Leviton Dimmer/Switch OTA Firmware Updates

One of my Leviton DZ6HDs started acting wonky this morning (not responding to poll, it has been working fine since late 2017!) and in the course of researching the problem I discovered Leviton has indeed released firmware updates for many of its funky switches, and HomeSeer provides a firmware update tool AND has access to the Leviton firmware updates.

I really want to apply this firmware update as MANY of the problems I reported to Leviton back in November 2017 seem to be fixed by it, and other problems I’ve seen on my network MAY be a result of the Leviton switches not relaying instructions for other devices properly (also fixed!). Does Vera plan on providing firmware update tools in UI8, and equally important providing manufacturer firmware for OTA flashes? Most manufacturers will NOT release firmware updates to consumers (even though they sell their devices directly to consumers!).

For additional discussion see this thread, especially towards the bottom. One fellow got Leviton to ship him a z-stick with the new firmware and software to apply it, and another got a “loaner” from Leviton.

-MC

Do not hold your breath for anything from Vera, they will get to it when they get to it.

This was a post that they had struck a deal with Leviton, to be able to control the “special” features on Leviton switches. (This was announced in 2010, yes you read that correct 2010). I am still waiting for control of the “special” features, nine years and counting.

Still waiting for Vera to fix

Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later…Sorry, the node reports it’s busy. Please try again later.

on some of my Leviton switches.

There are other issues with Leviton switches but those issues have been going on for only 9 years, the others are only a few years old :slight_smile:

I would go with the z-flash kit from Homeseer to update your switches: https://shop.homeseer.com/products/homeseer-z-flash-z-wave-firmware-update-kit

You can join the z-stick as a secondary controller to your Vera so you don’t have to re-more and re-add the switches to do the firmware update. (Note in some rare cases the firmware update itself changes the z-wave ID of the switch in which case you will still have to re-add them later).

I doubt that Vera will ever make the firm-ware update a standard user feature, just too many risks and things that can go wrong when flashing firmware that create liability they don’t want if your switch gets toasted.

There are a number of alternate solutions to vera for OTA upgrades. Since the upgrades require to reset/remove the device from the network, upgrade it and then include it back into the network, we probably don’t want the vera to do it and like Homeseer does it, to use another zwave radio, create its own network and do the upgrade. I am personally using an aeotec z-stick on the side to do it.

As I said the kit from homeseer does not require you to remove the devices from your Vera network since their z-flash software allows you to do the firmware upgrade as a secondary controller.

So you join the z-flash to the Vera upgrade the switches you want then remove the z-flash.

So no redoing your scenes etc.

Interesting indeed, maybe I should try doing this with the zstick. There is no fundamental reason why it would not work that I know of.

There should be no need for an alternative. This is from the z-wave alliance.

For consumers, homeowners, integrators, and service providers, these enhancements offer tremendous benefits in terms of shorter and easier installations, richer device profiles, improved self-healing and longer battery life. With the new Z-Wave Plus certification program, the Z-Wave Alliance is introducing a series of packaging logos that will be located on every Z-Wave Plus? certified product, informing the consumer this product incorporates the enhanced capabilities of the Next Gen, Z-Wave 500 series.

Features
50% improvement in battery life
67% improvement in range
250% more bandwidth
Three RF channels for improved noise immunity and higher bandwidth
New Plug-n-Play Network-wide Inclusion feature
Improved self-healing and fault tolerance with Explorer Frame feature
Standardized method for Over the Air firmware updates (OTA)
Improved product information capture for product certification database

https://z-wavealliance.org/z-wave_plus_certification/

That is what the zwave alliance says. Different from what Vera does, unfortunately.

Did have the chance to do this? Thanks

@Sorin will we be able to do OTA firmware updates?