How to determine if a no-brand zigbee temperature sensor is compatible with the Digi XBee® Gateway?

Question

Hello forum,

I have a question regarding the "Digi XBee® Gateway" - which we currently use in our solar micro-grids: https://www.digi.com/products/xbee-rf-solutions/gateways/xbee-gateway#specifications

We'd like to do some remote temperature monitoring. How can I determine if "X" zigbee temperature sensor is compatible with the Digi XBee® Gateway?

What are the parameters / specifications I should check for?

Many thanks!

Troels Werge

Answer 1

Most temperature sensors are going to be using the ZigBee HA profile. The Digi gateway can support the HA profile (and I have used it for that in the past) but requires a specific security configuration that isn't enabled by default.

https://forms.na1.netsuite.com/app/site/hosting/scriptlet.nl?script=457&deploy=2&compid=818164&h=5928a16f2b6f9582b799&articleid=386

Once the sensor joins you need to implement the ZDO/ZCL profile clusters to actually communicate. That can be complicated to do correctly. Those clusters are covered in the ZigBee, ZCL and HA specs you can download from zigbee.org. Coding on the gateway is generally in Python and covered at a high level in the manual at https://www.digi.com/resources/documentation/digidocs/90001399-13/default.htm#concepts/c-program-with_python.htm.

If you have a particular temperature sensor in mind I can take a quick look if you provide a link. You might also contact me directly at my joel@nullsquared.com address.

Comments

Thanks Joel - what a friendly forum!

Would it work with something like this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Xiaomi-Aqara-Smart-Temperature-Humidity-Sensor-Air-Pressure-Wireless-Remote-Control-ZigBee-Wifi-Connection-Home/32871527035.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.47.7987e7d96fuMzC&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10152_10151_10065_10344_10068_5722815_10342_10343_10340_5722915_10341_10698_5722615_10696_10084_10083_10618_10307_5722715_5711215_10059_308_100031_10103_10624_10623_10622_5711315_5722515_10621_10620,searchweb201603_2,ppcSwitch_4&algo_expid=54508913-f736-462a-b565-aec4d8d13c90-6&algo_pvid=54508913-f736-462a-b565-aec4d8d13c90&priceBeautifyAB=0

or this:

https://www.amazon.com/Visonic-MCT-340-Wireless-Window-Temperature/dp/B06XDJ3KYC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525630612&sr=8-2&keywords=zigbee+temperature+sensor

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The MCT-340 advertised support for the ******* SmartThings Hub. Copy of the manual at https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-gb/article_attachments/201896836/Tyco_MCT-340_Manual.pdf. Advertises HA 1.2 support so supportable with appropriate software and configuration of the XBee.

A little harder to find manufacturer documentation on the Xiaomi device but from varying indications also seems likely to be a ZigBee HA device.

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Ha, I thought the Xiaomi device looked familiar... One of my clients threw some of those at me last year. They were HA. Perhaps a little quirky but definitely workable.