Ever had trouble pairing a sensor or switch with your Z-Wave hub? You’ve done your research, installed similar devices before, and you’re sure this unit is compatible with your hub—yet it just won’t include. Frustrating, right?
No worries, Z-Wave has a nifty trick: just exclude it! It absolutely sounds counter-intuitive, but any Z-Wave device can be excluded from any Z-Wave hub at any time, regardless of inclusion status. That device you weren’t able to exclude from your now-dead hub? Simply exclude it from your new hub and you’ll be on your way. Exclusion basically works as a soft Z-Wave reset for a device, and resolves issues that factory reset often can’t.
Why would I exclude something that’s never been included?
There are two main reasons:
- Configuration Errors: Sometimes during the pairing process, configuration errors can occur. As a result, the device might not be successfully paired but also not ready for another attempt. It needs to be excluded first.
- Pre-Paired Devices: The device might have been associated with a different Z-Wave network before it reached you (possibly tested at the factory and still part of that network). Fortunately, you can exclude a Z-Wave device from any network using your controller.
You can find device-specific exclusion instructions in each device manual, and we cover the hub exclusion steps for the most popular Z-Wave hubs in our Zooz Support Portal as well.
Next time you can’t seem to pair a Z-Wave device, give this a try before pulling your hair out. It just might save you from a lot of frustration!