Cooper Scene Controller

These instructions work for the Cooper RFWDC 5-scene controller.

Note: Older 5-scene controllers can be difficult to include into a network, and very difficult to exclude. Once you get it included, though, it generally works. This is a problem with the firmware in the Cooper scene controller device. They may be willing to exchange your scene controller with a newer firmware version that does not have these problems. If you have an older one, you may need to do the 'factory reset' procedure below, and, if it still doesn't include, you may need to unplug the scene controller (or turn off the breaker) and plug it in again in order to get it to pair.

Adding the RFWDC to your Z-Wave network

1. Be sure the scene controller is not already paired with another network. You should see all 5 lights blinking about 2 times per second. This means it's ready to be paired with a new Z-Wave network. If this is not the case, do the factory reset procedure below.

2. Take Vera's dongle to the scene controller. Tap the button on Vera's dongle so the light is blinking about 1 time per second. Now the dongle is in 'include' mode.

3. Tap the 'all off' oval button on the scene controller. Wait 10 seconds or so. The light on Vera's dongle should go solid for a few moments to indicate it paired, and the 5 LED's on the Cooper scene controller should stop blinking. If this does not happen, try again, and if you still have problems, try doing a factory reset on the scene controller.

4. When you re-insert the dongle in Vera, after a few seconds you should see the scene controller show up as an unassigned device on the devices tab in Vera's setup site. Pick the room the scene controller is in, and give the scene controller a name if you want.

If you do not want Vera to assign scenes to the scene controller, but will do that using another device, you can stop here. If you want Vera to assign scenes, keep going with step 5.

5. After you assigned the scene controller to a room, click the + button next to the scene controller on the devices tab in Vera's setup site. Check the box "Treat scene buttons as events". After you save your changes, Vera will start to reconfigure the scene controller and if successful, you will see a green cog next to the scene controller indicating it was successfully configured. There must be a green cog next to the scene controller for it to work.

6. On the scenes tab in Vera's setup site, create the scenes you want assigned to the scene controller. Click the red 'save' button to save your scenes. If you haven't yet added all the lights and other Z-Wave devices you want in the scene you'll have to do that first, of course, and come back to this step later. Click the 'Add Event' button for your scene. Choose the event 'Scene button is pressed'. Then choose the scene controller from the pull-down. Then enter the scene button you want to trigger the scene; enter a number between 1 and 5 for the 5 scene buttons.

After you save your changes, turning on the scene button triggers the scene. Note that the scene can include delays. For example, if you have a 'go to bed' scene, you may want the scene to lock the doors, turn down the thermostat, and turn off all the lights. But, you might not want the bedroom lights to go off immediately if the scene controller is on the opposite side of the room from the bed. So, in the scene, for the bedroom lights, choose the command "On" then choose "After 30 seconds", then "Set a new setting", then "Off". This way, when you choose the scene, the bedroom lights will come on for 30 seconds so you have time to walk across the room, and then turn off.

The 5 scene buttons on the scene controller can be turned 'on' or 'off'. Turning the scene on triggers the scenes 1 through 5. Turning the scene off does not turn the devices in the scene off as you would expect. Rather, turning off any of the 5 buttons causing Vera to trigger scene 0. So if you create a scene with the event for 'scene 0', it will be triggered whenever you turn off any scene. You can create a scene as described above, and in step 6 choose button #0. But this means that no matter which of the 5 scene buttons you turn off, they all trigger the scene for button #0. See ZWave_Add_Controller method #2 for an explanation. If this is confusing, just stick to the normal usage of buttons 1-5, but be aware that if scene 2, for example, is 'on' (ie the LED is lit), you will need to press '2' twice to get it to run the scene again. So, using this method, the normal way to turn off the lights is to have a scene which turns the devices off and assigns it to a button. For example, scene '1' could be your 'bright' scene, scene '2' could be your 'dinner scene', and scene '3' could be your 'living room lights off' and scene 4 could be your 'all lights off' scene.

As explained in ZWave_Add_Controller you can leave "Treat scene buttons as events" unchecked, and then create scenes the traditional Z-Wave way (ie Method #1). In this case the scene off works as you would expect. However, the scenes are much more limited. You cannot have delays, or adjust thermostats, or lock doors and so on.

Removing the RFWDC from your Z-Wave network

If you already paired the RFWDC and want to remove it:

1. Take Vera's dongle to the scene controller and press and hold the dongle's button for 3 seconds until it blinks fast, meaning the dongle is in 'remove' mode.

2. Next tap the oval 'all off' button on the scene controller. Vera's dongle light should change it's blinking pattern, and all 5 lights on the scene controller should blink quickly, indicating it's not part of a Z-Wave network.

The older Cooper scene controller's are difficult to remove from the network, though. If you have trouble, then do a factory reset on it, and in Vera's setup site, click + next to the device and choose 'permanently remove dead node'.

Doing a factory reset

1. Press and hold the scene 1, 3 and 5 buttons at the same time for 5 seconds. Do not press any other scene controller buttons at this time. Release buttons 1,3 and 5.

2. While in this state now press and release the 'All OFF' button. This successful reset of the RFWDC will be indicated on teh device by the continuous blinking of all 5 LED's.