Aeotec Help Desk

Button Functions.

Important safety information.

Please read this and other device guides carefully. Failure to follow the recommendations set forth by Aeotec Limited may be dangerous or cause a violation of the law. The manufacturer, importer, distributor, and/or reseller will not be held responsible for any loss or damage resulting from not following any instructions in this guide or in other materials.

Siren 8 is intended for indoor use in dry locations only. Do not use in damp, moist, and/or wet locations. Operate within the recommended environmental specifications:

• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F)
• Relative Humidity: 20% to 80%
  
  

The Siren 8 has a built-in, rechargeable 430mAh lithium battery. Keep the product away from open flames and extreme heat. Avoid direct sunlight or heat exposure.

Contains small parts; keep away from children.

Steps.

1. Connect the DC Adapter: Plug the included DC adapter into the Siren 8's DC input port.
2. Power On: Plug the other end of the DC adapter into a wall outlet. The Siren 8 will power on, and its LED indicator should light up.
3. Pairing: Once powered on, the Siren 8 is ready to be paired with your Z-Wave network. You can now use your Z-Wave controller to add the Siren 8. The device supports SmartStart for easy pairing. If your controller does not support SmartStart, you can put the Siren 8 into pairing mode by pressing its Action Button 2x times.
   
   

Connect Siren 8 to a hub.

This section will go over brief steps to connecting Siren 8, for further details on connecting this product to your hub, click on the hub that you have to access more detailed steps. 

Aeotec Smart Home Hub / SmartThings:

1. Open SmartThings app.
2. Tap + (at the top right corner).
3. Tap Add (next to Partner devices)
4. Select "Aeotec" in the catalog
5. Tap Add without QR Code -> "Siren"
6. Now tap the Action Button 2x times in 1.5 seconds on your Siren 8.
7. Select "Secure Setup" when prompted
8. Scan the QR code, or choose to enter the 5-digit DSK code.
   
   

Home Assistant / Z-WaveJS:

1. Open up Home Assistant
2. Click on "Configuration" at the bottom left of the page.
3. Click on "Integrations".
4. Click on "Configure".
5. Click on "ADD NODE".
6. Click on "START INCLUSION"
7. Tap the Siren 8 Action button 2x times within 1.5 seconds to pair it.
   
   

SmartStart QR code scanning: If your Z-Wave gateway supports SmartStart, you can scan the QR code on the Siren 8 to automatically pair the sensor if your Z-Wave hub supports this.

For most other hubs:

1. Set your Z-Wave hub to connect new Z-Wave devices.
2. Tap the Siren 8 action button 2x times within 1.5 seconds.
3. If prompted, scan the QR code or enter the 5-digit DSK code on the back of the Siren 8.

Advanced Functions.

Key Placement Considerations.

1. Indoor Use Only: The Siren 8 is designed exclusively for indoor use. It should be placed in a climate-controlled space to protect it from outdoor elements like rain, direct sunlight, and extreme temperatures.

• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F)
• Relative Humidity: 20% to 80%

2. Central Location for Audible Alerts: With a maximum alarm volume of 104dB, the siren should be placed in a central location, such as a main hallway or living area. This ensures the sound can be clearly heard throughout the entire house during an alert.

3. Access to a Power Outlet: The device must be plugged into a standard outlet to function and to keep its internal backup battery charged. This battery allows the siren to continue operating for up to 2 hours during a power outage.

4. Strategic Z-Wave Network Placement: The Siren 8 also functions as a Z-Wave repeater, which helps extend the range and improve the reliability of your Z-Wave mesh network.

• Optimal Range: For best performance, place the Siren 8 within 30 meters (about 98 feet) of your Z-Wave hub or another Z-Wave device.
• Network Extension: Consider placing it in an area where your Z-Wave signal is weak to help boost the signal to other devices.

Z-Wave Exclusion.

Excluding a device is the clean and proper way to remove a Z-Wave device from your network. This process involves your Z-Wave hub sending a removal command to the device, which ensures that your hub understands that the device is no longer a part of the network. This prevents "ghost" devices from remaining in your hub's device list, which can cause issues with your Z-Wave network.

A factory reset, on the other hand, should only be used when your Z-Wave hub is no longer operable. A factory reset will restore the device to its default settings but will not properly remove the device from your hub.

Steps:

1. Set your Z-Wave gateway to "remove device" or "exclusion" mode.
2. Double-click the Action Button on the Siren 8.
3. The LED on the Siren 8 will flash to indicate that it has entered exclusion mode.
4. If the exclusion was successful, the Siren 8's LED will begin breathing.
5. If the exclusion fails, the LED will turn off.

Product Usage.

When you first pair an Aeotec Siren 8 to a Z-Wave Controller, it is primarily recognized as a Sound Switch. Its default function is to act as a simple, loud, audible alarm that can be turned on or off by the controller. It's designed to be integrated into security or safety automation scenes, such as sounding an alarm when a door is opened unexpectedly or a smoke detector is triggered. 

1. UI Information and Device Reporting

Upon successful pairing, the Siren 8 reports critical information to the Z-Wave controller, which then builds the user interface (UI) to control it.

• Device Identification: The Siren 8 identifies itself using the Z-Wave Plus Info and Manufacturer Specific command classes. This tells your controller that it is an "Aeotec Siren 8 (ZWA065)", an "Always On Slave" device (meaning it's mains-powered and can act as a repeater), and specifically a "Sound Switch."
• Main UI Control: Most Z-Wave controllers will display a primary, simple on/off switch for the Siren 8. This UI element is based on the Switch Binary Command Class. By default, turning this switch "ON" will play the default sound at the default volume. Turning it "OFF" will stop the sound.
• Advanced UI Controls: A more capable Z-Wave controller may expose the Sound Switch Command Class controls directly in the UI. This would provide more granular control, such as:
  • A dropdown menu or buttons to select from 5 different tones.
  • A slider to control the volume (1-100%).
• Status Reporting (Lifeline): The Siren 8 uses Association Group 1 (Lifeline) to send important status updates to the controller. You might see these as notifications or status changes in your UI:
  • Power Management Notifications: It will report when AC power is lost and when it's restored, a critical feature for knowing if the device is running on its internal battery backup.
  • Playback State: It reports when a tone starts and stops playing.

2. How to Control the Siren 8

You have a few ways to control the Siren 8 from your Z-Wave controller:

1. Simple On/Off (Switch Binary): The most basic way is to use the on/off switch presented in the controller's UI. Toggling it on plays the siren's default sound (Parameter 2) at the default volume (Parameter 3).
2. Specific Sound Control (Sound Switch): If your controller's UI supports it, you can send specific commands to play any of the 5 available tones at any volume, overriding the defaults for that specific action. This is ideal for creating different alerts for different events (e.g., a soft chime for a door opening vs. a loud alarm for a break-in).
3. Automation Scenes: The most common use case is to include the Siren 8 in an automation. For example:
   • IF Door/Window Sensor is Opened (while system is armed)
   • THEN Turn Siren 8 ON.
4. Physical Button: By default, a single click on the Siren 8's physical Action Button will stop any currently playing alarm.

3. Potential Important Parameter Settings

For a Z-Wave controller to configure the Siren 8, it must support the Configuration Command Class. This is the specific part of the Z-Wave protocol that allows a controller to send commands to change a device's parameters. While this is a standard command class, some basic or older controllers may not have implemented it, or may only support a limited set of parameters.

To customize the Siren 8's behavior, you'll want to adjust its configuration parameters. Here are the most important ones for a new user:

• Parameter 1: Alarm Duration

  • Sets how long the siren will sound when turned on.
  • Default: 180 seconds (3 minutes)
  • Use: You might want to shorten this for simple notifications or lengthen it for a security event.

• Parameter 2: Default Tone ID (can be used if Sound Switch commands are not supported)

  • Selects which of the 5 sounds will play when you use the simple "on" command.
  • Default: 1
  • Use: Listen to the 5 available tones and set your preferred one as the default.

• Parameter 3: Default Volume (can be used if Sound Switch commands are not supported)

  • Sets the volume (0-100) for the default tone.
  • Default: 100 (Maximum volume)
  • Use: Adjust the default volume to be appropriate for its location or purpose (e.g., a less intense volume for a notification chime).

• Parameter 5: Enable Sound on AC Outage

  • Determines if the siren should sound an alarm when it loses AC power.
  • Default: 0 (Disabled)
  • Use: This is a very important security feature. It's recommended to enable this (set to 1) to be alerted if a burglar tries to disable the siren by cutting its power.

• Parameter 4: Enable Button Click to Stop

  • Allows or disallows stopping the alarm and/or LED indicator with a click of the physical button.
  • Default: 3 (Both alarm and indicator stop are enabled)
  • Use: You can disable this to prevent an intruder from easily silencing the siren.

By understanding these reporting features, controls, and parameters, you can effectively integrate the Siren 8 into your Z-Wave network for a wide range of audible alerts and security functions.

Association Groups.

Group Association is a specific function in Z-Wave that allows you to tell Siren 8 who it can speak to. Some devices may only have 1 group association meant for the gateway, or multiple group associations that can be used for specific events. This type of function isn't used too often, but when it is available, you may be able to use it to directly communicate to Z-Wave devices instead of controlling a scene within a gateway which can have unforeseen delays.

Some gateways have the ability to set Group Associations to devices that have these special events and functions. Typically this is used to allow your gateway to update the status of Siren 8 instantly.

By default, your primary gateway should have been associated with Siren 8 automatically during the pairing of your Siren. For any case you have a Secondary Z-Wave Controller, you'll need to associate it to your Siren 8 in order for your secondary controller to update its status.

Parameter Settings.

Parameter settings, also known as configuration parameters, are variables in a Z-Wave device that allow you to customize its behavior. To change these settings, you need a Z-Wave controller or gateway that supports the Configuration Command Class. This class allows the controller to send specific commands to the device to update these parameter values.

Below is a table of the parameter settings for the Siren 8: 

What Parameter 12 Does, in a Nutshell

Think of Parameter 12 as a secret code for creating your own custom light patterns on the Siren 8's LEDs. While other parameters might turn the light on or off, this one lets you define complex behaviors like a slow pulse, a rapid flash, or a light that stays on for a specific amount of time. It's an advanced setting, but it's quite powerful once you understand the basics.

The "Secret Code" Explained

The setting for Parameter 12 is a single, large number. However, it's easier to think of this number as being made of four smaller parts. Your Z-Wave hub might show you four separate boxes to fill in, or it might ask for the final calculated number.

Here are the four parts of the code:

• Part 1: Effect Group (Byte 1) - This tells the siren what kind of light effect you want. You have three main choices:

  • Timeout: The light turns on for a set amount of time and then turns off.
  • Toggling (Blinking): The light blinks on and off.
  • Multilevel (Pulsing/Fading): The light fades in and out.

• Part 2, 3, and 4: Effect Details (Bytes 2, 3, and 4) - These parts define the specifics of the effect you chose in Part 1. The meaning of these parts changes depending on your choice.

  • If you chose "Toggling (Blinking)":

    • Part 2: How many times you want it to blink (cycles).
    • Part 3: How long the "On" part of the blink is (in tenths of a second).
    • Part 4: How long the "Off" part of the blink is (in tenths of a second).

  • If you chose "Timeout":

    • Part 2, 3, and 4 combine to set the total time the light should stay on (in tenths of a second).

How to Program It: A Simple Example

Let's say you want to create a custom alert that blinks the light 5 times, with each blink being quick.

1. Go to your Z-Wave Hub's Interface: Open the settings for your Aeotec Siren 8.
2. Find the Configuration/Parameters Section: Look for a menu item called "Device Configuration," "Parameters," or something similar.
3. Locate Parameter 12: Find the entry for "Parameter 12" or "Set effect of light pattern."
4. Enter the Code: This is where you'll input the four-part code. Your hub might have a single box or four boxes.

Let's figure out our code for the blinking alert:

• Part 1 (Effect Group): We want it to blink, so we choose the Toggling effect. The value for this is 2.
• Part 2 (Cycles): We want it to blink 5 times.
• Part 3 (On-Time): We want a quick blink, so let's make it on for half a second. The unit is 0.1 seconds, so we enter 5 (5 * 0.1s = 0.5s).
• Part 4 (Off-Time): Let's make the off-time the same, so we enter 5.

So, our four parts are [2, 5, 5, 5].

If your hub has four separate boxes for the parameter, you would enter 2, 5, 5, and 5 respectively.

If your hub only has one single box for the value, you will need to use an online "4-byte parameter calculator" or your hub's tool to convert [2, 5, 5, 5] into a single number (decimal), which is 33883141.

Don't worry about the math! The key is to understand that you are just telling the siren what effect to use and then providing the details for that effect. The best way to learn is to start with a simple blinking effect and experiment with changing the numbers to see what happens.

Example Settings for Parameter 12.