Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Lowes Iris Security/Home Automation

I've been using X10 to automate a few lights, but recently some of my modules started to fail and being that it is an older technology I decided to upgrade.  My criteria for the new setup was that it has to be reliable, simple to use and have highly available and affordable hardware.  The two different products i looked at were Vera Micasa Verde and Lowes Iris.

After some research and deliberation I decided to go with Iris due to the cheaper initial setup and being able to pick up additional sensors at my local Lowes store.  Another reason is it is my hope that since Iris is backed by a major retailer it will be continued to be developed and improved.

I started with picking up the Safe and Secure bundle consisting of the Hub, Keypad, 2 Door Sensors, and a Motion Sensor for $179 (picked mine up on Black Friday sale for $149).  I wanted to start with an alarm system as I've been wanting to install one for a while and wanted to see if Iris would satisfy my needs before committing my budget to the home automation setup.

Lowes states that it will take about an hour to hook everything up.  This was a fairly accurate estimate as it took me about 45 minutes to set everything up.  

I also picked up a smart plug and a smart button to replace my existing X10 module to control bedroom lights.

First thoughts - I was very impressed.  Everything worked a lot better than my old X10 setup. Lights were turning on and off at the press of the button with very minimal delay (there were a few exceptions where it took a second or so for lights to turn on or off).

The Good:
  • Easy setup
  • Fast response time
  • Reliable
The Bad:
  • $10 monthly fee, which I think is pretty much required as basic setup has almost no features
  • Limited magic rules (more on those later)
The Ugly:
  • iPhone app (more on it later)
  • Notification speed (more on it later)
After I committed to keeping the system I picked up a few more devices:
  • Thermostat
  • Siren
  • Multiple Dimmers
  • Multiple Light Switches
  • Multiple Contact Sensors
  • Smart Button
  • Smart Plug
  • Keyfobs
  • CO/Smoke detector
  • Lock
  • Range extender (required after you reach more than 15-16 devices to prevent disconnection)
Everything (for the most part) paired and connected without a hitch.

My current setup is as follows:
  • Contact sensor on every entry door
  • Contact sensors on the garage doors
  • Dimmers on the first floor
  • Switches in a couple of rooms
  • Smart Plug/Smart Button combination for a two separate lights
  • Lock on the front door
  • Siren on the second floor
  • Keyfobs for home/away modes
  • CO/Smoke detector on the first floor
I have a lot of rules setup as well:
  • When alarm is triggered all lights turn on
  • When certain contact sensors are opened (front door, for example), turn lights around the sensor on
  • When my wife and I leave/get home, turn on/off the alarm and adjust thermostat
  • When I set alarm for the night, turn off certain lights and turn bedroom lights on
  • Turn outside lights on/off from sunset to sunrise
  • And there are some other ones as well...
Here is what I like about the Iris system:

I like the fact that I can control groups of lights when sensors trigger.  Keyfobs do a very good job in controlling home mode - by the time I park the car in the garage and get out of the car the alarm has already been shut off.    This makes my life a lot easier.  I also like that the light switches work reliably (especially compared to my X10 setup).  Siren is nice and loud.  All hardware looks very good and sensors are nice and small and blend in very well.

Here is what I do not like about the Iris system:

Magic rules are limited.  There is no reason why I can only select from a predetermined set of values for time I want to keep a device on (1,5,10 minutes, for example).  This should simply be an edit box where I can type my own value in.  Notification for the alarm trigger is horrible.  Sometimes it takes up to 15 minutes for me to receive a call/text/email notification when alarm is triggered.  This should take just a few seconds!  The iPhone app is slow and includes options which I do not have (grayed out but showing - Camera, Power Meter, etc).  

Overall, the system has been good and other than some issues back in January it's been pretty stable.  I'm currently working to replace the keyfobs with a software solution to detect presence based on my mobile phone.  Stay tuned for next post.