Firmware Update for Red Series Dimmer via Hubitat

Due to an issue with a just installed Red Series Dimmer (I’ve had it for awhile), I decided to update the firmware to the latest in case that either fixes the issue, or if I need to post about the issue, updating to the latest firmware won’t be a variable.

Followed this post on how to do the firmware update in Hubitat:

and made it through step 8, but am now stuck.

Step 9 wants me to paste the url from the “Firmware Location” section at the top of the above linked page. I assume this is the “Firmware Links” section, which has a link to:

  1. This linked firmware page lists all of the Firmware as Beta. I don’t want beta firmware. Is this an outdated link or are all the firmware updates beta?

  2. The invoice from Inovelli identifies the SKU as LZW31-SNU. Does the U on the end signify only that these were refurb switches, and I look for the Firmware for LZW31-SN?

  3. The second page of firmware indicates the latest LZW31-SN firmware is 1.45. Clicking on that link takes me to a page that says 1.45 has been replaced with 1.47. Clicking the link to that takes me to a page that says 1.47 has been replaced with 1.48. Clicking the link to that page seems to be the latest firmware but still ID’s it as BETA. Is this the latest?

  4. Clicking the 1.48 link takes me to a lower portion of the page that has two links, one with “(Target 0)” after it, the other with “(Target 1)” after it. Poking around, I think, but am not sure that Target 0 is the switch function, and Target 1 is the LED function. Do I update both, or just Target 0?

If both, do I put the Target 0 url in the box at Hubitat instructions Step 9?
Where do I put the Target 1 url?

I would like to be VERY cautious to confirm I am doing this correct - I see all the warnings about bricking the device and I don’t want to do that. Any help is appreciated!

LZW31-SN is the actual model number for the Z-Wave 500-series Red Series Dimmer, so I also assume the “U” must be something added in their store to track some variation, possibly the refurbs or “unboxed” varieties.

For firmware, I’d suggest looking at the changelog page for easier links and information filtered just to this product (which I suppose you couldn’t do before if you didn’t know):

The latest firmware, 1.61, is indeed labeled “beta,” but lots of people have been running it for a long time without any problems, as they note on that page. But if you want to stick to 1.57, the latest prod version, and aren’t already there or higher, you can find links there too.

For firmware targets, you will want to update both target 0 and 1. If you aren’t using the newer “binary” driver, you won’t see the option to choose targets, so make sure you’re using that (see here: [RELEASE] Z-Wave Firmware Updater - #860 by bcopeland - ⚙️ Custom Apps and Drivers - Hubitat). It sounds like you might not be using it if you don’t see the “target” options. Alternatively, if you’re using a model C-7 hub, there’s no reason to use the driver at all; the built-in Device Firmware Updater app can do that (see here for more: Device Firmware Updater | Hubitat Documentation).

Regarding the target updates themselves, if target 1, which has historically seen fewer updates, is already correct, you don’t need to update it again. Some people also have “mismatched” versions without big problems, including early Hubitat users before binary updates or multiple targets were possible, but now that it’s easy and possible to update both, I wouldn’t risk it. (Target 0 is the one that will be updated if you only use the old driver for whatever reason.)

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Disclaimer: apologies for the brevity, I’m on mobile and the treadmill lol

https://files.inovelli.com/firmware/LZW31-SN/

Use this link for firmware. 1.57 is the latest production version. Make sure to use both files (1.57.otz and 1.45.bin) - @BertABCD1234 laid out a great tutorial in how to do this.

The U stood for, “Unboxed” - you can use the firmware for LZW31-SN. They were new switches that we took out of our Holiday kits bc the kits unfortunately did not sell very well. So we sold the switches individually without boxes.

1.57 is the latest - you can find it at that URL I posted above

Update both - Bert’s instructions will work :slight_smile:

We’re in the process of converting over our firmware to GitHub along with release notes to make this process easier. I apologize for the confusion.

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Thank you both so very much for the replies! Had no idea the firmware went up to 1.61 or 1.57.

I think I am using the binary driver because the one linked on the Hubitat how to at the top of the page, and referred to in step 7 has the word “binary” in the url name. I am not sure where I am supposed to see the targets option. However that might not matter…since:

I am using a Hubitat C7, so based on @BertABCD1234 I don’t need to use the driver, but rather I can use the Hubitat built in Device Firmware Updater. So that is now the direction I will take. I’ll note that Hubitat’s documentation at that link is also out of date; I don’t know if it is an old link or if this is the current link and it is out of date.

Neither of my firmware files are up to date, so I need to update both Target 0 and Target 1.

So I followed the directions at
Device Firmware Updater | Hubitat Documentation
to install the Device Firmware Updater in Hubitat. HE now wants me to drag and drop files to update.

Yet the Inovelli page for the newest firmware:

tells me that with the HE Device Firmware Updater, I don’t have to download the file, I can just paste the url. I cannot find anywhere in the Device Firmware Updater to paste a url.

I’m going to give this a rest and try again tomorrow evening, but seems there is a gap somewhere between the Inovelli directions and the HE directions…

ETA: This is probably more of a Hubitat issue than an Inovelli issue. Also, my Hubitat Package Manager has a listing for the Inovelli Red Series LZW31-SN Drivers, so I think it might pull the updates. I just need to figure out how to install them. Again, probably a Hubitat issue.

There are two issues here: first the Hubitat docs were missing a step, and the images referred to the old File Manager interface (both of which should now be fixed — assuming that was you who posted there, thanks!).

The second is that it seems like you might be conflating two different options now: the Inovelli instructions assume the older/driver based approach where you don’t need to download the file, as the driver needs to work with a URL directly (whether local or Internet, though Internet is easy with the way they provide the files). The new app-based approach on Hubitat that you seem to have switched to now is not documented anywhere by Inovelli to my knowledge but, differently from the driver-based approach, does require you to download a file (and then upload it to the hub via this app for later use).

Either should work! If you do want to revert to the driver-based approach, you should see the target as the second parameter on the “Update Firmware” command, which takes two parameters in the binary version: the URL and the target (if you only see one parameter, for the URL, then it’s the older version, perhaps confusingly named the same). Otherwise, the app should be straightforward once you get the file situation figured out.

Thank you - yes that was me over at the Hubitat forums.

I get that Hubitat offers at least two ways to update the Inovelli firmware
a. via the older Hubitat Firmware Upgrade Tool (see link in my first post). I get that this tool lets you paste a url instead of download a file.
b. via the newer Hubitat [built in] Device Firmware Updater (as linked in @BertABCD1234 's first reply above). As far as I can tell that requires you to download a file and give the path to that file.

There are three things I still don’t quite get (although they won’t prevent me from doing either a or b above, I am trying to learn, thus trying to understand).

  1. The page for latest firmware (linked in @BertABCD1234 's first post above) specifically states:
    if you have Hubitat, you can right click (Copy link Address) on the hyperlinks to copy the URL for the Firmware Updater
    Isn’t the Firmware Updater method b above? I can’t find where you can put a url in that.

  2. In my HPM, it automatically identified that I have Inovelli switches installed as devices, and it periodically tells me there is an update for Inovelli and aks if I want to download it, so I check the box. Is this Inovelli driver software used on the HE vs Inovelli firmware software used on the Inovelli switch itself?

  3. Why does Hubitat make this so difficult (not really a question for this forum, but…)

No, they mean the driver; this was the first (and once only) approach available on Hubitat, and it works on any model hub; to my knowledge, Inovelli has not documented the app-based approach (model C-7 only), though either can work if you know what steps to do.

I think we got this figured out on Hubitat, but for anyone who’s following along here, HPM wanted to update the Inovelli driver, not anything to do with device firmware.

I think the app was supposed to make things easier. :smiley: It seems the confusion might stem from conflating the driver-based approach that Inovelli has documented with the only “official” offering Hubitat has (and that they have documented) – and the fact that you’ll see people around here use either method of even something entirely different, regardless of what is documented anywhere.

As long as you stick to one set of instructions, it will probably be easier, though I understand the confusion with there being so many ways to get to the same goal!

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

In my case it did not work. I think I followed the directions, and it took about 30 minutes to install both Target 0 and Target 1, but the firmware does not show as updated when I go to the device. I’m giving up. Switch works. No reason to mess with it now.

What makes you conclude that the update didn’t work, or where are you seeing the version?

The device detail page may not update immediately. If you’re using Inovelli’s driver, it looks like a “Save Preferences” or a “Configure” should update the device metadata at the bottom of the page with respect to firmware versions. If you’re using the Device Firmware Updater app, it should fetch the versions for you, but I think it does some caching, and you might need to un-select the device (or select another and then go back to this one) for it to actually do that, but other than that, the display in app should be correct.

That being said, if the current firmware works fine for you (and you don’t need any new features, bug fixes, etc. that are noted in the release notes), then there’s certainly no reason to change anything, so that’s fine too!