Control Your Zwave Lights with a 2GIG Keyfob

A point of contention regarding the Zwave controls through Alarm.com is the lack of scene control. A person can create scenes with the 2GIG panel and control lights in this manner, or they can use the remote controls and rules through Alarm.com, with no local scene control. Well, there are always work-arounds, and if you are looking to set up an all-on, all-off scene control at your fingertips, we’re going to provide you with a suggestion. This DIY project will involve creating a hardwired sensor controlled by the open collector output of your 2GIG panel, and then using Alarm.com to create rules which control lights based on sensor activity.

This DIY project requires little more than a few minutes and a few inches of wire if you already have the lights and key fob.

Components:

  • Any number of zwave lights, you’ll be choosing which ones you want control of through Alarm.com
  • A 2GIG-KEY2-345 (or multiple, although you can only use the one “scene”)
  • A couple inches of wire

Steps:

  1. Power down your control panel by unplugging the transformer, then opening the panel and unplugging the battery.
  2. Place a jumper wire between terminals 4 (open collector) and 7 (hardwired 1)
  3. Plug in battery, then close up the panel and plug in the transformer.
  4. Enable hardwired zone 1 and program it as a non-reporting, normally open contact.
  5. Program your existing key fob (or new one) for a Key 4 Output of “Toggle Output”
  6. Program question 78 in your panel as “Disabled”
  7. Go to Alarm.com and enable sensor activity monitoring for your new hardwired zone.
  8. Create rules in Alarm.com to control your desired lights (set dimmer level, all-on, all-off, etc.) based on sensor activity and choose the new hardwired sensor. You can create two sets of rules; one that turns the lights to the desired setting, and one that turns them back off or to a second desired level – or you can create one set and specify that the lights will turn off when the sensor closes. I prefer the former method, as it doesn’t necessarily have to be on/off.
  9. Pull out your Key Fob and show off to your friends that you set up your lighting controls.

I only showed one light turning on, but theoretically you could create a full home scene.  Perhaps create a volley of rules which will light a way through your home when you return late at night.  You could set up a perfect lighting level for your entertainment room and adjoining areas for movie nights.  You could simply make an all-on all-off control.  The benefit here is being able to use Alarm.com’s interface to set controls of a tactile button that you already carry with you.

If you have any suggestions or want to show off what DIY solutions you’ve created, we’d love to hear about it, so please leave a comment or post it to our forum.

 

No products in the cart.