
- The ZSE18 uses a 500 series Z-Wave chip. We are in the process of updating this model to the new 800 series Z-Wave chip so it should be 800 series by the end of 2023.
Is the ZSE18 available in other Z-Wave frequencies?
- The ZSE18 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 ZSE18 Motion Sensor (and all of our devices)! If you can't find your answer there, reach out to us!
