Question 1

Can this be setup by a novice with no working knowledge of the smart hub? I dont know much about IO but working to learn

Accepted Answer

Having set up hubs before I would say no.  It is very difficult to get even simple rules to work.  For instance, you can set up a riles that if a light goes on that you want it shut off immediately but not after 10 minutes.  You can easily make it go back on after a delay if it goes off but not the reverse.  I seen no reason for wanting that but it is what it says.  Fir instance, Lutron Integration.  You have to go you your Lutron Bridge and export a list.  The find what ID number on it corresponds to what remote or switch the manually enter the ID number and description.  The instructions just tell you to export it but not where, etc.  It is really exporting nothing.  It make a text script which the hub cannot import.  You have to print it out and manually enter the information even though they are connected to each other via a local telnet which you must also enable vie the Lutron software.  If you did not follow all this the definitely do not get it because this is just the "easy" part.  Nothing is intuitive, you also have to use "UPDATE" buttons a lot and hitting the done button makes new rules not appear.  You have yo exit to the AppList instead.  Suddenly it was there.  The "done" button only works when modifying existing rules not to create new ones.  You have to create one the exit then you can go back and finish editing it.  You have to add tons of Apps most of which you have no clue about.  I had to add what was described as a developer App to use the mobile software.  Fortunately, after going back to the hub and adding the App.  Never do anything else when adding one.  Create one later.  Juts hit done or ot will not be added.  Then I went to the mobile app which ran.  I followed the prompts and it went into an endless loop trying to find the hub.  I then had to uninstall the mobile App, re-install it, try again using a LAN search option and I was finally connected.  The Apps list on the screen adjust to your phones width but not dashboards so you have to know how to use CSS to make dashboards work.  Does all this sound like how a novice begins to set up a hub.  With Wink 2 I just clicked on things, super easy.  Too bad it is now a subscription service.  They never made a local app.  Hubitat uses a localhost like with a router.  Did you get all this?

Question 2

Does this work with Amazon Alexa?

Accepted Answer

Both Alexa (Listed as Echo under Apps) and Google are built-in Apps.

Question 3

Are there apps for ipad, iphone and apple watch?

Accepted Answer

Note that the app has 3 functions; 1. Access to your dashboards, although you can just as well access them via a browser (Chrome is preferred), 2. Geolocation, so that you can run rules on the hub that take account of your location, and 3. Settings where you can set the hub's location and go-radius, select which hub the app should be linked to, etc.

The only real issues at this time are: there are still some users complaining about the resilience of the geolocation triggers with the app (but this is classically an issue with mobile phones and the intricacies of battery/power saving etc.). I've found it reliable if you disable all battery saving features on the phone. Secondly, the hub/app doesn't manage multiple hubs very well. You have to select which of your hubs to connect the app to for geolocation triggers. That's a bit stupid. It should manage all hub locations seemlessly.

Question 4

How many devices will it handle? Is there a page with more detailed specs?

Accepted Answer

There is no set limit on the number of devices that a Hubitat Elevation hub can handle.  Z-Wave is limited to 232 devices per Z-Wave network; Zigbee requires repeaters to handle more than 32 devices, but systems with more than this are common; Lutron systems have limits on the number of devices per Lutron system, but Hubitat can connect any number of Lutron systems.  You can find more information at hubitat.com and community.hubitat.com.

Manufacturer	Hubitat
Part number	HC5
Item Weight	231 g
Product Dimensions	7.5 x 7.5 x 1.7 cm; 231 g
Item model number	HC5
Color	Black
Voltage	120 Volts
Item Package Quantity	1
Special Features	WPS
Batteries Included?	No
Batteries Required?	No

Hubitat Elevation Home Automation Hub (Model C-7) Compatible with Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Lutron

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