HomeSeer HS-WA100+ Companion Switch April 12, 2017 Home Automation Review, Z-Wave The HS-WS100+ or HS-WD100+ HomeSeer switches both support multi-way configurations. This will not work with standard three-way switches, however; instead, you need the HS-WA100+. Note that this switch is not a Z-Wave device, does not directly control a load, and will not work without one of the aforementioned HomeSeer switches. If you’re looking for just a remote Z-Wave switch without load control, you should look elsewhere. Notes HomeSeer HS-WA100+ Protocol Support ✗ Z-Wave ✗ Z-Wave Plus ✗ Network Wide Inclusion ✗ Instant Status Load Capacity ✗ Incandescent ✗ CFL ✗ LED ✗ Resistive ✗ Inductive Features ✓ Supports 3-Way Operation ✓ Supports 4-Way Operation ✓ Supports 5-Way Operation ✗ Electronic Dimmer ✗ Mechanical Relay ✓ Multi-Tap Scene Controller ✓ Press-and-hold Scene Controller ? Configurable switch orientation ✗ Separate Local/Remote Ramp Rates ✗ Configurable LED ✗ Dim Level Indicator Compatibility ✗ SmartThings ✗ Wink ✗ openHAB 2 Misc. ✓ Supports 12-14AWG Solid Wire ✗ OTA Firmware Update Support I have a fair number of three-way switch installations in my house, and since I want to automate all of them, this switch comes in handy. The physical installation is identical to the switches it connects to, except that it’s wired slightly different. Please see the instructions; I’m not going to describe that here. Note that these do not get included directly into your Z-Wave network; they work via the switch they’re connected to. The companion switch effectively operates as a remote control for the master. If you tap the paddle, it’s the same as tapping the paddle on the master switch. Simple as that. This also means that the scene control functionality of the master switch is fully available from the companion. For the most part, the switch works as advertised; I have five of them installed, and I’ve not had a problem with a single one of them. The only exception is a minor usability issue that I’ve noticed with these: if you multi-tap them too fast, the master only registers a single tap. On the WD100+ or the WS100+, you can multi-tap pretty much as fast as you want, and the appropriate Central Scene command will be sent. With the companion, however, you have to get used to tapping a bit more slowly. You get used to it, but it’s somewhat annoying. My guess is a capacitance issue, but I’m far too lazy to troubleshoot it since it’s probably not fixable without an internal adjustment anyway. Beyond that, these are great switches that do exactly what’s on the tin. If you need automated three-way switches and you use HomeSeer hardware, this is the switch for you. Pros Allows for 3-, 4-, and 5-way installations. Provides remote control of all functions of the master HomeSeer switch. Looks just like any other decora-style switch. Cons If you’re using multi-tap, you have to tap more slowly than on the main switch or it will register a single tap. Power and dim level LEDs are not duplicated on the companion; you’ll have to look at the master switch to see the status.