1Introduction
Strips Comfort 800 measures temperature, relative humidity and ambient light (lux) where it is mounted, and reports them over Z-Wave. At 3 mm thick with an adhesive back, it suits rooms where a visible sensor is not welcome. A smart-home controller can use its readings to run heating, blinds and ventilation.
It works with any certified Z-Wave controller. It supports SmartStart, so you can add it by scanning a code, as well as S2 security and firmware updates over the air. It can also join as a Z-Wave Long Range device, which reaches up to 800 m. The battery is built in and lasts well over ten years.
What's in the box
- Strips Comfort 800, with the adhesive already on the back
- A magnet on the sensor, which keeps it asleep until you start. Keep it afterwards for magnet commands.
No tools or screws are needed. The +Clip mounting accessory is sold separately.
Parts of the sensor
2Before you start
You need
- A Z-Wave controller (gateway or hub) and its app, within range of where the sensor will go
- The QR code on the back of the sensor, if your controller supports SmartStart
Choosing the place
- For room climate: an inside wall, away from direct sun, radiators, other heat sources and draughts
- For light: where the light falls the same way as in the rest of the room. Do not mount it behind curtains or inside cupboards.
- Indoors, or a sheltered spot: the sensor is IP63
- Range: up to 100 m to the controller or the nearest mains-powered Z-Wave device. Every mains-powered Z-Wave device acts as a repeater and extends the network.
- No metal: do not mount Strips directly on metal or inside a metal structure. Metal shortens the range.
3Step by step: from box to ready
Six steps. Add the sensor to your network near the controller first. Then check the signal at the spot where it will go, and mount it there last.
Unpack
Check that the sensor and the magnet are there. Leave the magnet on the sensor until step 2.
Join the Z-Wave network
Choose the method your controller supports.
A · SmartStart (recommended)
- In the controller app, choose SmartStart (or "add with QR code").
- Scan the QR code on the back of Strips.
- Take the magnet off Strips.
SmartStart begins 30 seconds after the magnet comes off. The sensor is added within 10 minutes if it is within range of the controller.
B · Classic inclusion
- Put the controller into add/pairing mode.
- Take the magnet off Strips.
If the magnet is already off, or you are adding the sensor again, do a wake-up while the controller is in pairing mode.
C · Z-Wave Long Range
If your controller supports Z-Wave Long Range, Strips can join as a Long Range device with SmartStart and reach up to 800 m. Follow method A, and choose Long Range in the controller if it asks.
Check the signal where it will sit
Hold Strips at the place where it will be mounted and do a wake-up.
Configure
Most installations work with the default settings: temperature and humidity are sent when they change, and light is reported with a filter. The settings most often changed:
| Setting | Default | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 · Temperature and humidity reporting | 1: on change | Set to 2 for readings at fixed intervals (setting 25), for example for logging or graphs. |
| 26 · Temperature change | 2.0 °C | Lower it for finer reporting, for example 0.5 °C. More reports use more battery. |
| 6–8 · Temperature alarms | Off · 40 °C · 5 °C | Turn on for overheat and frost warnings, and set the levels. |
| 10–11 · Light triggers | Off | Set a high and a low lux level to trigger scenes, for example blinds or lights. |
All settings are listed in the technical reference.
Install
- Clean the surface. It must be clean, dry and at least +10 °C.
- Peel the film off the adhesive on the back.
- Press Strips firmly in place.
Ready
- Added to the controller, with S2 security if the controller supports it
- Temperature, humidity and light shown in the controller
- Signal checked at the final spot, with no five-blink error
- Mounted on an inside wall, away from sun, heat and draughts
- Magnet stored for later commands
4Using the sensor
What it reports
- Temperature and humidity: on change (by default), or at fixed intervals
- Light (lux): filtered, to avoid a report for every flicker. It can also trigger scenes at a high and a low lux level.
- Temperature alarms: overheat and frost, if turned on. They are sent within a minute.
- Tamper: sent if someone tries to wake up or manipulate Strips with a magnet
- Battery level: sent at each wake-up
If the controller cannot be reached, for example during a power cut or a lost internet connection, Strips keeps the message and tries again. It retries after 1, 2, 4, 8 minutes and so on, up to 17 hours, and then every 17 hours.
Scenes and direct control
Strips Comfort can send central scene events to the controller when a temperature alarm starts, or when the light passes a trigger level. You can then set up scenes in the controller. It can also switch other Z-Wave devices directly, without going through the controller, through association groups 5–7. For example, a lamp can turn on at dusk. See the technical reference.
LED signals
| LED | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 short blink | Feedback during a magnet command, a report sent, or the sensor added to a network |
| 2 short blinks | The sensor is not added to a network |
| 1 long blink | A command succeeded (for example added, or reset) |
| 5 short blinks | Error: no contact with the controller |
5Magnet commands
You give commands by moving a magnet at the rounded end of Strips. Use the magnet that came on the sensor, or any small magnet.
| Command | How | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Wake up | Magnet to the rounded end, wait for the blink, move it away. Three times in total, within about 10 seconds. | A final short blink |
| Add / remove | Put the controller into add or remove mode, then do a wake-up. | One long blink |
| Factory reset | As a wake-up, but on the third time hold the magnet at the rounded end for 10 seconds. | One long blink. It can take 10–15 seconds to come. |
Reset Strips if its controller is missing or no longer answers. After a reset, Strips must be added again.
6Maintenance and removal
Battery
The battery is built in and lasts well over ten years. It cannot be replaced. To get the most out of it:
- Mount Strips away from metal and not too far from the controller or a repeater
- Keep the default reporting settings, and keep the light filter on (setting 9 at 2–8)
- Set the wake-up interval to 12 hours or more, if your controller lets you
- Run a network heal or repair in the controller after you change the network
In the cold, the battery level can read lower than it really is. This is expected: the reading takes the temperature into account and does not show the real charge.
The battery is a lithium manganese dioxide (LiMnO₂) cell, one of the most stable lithium chemistries. Do not open the sensor, and do not puncture it or heat it above +80 °C. When the battery is empty, dispose of the whole sensor as a battery, for recycling. Near the end of its life the battery normally swells a little; this is expected.
Removing Strips
Use dental floss or a thin string.
Moving to another controller
Remove Strips from the old controller (remove mode + wake-up), or do a factory reset. Then add it to the new one.
7Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Temperature reads too high or too low | Check the place: direct sun, a radiator or a draught nearby gives misleading readings. Move the sensor to an inside wall. |
| Too many light reports | Turn on the light filter: setting 9 at 2–8, where 8 is the strongest. |
| Light triggers do not fire | Both levels must be set: setting 10 (high) must be above setting 11 (low), or the trigger stays off. |
| Five blinks when adding | Add the sensor close to the controller, with a clear line of sight. Check that the controller is online. Strips may still belong to another network: do a factory reset and try again. Check that the region on the label (EU, US …) matches your controller. |
| Added as non-secure instead of S2 | Remove it from the controller, reset the sensor and add it again with a clear line of sight. It may take a few attempts. |
| Shows up as another device type | Check that the controller has the Strips driver installed. Drivers for 700-series Strips also work for the 800 series, and the sensor may appear as a 700. If it still shows wrongly, remove it, reset it and add it again. |
| New settings have no effect | Settings are applied at the next wake-up (every 12 hours by default). Do a wake-up to apply them now. |
| Messages arrive irregularly | Check that Strips is not on metal and not too far from the controller. Add a repeater if needed. |
| No long blink after a reset | Wait 10–15 seconds, as it can take a while. If it still does not come, contact support. |
| The LED does not react to the magnet at all | The battery may be empty. Check the last battery level the controller received. The battery cannot be replaced, so an empty sensor has to be replaced. If the battery level was fine, contact Sensative support. |
Which features work depends on the controller. Some controllers support Strips fully, some only partly.
8Technical reference
For integrators and advanced users.
Configuration parameters
| No. | Name | Size | Values | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | LED on events (e.g. alarms) | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On, but no LED feedback for associated nodes 2: On, with success/fail LED feedback for both the controller and associated nodes | 1 |
| 4 | Temperature and humidity reporting | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On change (settings 26 and 28) 2: Periodic actual values (setting 25) 3: Periodic average temperature plus actual humidity (setting 25) | 1 |
| 5 | Temperature unit | 1 byte | 0: Celsius 1: Fahrenheit | 0 (US frequency: 1) |
| 6 | Temperature alarms (not affected by settings 4, 25 and 26) | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On | 0 |
| 7 | High temperature alarm level | 2 bytes | −20 to +80 °C (−4 to +176 °F) | 40 °C (US: 104 °F) |
| 8 | Low temperature alarm level | 2 bytes | −20 to +60 °C (−4 to +140 °F) | 5 °C (US: 41 °F) |
| 9 | Ambient light reporting | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On, no filter (not recommended: many reports, shorter battery life) 2–8: On, with a filter against fluctuations; 8 is the strongest | 8 |
| 10 | High light trigger: a light report when the level rises above it. Setting 11 must be set lower, or the trigger stays off. | 4 bytes | 20–64000 lux; 0 = Off | 0 |
| 11 | Low light trigger: a light report when the level falls below it. Setting 10 must be set higher, or the trigger stays off. | 4 bytes | 10–42000 lux; 0 = Off | 0 |
| 25 | Reporting period for temperature and humidity (used by setting 4) | 2 bytes | 15–1440 minutes | 60 |
| 26 | Temperature change for a new report | 1 byte | 5–100 (= 0.5 to 10.0 °C/°F) | 20 (2.0 °C), US: 30 (3 °F) |
| 28 | Humidity change for a new report | 1 byte | 2–10 % | 5 % |
| 31 | Multi-Command encapsulation: send sensor reports, temperature alarm reports and central scene notifications in one message to save battery. The controller must support it. | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On | 0 |
| 32 | Central scene notifications for temperature alarms and light levels | 1 byte | 0: Off 1: On | 1 |
| 36 | Basic Set value to group 6 on a high temperature alarm | 1 byte | 0–255 | 0 |
| 37 | Basic Set value to group 6 on a low temperature alarm | 1 byte | 0–255 | 255 |
| 38 | Basic Set value to group 7 on a high light level | 1 byte | 0–255 | 255 |
| 39 | Basic Set value to group 7 on a low light level | 1 byte | 0–255 | 0 |
Notification events
| Type | Event | When |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Alarm (0x04) | Overheat detected (0x02) | The temperature rises above setting 7 |
| Heat Alarm (0x04) | Under heat detected (0x06) | The temperature falls below setting 8 |
| Heat Alarm (0x04) | Clear notification (0x00) | A temperature alarm is cleared |
| Home Security (0x07) | Magnetic field interference detected (0x0B) | Tamper: someone tries to wake up or manipulate Strips |
| Home Security (0x07) | Clear notification (0x00) | The tamper event is cleared |
Central scenes
| Event | Scene | Key attribute |
|---|---|---|
| High light level trigger | Scene 3 | Key Pressed (0x00) |
| Low light level trigger | Scene 4 | Key Pressed (0x00) |
| High temperature alarm | Scene 5 | Key Pressed (0x00) |
| Low temperature alarm | Scene 6 | Key Pressed (0x00) |
Association groups
| Group | Name | Max nodes | Commands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lifeline | 1 | Notification Report, Battery Report, Multilevel Sensor Report, Central Scene Notification, Device Reset Locally Notification, Indicator Report, Multi-Command Encapsulation. Keeps the controller up to date with temperature, humidity, light, alarms, scenes, battery and tamper. |
| 5 | Temperature report for temperature alarms | 5 | Multilevel Sensor Report: the temperature value |
| 6 | Basic Set for temperature alarms | 5 | Basic Set: high alarm = Off (0x00), low alarm = On (0xFF). Values set by settings 36 and 37. |
| 7 | Basic Set for light levels | 5 | Basic Set: high level = On (0xFF), low level = Off (0x00). Values set by settings 38 and 39. |
Indicator
Indicator ID 0x50 (Node Identify): the LED blinks so you can find the node.
Command classes
| Command class | Version | Security |
|---|---|---|
| Application Status | 1 | None |
| Association | 2 | Highest granted |
| Association Group Info | 3 | Highest granted |
| Battery | 1 | Highest granted |
| Central Scene | 3 | Highest granted |
| Configuration | 4 | Highest granted |
| Device Reset Locally | 1 | Highest granted |
| Firmware Update Meta Data | 5 | Highest granted |
| Indicator | 3 | Highest granted |
| Manufacturer Specific | 2 | Highest granted |
| Multi Channel Association | 3 | Highest granted |
| Notification | 8 | Highest granted |
| Powerlevel | 1 | Highest granted |
| Security 2 | 1 | None |
| Sensor Multilevel | 11 | Highest granted |
| Supervision | 1 | None |
| Transport Service | 2 | None |
| Version | 3 | Highest granted |
| Wake Up | 2 | Highest granted |
| Z-Wave Plus Info | 2 | None |
9Strips Comfort SC 800
Strips Comfort SC 800 is a simpler version of Strips Comfort 800. It measures the same things (temperature, humidity and light) and is installed the same way. It only reports to the controller: it has no alarms, triggers or direct control of other devices. Everything in this manual applies to it, except the points below.
What SC does not have
- Temperature alarms (settings 6–8) and the Heat Alarm notifications
- Light triggers (settings 10–11)
- Central scenes (setting 32) and the Central Scene command class
- Direct control of other devices: association groups 5–7 and settings 36–39. Only the Lifeline (group 1) is available.
- The LED setting (2) and the temperature unit setting (5)
What is different
| Setting | Comfort 800 | Comfort SC 800 |
|---|---|---|
| Joining | Take the magnet off | Do a wake-up (three swipes at the rounded end within 10 seconds) |
| 4 · Reporting | 0–3: off, on change, periodic, periodic average | 0: Off, or 1: on change |
| 25 | Reporting period, default 60 min | How often the sensors are read (15–1440 min), default 25 |
| 26 · Temperature change | Default 2.0 °C | Default 0.5 °C |
| 31 · Multi-Command | Sensor reports, alarms and scenes in one message | Temperature and humidity reports in one message |
Settings 9 (light reporting) and 28 (humidity change) are the same on both. After inclusion, SC sends temperature, light, humidity and battery one minute after joining.
10Specifications
| Sensors | Temperature, humidity, ambient light (lux), tamper detection |
| Temperature accuracy | ±0.2 °C |
| Humidity accuracy | ±1.8 % RH |
| Radio | Z-Wave 800 series, Z-Wave Long Range |
| Range | Up to 100 m to the nearest Z-Wave device; up to 800 m with Z-Wave Long Range |
| Security | S2, SmartStart |
| Firmware | Updates over the air |
| Battery | Built-in LiMnO2, 480 mAh, well over ten years |
| IP rating | IP63 |
| Dimensions | 195 × 15 × 3 mm |
| Weight | 11 g |
| Mounting | Adhesive backing; +Clip for rough or temporary surfaces |
11Support
- Support, FAQ and downloads: sensative.com/support
- Product page and product sheet: sensative.com/sensors/strips-comfort-800
- Technical support request: through the form on the support page
Source: Sensative Docs, Strips Comfort 700/800 and Strips Comfort SC 800 for Z-Wave Plus, Strips Z-Wave FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (read 24 October 2026); specifications from the sensative.com product data.