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Z-Flash Secondary Controller Method

Use this method if you have a smart home hub that includes an internal Z-Wave interface (radio).

Overview

With this method, Z-Flash is added to your existing primary Z-Wave network as a Z-Wave secondary controller and devices are updated on the primary network. After updates are complete, Z-Flash is removed from the primary network. This method is recommended for HomeTroller Pi, Vera controllers and other systems that (a) include internal Z-Wave interfaces and (b) DO reveal low level device information such as Z-Wave node numbers. May also be used for less revealing systems like SmartThings or Wink but care should be taken to match firmware with correct devices.

Video Tutorial

Gather Information About The Devices You Wish To Update

Make a list of the devices you wish to update and collect as much of the following information as possible for each device. Since Z-Flash will have access to only the following information, this list will help you to match firmware updates to the correct device(s).
Note: With less revealing systems, you may only be able to determine 'Manufacturer'. If that's true in your case, exercise caution when selecting devices to update.

  • Z-Wave node number
  • Manufacturer
  • Device ID
  • Device type
  • Firmware version

Add Z-Flash To Your Primary Z-Wave Network

  1. Your Z-Flash kit includes a USB Z-Wave interface (SmartStick+ or UZB stick). Insert that into a free USB port on your PC. 
  2. Launch Z-Flash and in Step 1, select "USB Z-Wave Interface" from the Interface menu and select the COM port that your Z-Wave interface is connected to. If you're unsure of the COM port setting, use the Windows Device Manager to determine the correct setting.
  3. Click the Enable button to initialize the interface and check the log for any errors. 
  4. Now it's time to add Z-Flash to your system as a Z-Wave secondary controller. Follow the procedure for your system:
  • HomeTroller Pi - From your HomeSeer web interface, navigate to the Plug-ins>Z-Wave>Controller Management page. Expand the section for your Z-Wave interface and select Send Network Information to another Controller from the 'actions' menu. Click the 'Start' button. 
  • SmartThings - Launch the SmartThings mobile app and click Add a Thing. This will put the app into inclusion mode.
  • Wink - Launch the Wink mobile app and navigate to the Z-Wave Controls page. Now click the Inclusion Mode button.
  • Other Systems - Use the procedure normally required for adding Z-Wave devices (or "things") to your system.
  • Now switch to Z-Flash, click the Add To / Remove From Existing System button and wait for the replication process to finish. This may take several minutes.

Update Firmware on Device(s) 

  1. Click on the device you wish to update in the "Devices" list. If you have multiple devices of the same type to update, Ctrl-Click each to select them all at once. Then, open the "File" menu in Step 3. If there is a firmware update in the Z-Flash library for your product, you can select it from this list. Otherwise, choose the "Select File.." option and locate the file on your computer. If you don't already have this, contact the device manufacturer to obtain the OTA firmware file.
    IMPORTANT: If the OTA firmware file is correctly configured by the manufacturer, Z-Flash will prevent you from using it with the wrong device. However, we cannot guarantee the integrity of OTA files from other manufacturers. As such, be very careful to use the correct OTA file for your device. Installing incorrect firmware onto your device may render it permanently inoperable.
  2. Click "Start Update" in Step 4 to begin the update process. For some devices (like HomeSeer wall dimmers or switches), this is all you need to do. Other devices may need to be manually authenticated to accept the firmware update. If that's the case with your device, press the button on the device and click "Start Update" again. Update "Status" will display in this step and will show the bytes of data being transferred to the device. Once complete, status will change to "Finished".
    Note: The update process may take several minutes to complete. If the update fails or times out, position your Z-Flash PC closer to the device and try again.

Remove Z-Flash From Your Primary Z-Wave Network

  1. Now it's time to remove Z-Flash from your system. Follow the procedure for your system:
  • HomeTroller Pi - From your HomeSeer web interface, navigate to the Plug-ins>Z-Wave>Controller Management Page. Expand the section for your Z-Wave interface and select Remove/Exclude a Node from the 'actions' menu. Click the 'Start' button. Now switch to Z-Flash, click the Add To / Remove From Existing System button and wait for the exclusion process to finish. This should only take a moment.
  • Other Systems - Use the procedure normally required for removing Z-Wave devices to your system. When the system is in exclusion mode, switch to Z-Flash, click the Add To / Remove From Existing System button and wait for the exclusion process to finish. This should only take a moment.
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