Hands-on Review: Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Sensor

Its been a few years since I reviewed the Aeotec Multisensor 6. Since then I have bought more of those for different rooms around the house. They have been very reliable and have served me well over the years, especially for automations such as auto room humidity control, lighting automations and presence detection.

So I was curious to see how the newest Z-Wave sensor in their lineup, the Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 compares. The Trinsensor has 3 sensors as its name suggests: Motion, temperature and light. Compared to the Multisensor 6, it loses the humidity, vibration and ultraviolet sensors.

Hands-on Review Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Multisensor - Front - VueVille

A quick note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Aeotec TriSensor – Specifications

The Aeotec TriSensor has 3 different sensors:

  1. Motion sensor
  2. Temperature sensor
  3. Light (lux) sensor

Detailed Specs

Model No.ZWA005
Max. PIR motion sensitivity7 metres / 23 feet
Measured Temperature Range-15°C to 50°C
Light Intensity Measuring Range0 - 22595 LUX, +-30LUX accuracy
Operational Temperature0°C to 70°C / 32°F to 158°F
Radio protocolZ-Wave Plus, 500 series
Radio Frequency908.42MHz (US)
868.42MHz (EU)
921.42MHz (AU)
Wireless rangeUp to 150 metres outdoors maximum (492ft maximum)
ZWave RepeaterNone
SecurityS2
Water-proofingNone
Power SupplyBattery power only (1×CR123A batteries, 3V, 1500mAh)
Min voltage = 2.6VDC
Max voltage = 3.2VDC
CertificationsCE
FCC
RCM
ROHS
Sensor Dimensions45 x 45 x 35 mm

Unboxing the Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Sensor

Hands-on Review Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Multisensor - Box Contents - VueVille
As with every Aeotec product I have seen, the TriSensor comes in a sleek package with the following box contents:

  • Battery cover
  • Back-mount arm
  • Double sided tape
  • 2x screws
  • User manual
  • Warranty card

Design

The TriSensor is similar in appearance to the Multisensor 6, and is almost exactly the same size too. The cube shape makes it easy to place on flat surfaces.

The TriSensor is also very compact and just a bit larger than a CR123A battery as can be seen below.

On the front face, there is the standard PIR sensor cover and just two other components – the lux sensor and a very bright LED which flashes green whenever motion is detected.

Hands-on Review Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Multisensor - Back - VueVille

On the back side, the battery cover holds the cover lock slider, the back-arm mount hole, and some technical information about the multisensor.

Hands-on Review Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Multisensor - Opened - VueVille

Taking the battery over off reveals the battery compartment that takes a single CR123A battery (supplied), and the Z-Wave Action button. While the Aeotec Multisensor 6 can use either batteries or a USB cable for external power, this TriSensor is only battery-powered.

The advantage of USB external power is that you can get real-time sensor data instead of once every few minutes with the batteries. So this is something I would have liked to see in the TriSensor.

Just like the Aeotec Multisensor 6, the TriSensor is also a ZWave Plus Gen5 device. While Z-Wave Gen7 devices are becoming more common, it has not been implemented in the TriSensor yet.

However the TriSensor additionally supports S2 security and ‘Smart Start’ technology.

Installing and configuring the TriSensor

Setting up the TriSensor with my HomeSeer-based home automation system was a breeze.

I first put the HomeSeer Z-Wave hub into ‘add device’ mode. Then I put the TriSensor into inclusion mode by pressing the action button once. Immediately, HomeSeer detected the TriSensor and added the various sensors devices (motion, light, temperature).

Hands-on Review Aeotec TriSensor 3-in-1 Z-Wave Multisensor - HomeSeer - VueVille

Features & Performance

Let’s now look at the various sensors the Trisnesor sports and how they performed. I used the TriSensor for a 6 month period as part of my home network, and so can give a real-world usage report.

Motion Detection

The max motion detection range of the TriSensor is 7 metres (23 feet). In my testing, it reliably detected motion from across my 5 metre wide hall. I found it very sensitive, it reacts instantaneously to motion and throughout the 6 month test period never missed a motion event.

You can adjust the sensitivity of the motion detection if you wish. The Z-Wave parameter that controls this setting is Parameter 3 [size 1 byte]. The value range is from 0 – 11. By default, the sensitivity setting is set to the maximum sensitivity value of 11.

You can also control the time gap between sensor activations by adjusting the ‘Motion re-trigger time’ which is Z-Wave Parameter 1 [2 byte]. For example if you set the value to 10, the PIR sensor timeout will become 10 seconds – so for 10 seconds after detecting motion it will ignore all further motion. After that, it will then again be ready to detect motion. The default is set to 30 seconds.

These two settings can be used to control and reduce false motion alerts.

Compared to the Mutisensor 6 on USB power, I felt that the TriSensor has better sensitivity even though its on battery power.

Temperature sensor

The temperatures reported by the TriSensor were accurate and very close to those of the Multisensor 6.

Light level sensor

The light level sensor also work very well. According to Aeotec, the TriSensor comes with a digital light sensor that’s capable of sensing lighting between 0 lux to 22595 lux in real-time.

I created an automation that automaticlly turned on a lamp plugged into an Aeotec Smart Switch 7 in the room whenever the sun started setting.

Battery life

While the Multisensor 6 can make use of up to two CR123A batteries, the TriSensor makes use of just 1. After 6 months of use, the sensor reports a battery level of 100% to HomeSeer, which I doubt is accurate. But the sensor is still working well.

Wireless range

The TriSensor has very strong wireless range and was able to stay in touch with the Z-Wave network wherever I took it in my house.

Verdict

I love the Aeotec TriSensor and highly recommend it. It has the 3 key sensors you need for most home automations and performs very well. Improved motion detection sensitivity over the Multisensor 6 and excellent battery life make for a very competent multisensor.

8.6 Total Score
An excellent all-in-one Z-Wave multisensor

Improved motion detection sensitivity over the Multisensor 6 and excellent battery life make for a very competent multisensor.

Features
7
Design
8
Performance
9
Value for Money
9
Smart home compatibility
10
PROS
  • Motion, temperature and light sensors
  • Very small footprint
  • Can be wall-mounted
  • Easy to install
  • Great motion sensitivity
  • Long battery life
CONS
  • Battery power only
  • Not a Z-Wave repeater
  • Battery level measurements seem to be a bit off
User Rating: Be the first one!

Where to buy

Check Price on your local Amazon site

A quick note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Daniel Ross

Daniel Ross

I am Daniel and VueVille is where I document my DIY smart home journey. I focus on 100% local-processing and local-storage because that’s the only way to secure my family’s safety and privacy. Oh and I don’t like monthly subscriptions!

1 Comment
  1. It looks sleek and simple, but don’t let its aesthetics fool you! This thing packs some serious tech specs under those elegant curves. It’s always a pleasure to open up an Aeotec product. The TriSensor 3-in-1 Z wave sensor had me at “hello.”

    Leave a reply

    VueVille
    Logo