Pre-Production ZEN12 (800LR) Zooz Z-Wave Motion Dimmer (Part 1 and Part 1A Videos are up!)

In The Lab
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Pre-Production ZEN12 (800LR) — Now on the Test Bench

I’ve got something interesting on the bench…

Zooz sent over a pre-production ZEN12 Motion Dimmer (800LR) for testing — so what I’m working with here is not a final release unit.

(See the ‘teaser’ YouTube short here)

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At a high level, this device is combining quite a bit into a single switch:

  • Built-in motion sensor (up to ~25 ft detection)
  • Lux-based automation capabilities
  • Scene control (multi-tap support)
  • Z-Wave 800 series + Long Range support
  • Smart bulb mode and advanced parameter control

On paper, it checks a lot of boxes. But as we all know, what matters is:

  • How reliable the motion sensing actually is
  • How usable the lux triggers are in real scenarios
  • How well it behaves across different z-wave controllers
  • And whether combining all of this into one device creates new limitations

What’s Coming

I’m currently working this into the test bench and will be putting together a 2-part video series:

Part 1:

  • Physical install and setup
  • Initial impressions
  • Feature breakdown (what it claims to do)
  • Integration compatibility with Z-Box, Home Assistant, and IQ 4 Panel/ADC

Part 2:

  • Install the device in my home and use every day
  • Results of ‘real-world testing’ after 2 weeks
  • Discovered challenges or surprises
  • Final thoughts

I’ll also be publishing the results back here so we have a written reference alongside the videos.

Want Something Tested?

If there are specific scenarios you want to see tested, drop them below.

Especially interested in:

  • Association use cases
  • Scene behavior across hubs
  • Motion/lux tuning edge cases
  • Anything unusual or “shouldn’t work but might”

:link: Related Topics

(Sneak Peek): ZEN12 Manual and Advanced Parameter Docs (Zooz Motion Dimmer)
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:clapper_board: Part 1 is Live

Quick update — Part 1 of the ZEN12 test bench video is now up.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Watch it here:

This one covers the bench-side evaluation of the pre-production unit, including:

  • Physical overview and install considerations
  • Inclusion and behavior across:
    • IQ Panel 4 (Alarm.com)
    • Zooz Z-Box
    • Home Assistant (Z-Wave JS UI)
  • Initial look at motion behavior and dimming interaction
  • Early observations on parameters and flexibility

As expected with a pre-production device, there are a few things worth noting but overall this gives a solid picture of what Zooz is aiming for with the ZEN12 ahead of the anticipated mid-April release.

:page_facing_up: If you haven’t seen it yet, the spec sheet + parameter list is here:
(Sneak Peek): ZEN12 Manual and Advanced Parameter Docs (Zooz Motion Dimmer)

Next step is getting this installed in a real-world location and living with it for a couple weeks. I’ll then report back in the Part 2 Video.

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I found some long-standing interest for the ZEN12 over on the Hubitat forum, so I created a special video that focuses on the Hubitat.

This “Part 1A” video is completely Hubitat-centric—looking at the ZEN12 driver, the universal scanner driver, and overall behavior.

I’m still planning on installing in my home and doing the Part 2 video in a few weeks. I’m also planning on retesting after a firmware update and/or possibly finding some updated drivers for the Hubitat.

Zooz ZEN12 Motion Dimmer on Hubitat – What Works Today (Part 1A)