Yale SD-L1000-CH Conexis L1 Smart Door, App Control, Key/Phone Tags, Remote Lock/Unlock, Chrome Finish
Key Features
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
Easy AccessEntry that requires less effort thanks to handy Key Fobs and Cards | Holiday HomeShare virtual keys with tenants or temporary residents for remote access management | Loved OnesReceive notifications when loved ones arrive home with entry alerts | TradespeopleSchedule access periods for your cleaners or dog-walkers and revoke instantly |
Yale Module
Make your lock even smarter with the addition of one of our modules.
The Yale Module 2 allows you to control your Yale Smart Door Lock from anywhere in the world when linked to your Yale Smart Home Alarm System. The Yale Module 2 creates the link between your Smart Door Lock and Your Home alarm, making your home security even smarter.
Yale Module
| Weight: | 2.1 kg |
| Dimensions: | 8 x 3 x 28 cm; 2.1 Kilograms |
| Model: | SD-L1000-CH |
| Part: | SD-L1000-CH |
| Colour: | Chrome Finish |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | Yes |
| Batteries Included: | Alkaline |
| Manufacture: | Yale |
| Colour: | Chrome Finish |
| Quantity: | 1 |
I’m pleased to announce I’ve had this lock for 2 weeks now and it has worked perfectly with all keys, fobs and Bluetooth devices.
Pros – quick and simple to install, just please read the instructions to the letter, I had to pull off the lock once as I hadn’t aligned correctly which was my own fault for rushing.
Very heavy, feels secure as well as looks it.
Works well with all keys provided, and asigning keys via the app is simple.
Looks beautiful!
Smart locks are a future technology so insurance companies will no doubt look to these for lower house insurance premiums soon.
Cons – the app doesn’t seem to like Android users for some reason, Apple works just fine however a lengthy delay in anyone using the android version of the app on my door.
The connector wire looks and feels flimsy so do take great care feeding it through the door and looping it round when assembling the handle flush against the door.
In conclusion I am so glad I bought this product, its elegant and sturdy and worth every penny so far. additional keys to purchase off Amazon are cheap and it has wowed everyone I know. Very happy with this product.
For fitting there is a handy step by step guide on YouTube if you’re after a more visual tutorial than the attached instructions.
I’m glad I didn’t listen to the negative reviews, I was very cautious buying this and researched the product thoroughly before making my decision however the negative reviews did nearly sway my judgement!
I’m pleased to announce I’ve had this lock for 2 weeks now and it has worked perfectly with all keys, fobs and Bluetooth devices.
Pros – quick and simple to install, just please read the instructions to the letter, I had to pull off the lock once as I hadn’t aligned correctly which was my own fault for rushing.
Very heavy, feels secure as well as looks it.
Works well with all keys provided, and asigning keys via the app is simple.
Looks beautiful!
Smart locks are a future technology so insurance companies will no doubt look to these for lower house insurance premiums soon.
Cons – the app doesn’t seem to like Android users for some reason, Apple works just fine however a lengthy delay in anyone using the android version of the app on my door.
The connector wire looks and feels flimsy so do take great care feeding it through the door and looping it round when assembling the handle flush against the door.
In conclusion I am so glad I bought this product, its elegant and sturdy and worth every penny so far. additional keys to purchase off Amazon are cheap and it has wowed everyone I know. Very happy with this product.
For fitting there is a handy step by step guide on YouTube if you’re after a more visual tutorial than the attached instructions.
TAKE YOUR TIME ON THE INSTALLATION
and this replacement will bring you ease of use
Retro fitted to a UPVC door with a lift to lock handle.
Installation easy using the instruction manual
Make sure you get the alignment correct using the tool provided.
Adding Tags/Fobs is easy using the app
(1 x master card 1 x Tag Provided)
I did find occasionally i had to comply close/relaunch the app then add tag or make changes to user name
As stated the app is a little glitch be patient and it works.
I have 3 x vertual keys All working to unlock the door
You have to be at the door to use the vertual key open the app press open door within the app then present you finger to the lock to awake the bluetooth (door unlocked)
I understand there is a add on to control from elsewhere.
Easy to use
To enter from outside
1 Present tag, shunt lock disengaged sound green led
2 Push handle down enter house
3 lift handle (when unlocked) Moter shunt lock engaged sound red led door locked
To exit from within the house
1 Turn thumb twist on lock, to manually disengage shunt lock sound green light
2 Push down handle
3 Exit
4 Lift outside Handle to Lock motor shunt lock engaged sound green led
I have removed the battery’s and tested the 9v battery backup (bottom of outside unit) tested ok
If the handle has not pushed down after a tag has been presented the shunt lock will re lock after approx 15sec
Used due to kids kept leaving there key at home (or losing them) added 4 x phone tags 4 x keyring tags to device. Attached each phone with a phone tag hay presto never locked out again. (As kids don’t seam to leave home without there phone)
Overall I’m Extremely Satisfied with this lock but mostly using it with the Tags/Fobs
Due to the teething problems i had with the app when contacting customer services Depending which Customer support Representative you get some of the are very knowledgeable but others are just reading from a pre written scrip
Costly piece of equipment for a next useless phone app, an absolutely useless Apple Watch app, tag and card errors, virtual key issues and an alarm that goes off in the middle of the night for no reaso
CC:
The Yale Conexis L1 is a smart lock that does away with keys to lock and unlock the door. This was purchased from Amazon on the 11th February 2021 and cost 184.49 at the time of purchasing. Included in the box is the Conexis door handle unit, 4 AA batteries required for powering the unit, 1 fob, 1 card and installation instructions.
The lock is relatively simple to fix to your existing PVC and composite door with just a screwdriver. I was able to fit the lock myself, even with limited handyman skills, using Yale’s instructions and online videos. The installation took approximately 30-40 minutes in total. The only complication I ran into during the install was a screw being too big in diameter to fit through the door. To overcome this I was able to use a drill and make the hole wider which solved the problem. This is unlikely to be an issue for most installations.
For myself, I was able to power on the unit and pair the unit to the Yale Conexis app running on an iPhone 8. So far I have had minimal issues unlocking the door with my phone with it being 9/10 times successful. When it fails to unlock, restarting the app generally gets it to work correctly. Using the app, however, is not the quickest way to unlock the door. Within the back of my phone case is a compartment for cards. I have the card in the back of my phone so when I approach the door I have to wake it by touching the sensor. Then I press the back of my phone to the handle, the light will then go green, the lock will beep and will unlock allowing you to open the door. The process takes approximately 5 seconds. From the internal side of the lock, there is a thumb turn which can be pressed and turned for the handle to unlock.
To lock the door ensure the door is fully closed and pull up the handle. You will hear the lock operating and see the red light on the inside and hear the beep. I always press down on the handle just to double-check. Within the app, you can set an auto-lock timer. If the lock is not used for an amount of time lock will automatically lock. Like a deadlock, you will need to make sure you have a key with you if you pop outside for a few minutes or you’re going to get locked out.
The main selling feature for me was the keyless entry so I only need to take my phone and wireless headphones out with me on dog walks.
The biggest fear of using the lock is the lack of a manual key override. If the lock ever becomes unresponsive there is no easy way of unlocking the door. For me, I have a spare key in a lock box at the back of my house which I am able to enter if this ever becomes an issue. If the batteries were to ever run out there is a connection at the bottom of the external lock to hold a battery in order to power on the unit to gain access.
With all this in mind, I would recommend the lock and give the lock a 4 star. The convenient keyless entry for me is perfect and the handle seems to be working as it should using the card for access. The only thing letting the lock down is the app.
CC:
The Yale Conexis L1 is a smart lock that does away with keys to lock and unlock the door. This was purchased from Amazon on the 11th February 2021 and cost 184.49 at the time of purchasing. Included in the box is the Conexis door handle unit, 4 AA batteries required for powering the unit, 1 fob, 1 card and installation instructions.
The lock is relatively simple to fix to your existing PVC and composite door with just a screwdriver. I was able to fit the lock myself, even with limited handyman skills, using Yale’s instructions and online videos. The installation took approximately 30-40 minutes in total. The only complication I ran into during the install was a screw being too big in diameter to fit through the door. To overcome this I was able to use a drill and make the hole wider which solved the problem. This is unlikely to be an issue for most installations.
For myself, I was able to power on the unit and pair the unit to the Yale Conexis app running on an iPhone 8. So far I have had minimal issues unlocking the door with my phone with it being 9/10 times successful. When it fails to unlock, restarting the app generally gets it to work correctly. Using the app, however, is not the quickest way to unlock the door. Within the back of my phone case is a compartment for cards. I have the card in the back of my phone so when I approach the door I have to wake it by touching the sensor. Then I press the back of my phone to the handle, the light will then go green, the lock will beep and will unlock allowing you to open the door. The process takes approximately 5 seconds. From the internal side of the lock, there is a thumb turn which can be pressed and turned for the handle to unlock.
To lock the door ensure the door is fully closed and pull up the handle. You will hear the lock operating and see the red light on the inside and hear the beep. I always press down on the handle just to double-check. Within the app, you can set an auto-lock timer. If the lock is not used for an amount of time lock will automatically lock. Like a deadlock, you will need to make sure you have a key with you if you pop outside for a few minutes or you’re going to get locked out.
The main selling feature for me was the keyless entry so I only need to take my phone and wireless headphones out with me on dog walks.
The biggest fear of using the lock is the lack of a manual key override. If the lock ever becomes unresponsive there is no easy way of unlocking the door. For me, I have a spare key in a lock box at the back of my house which I am able to enter if this ever becomes an issue. If the batteries were to ever run out there is a connection at the bottom of the external lock to hold a battery in order to power on the unit to gain access.
With all this in mind, I would recommend the lock and give the lock a 4 star. The convenient keyless entry for me is perfect and the handle seems to be working as it should using the card for access. The only thing letting the lock down is the app.
Firstly it is a fairly sturdy and impressive piece if kit, it felt more secure in operation than the original one I was replacing. Installation was pretty easy and possible with just a screwdriver. It would help if the instructions mentioned setting up all the tags In one go. We stored each one in turn and then found out only the last one was working, figured it out eventually. We also bought the z wave module which just pushes in, you do need their app initially but as soon as it is registered I switched to Smartthings and it was also immediately picked up by Alexa. And it all works beautifully. You do initially keep checking it is locked but one week later that has worn off.
Where shall I start ,make sure your existing door handles are level ,my old handles used 2 different holes ,wierd but made job of fitting it a nightmare, apart from that and the expensive cost and the z wave chip and not knowing what colour and too much choice all was fine ,I chose the blue one ,still don’t know if I needed it ,hope it doesn’t drain the batteries too much ,time will tell .fitted on 20th Feb 21 ,by a tech save electrician, should take about half hour but my strange old lock didn’t conform see 3rd pic ,good luck
Where shall I start ,make sure your existing door handles are level ,my old handles used 2 different holes ,wierd but made job of fitting it a nightmare, apart from that and the expensive cost and the z wave chip and not knowing what colour and too much choice all was fine ,I chose the blue one ,still don’t know if I needed it ,hope it doesn’t drain the batteries too much ,time will tell .fitted on 20th Feb 21 ,by a tech save electrician, should take about half hour but my strange old lock didn’t conform see 3rd pic ,good luck
LOCK INSTALLATION:
For complete peace of mind, I opted to have my Conexis L1 installed by a YALE approved locksmith. I just did a quick search on the YALE smart home website for approved Conexis L1 Locksmiths in my area.
The Conexis L1 connects to the existing physical locking mechanism within the door. In my case this mechanism was more than 10 years old. The Yale locksmith checked the mechanism to ensure it would operate trouble free with the Conexis L1. He found the existing mechanism was badly worn internally (probably where the door had been slighly out of alignment for a while and force had been used to lift the door handle upwards to latch into place when closing the door). The locksmith showed me evidence of this wear. He advised replacing the internal mechanism otherwise the Conexis L1 could fail / have issues locking (this is an issue commonly reported in reviews!). I asked the locksmith to replace the mechanism which cost 45. He installed the lock and gave me a demonstration. All worked brilliantly. Total installation price: 145 including VAT including 12 month warranty.
INSTALLATION TIME
The YALE approved locksmith fitted my Conexis L1, changed the internal door locking mechanism and paired the master key within 2 hours.
PAIRING PHONE AND KEY FOBS
The key fobs are really easy to pair one by phone. Do this slowly and take your time.
I have also set my iPhone to unlock the door using the YALE smart living app.
YALE SMART LIVING APP
The app honestly isn’t as bad as some people report but it does have several annoying bugs. For example, if you change the locks beep sound volume loudness it sometimes reverts back to the default setting on its own. Not the end of the world and certainly doesn’t affect the functionality of the Conexis L1 lock itself.
ADD ON CONNECTIVITY MODULES
I was going to install the blue Z wave module so I can connect to Alexa. However, I decided against it for three reasons,
1) it will only allow me to ask Aleza if the door is locked, open or closed. it can’t lock the door for you. But Alexa can be configured to remotely open the lock (see point 3 below for potential security issue).
2) The lock batteries deteriorate far more quickly.
3) The biggest issue is the security risk. I don’t feel comfortable with a burglar shouting through my letterbox “Alexa, open the front door”.
USING THE LOCK:
It’s actually not as noisy as it appears to be when seen on videos on line. I was concerned the whirring sound would annoy me but it’s fine.
To open the lock from outside, just put the yale fob against the yale logo on the lock handle and it will beep, produce a green LED light and you can open the door and enter the house. Once inside, close the door and lift up the handle, you will hear a confirmation beep confirming the lock is now closed.
To open from inside the house, press the thumb wheel inwards while also turning and the door will beep, the green LED light will appear to confirm the lock is open and you can exit.
SUMMARY:
If installed to the right kind of door (the Conexis L1 won’t fit all doors) by a Yale approved locksmith then it’s approved by UK insurance companies, and to the best of my knowledge it is still the only fully insurance approved smart lock in the UK. Check this yourself though with your own insurers.
Don’t take too much notice of the poor reviews as it is a brilliant lock, even if the YALE app does need some further updates. One assumes the majority of these negative reviews are from people who have done a DIY installation without enough DIY knowledge, or people not reading through the instruction thoroughly before starting the installation. I have actually found two online videos where people had issues then later admitted in the video they did not read the instructions before starting!! As long as you have the lock installed by a YALE approved locksmith you will be fine and you will wish you’d fitted the Conexis L1 years ago. Good luck.
LOCK INSTALLATION:
For complete peace of mind, I opted to have my Conexis L1 installed by a YALE approved locksmith. I just did a quick search on the YALE smart home website for approved Conexis L1 Locksmiths in my area.
The Conexis L1 connects to the existing physical locking mechanism within the door. In my case this mechanism was more than 10 years old. The Yale locksmith checked the mechanism to ensure it would operate trouble free with the Conexis L1. He found the existing mechanism was badly worn internally (probably where the door had been slighly out of alignment for a while and force had been used to lift the door handle upwards to latch into place when closing the door). The locksmith showed me evidence of this wear. He advised replacing the internal mechanism otherwise the Conexis L1 could fail / have issues locking (this is an issue commonly reported in reviews!). I asked the locksmith to replace the mechanism which cost 45. He installed the lock and gave me a demonstration. All worked brilliantly. Total installation price: 145 including VAT including 12 month warranty.
INSTALLATION TIME
The YALE approved locksmith fitted my Conexis L1, changed the internal door locking mechanism and paired the master key within 2 hours.
PAIRING PHONE AND KEY FOBS
The key fobs are really easy to pair one by phone. Do this slowly and take your time.
I have also set my iPhone to unlock the door using the YALE smart living app.
YALE SMART LIVING APP
The app honestly isn’t as bad as some people report but it does have several annoying bugs. For example, if you change the locks beep sound volume loudness it sometimes reverts back to the default setting on its own. Not the end of the world and certainly doesn’t affect the functionality of the Conexis L1 lock itself.
ADD ON CONNECTIVITY MODULES
I was going to install the blue Z wave module so I can connect to Alexa. However, I decided against it for three reasons,
1) it will only allow me to ask Aleza if the door is locked, open or closed. it can’t lock the door for you. But Alexa can be configured to remotely open the lock (see point 3 below for potential security issue).
2) The lock batteries deteriorate far more quickly.
3) The biggest issue is the security risk. I don’t feel comfortable with a burglar shouting through my letterbox “Alexa, open the front door”.
USING THE LOCK:
It’s actually not as noisy as it appears to be when seen on videos on line. I was concerned the whirring sound would annoy me but it’s fine.
To open the lock from outside, just put the yale fob against the yale logo on the lock handle and it will beep, produce a green LED light and you can open the door and enter the house. Once inside, close the door and lift up the handle, you will hear a confirmation beep confirming the lock is now closed.
To open from inside the house, press the thumb wheel inwards while also turning and the door will beep, the green LED light will appear to confirm the lock is open and you can exit.
SUMMARY:
If installed to the right kind of door (the Conexis L1 won’t fit all doors) by a Yale approved locksmith then it’s approved by UK insurance companies, and to the best of my knowledge it is still the only fully insurance approved smart lock in the UK. Check this yourself though with your own insurers.
Don’t take too much notice of the poor reviews as it is a brilliant lock, even if the YALE app does need some further updates. One assumes the majority of these negative reviews are from people who have done a DIY installation without enough DIY knowledge, or people not reading through the instruction thoroughly before starting the installation. I have actually found two online videos where people had issues then later admitted in the video they did not read the instructions before starting!! As long as you have the lock installed by a YALE approved locksmith you will be fine and you will wish you’d fitted the Conexis L1 years ago. Good luck.
Ive had this lock for over a year now and touch wood, not a problem. The one thing I would say is I have the front door unlock through smartthings alot and the battery level isn’t reported to smartthings properly. The only way to check the battery level is to use your phone app to open the door. I’ve not had them runout on me yet.
Other than that it’s brilliant
I read the reviews first. I’m well into Home automation now. I’ve been setting it up in my place for about 10 years. I Love this handle it works well. Integration with Alexa is good. I can unlock my front door with alexa if a say a PIN. I can lock the door. Although locking remotely for a multi point lock is pointless as you have to push the handle up. However with the smartthings zigbee adapter installed and integrating with smartthings and webcore you can do some cool stuff.
I now have alexa tell me if rain is expected when the door uocks for the first time in the day. Warns me of ice etc. I can check the lock status remotely.
Install wasn’t that hard. Youve gotta read the instructions before your start and give yourself from half an hour to and hour. There are different fixing kits for different width doors. I found that the longer screw worked better form my door. Mine was 70mm.
All in all works well. Had it for about 6 weeks now. Battery level has not moved.
Ive had this lock for over a year now and touch wood, not a problem. The one thing I would say is I have the front door unlock through smartthings alot and the battery level isn’t reported to smartthings properly. The only way to check the battery level is to use your phone app to open the door. I’ve not had them runout on me yet.
Other than that it’s brilliant
I read the reviews first. I’m well into Home automation now. I’ve been setting it up in my place for about 10 years. I Love this handle it works well. Integration with Alexa is good. I can unlock my front door with alexa if a say a PIN. I can lock the door. Although locking remotely for a multi point lock is pointless as you have to push the handle up. However with the smartthings zigbee adapter installed and integrating with smartthings and webcore you can do some cool stuff.
I now have alexa tell me if rain is expected when the door uocks for the first time in the day. Warns me of ice etc. I can check the lock status remotely.
Install wasn’t that hard. Youve gotta read the instructions before your start and give yourself from half an hour to and hour. There are different fixing kits for different width doors. I found that the longer screw worked better form my door. Mine was 70mm.
All in all works well. Had it for about 6 weeks now. Battery level has not moved.
I was quite apprehensive about buying one of these locks due to all the negative comments about the installation process. After watching the Yale installation video, I thought, “How hard can it be? It looks fairly straightforward.” and it was. Very. If you follow the video exactly, it works perfectly. To be honest, I didn’t even look at the instructions that were included in the box!?
The only modification that I did after I installed the lock, was to add 2 more screws at the top and bottom of the lock (just normal screws screwed into the uPVC door). This is because my original lock only had 2 screws holding the handle on and when I installed the smart lock, when tightening the screws, the top and bottom bowed out slightly. Easily fixed with 2 normal screws.
Highly recommend this lock.
I was quite apprehensive about buying one of these locks due to all the negative comments about the installation process. After watching the Yale installation video, I thought, “How hard can it be? It looks fairly straightforward.” and it was. Very. If you follow the video exactly, it works perfectly. To be honest, I didn’t even look at the instructions that were included in the box!?
The only modification that I did after I installed the lock, was to add 2 more screws at the top and bottom of the lock (just normal screws screwed into the uPVC door). This is because my original lock only had 2 screws holding the handle on and when I installed the smart lock, when tightening the screws, the top and bottom bowed out slightly. Easily fixed with 2 normal screws.
Highly recommend this lock.
Three things to be aware of –
1) You need to make sure you align the actuator in the keyhole so that it spins freely AND align the tailbar so that it is vertical with the smaller of the two slots (on the outer edge) at the bottom. Not very clear and took me several tried before I realised what it was trying to get me to do.
2) The alignment tool did not seem to align the lock properly so in the end I centrally aligned the keyhole to the lock body by eye and that seemed to work better.
3) You can add as many key devices as you want without using the App. Once the device is working off the initial key simple press R, scan whatever keys you want (you’ll get a beep for each) and then press R again.
Good luck with installation – a bit of a fiddle but got there in the end. I know many give up straight away but it is just the case of checking you have everything correct. If it gives an error then go back and double check everything again.
Three things to be aware of –
1) You need to make sure you align the actuator in the keyhole so that it spins freely AND align the tailbar so that it is vertical with the smaller of the two slots (on the outer edge) at the bottom. Not very clear and took me several tried before I realised what it was trying to get me to do.
2) The alignment tool did not seem to align the lock properly so in the end I centrally aligned the keyhole to the lock body by eye and that seemed to work better.
3) You can add as many key devices as you want without using the App. Once the device is working off the initial key simple press R, scan whatever keys you want (you’ll get a beep for each) and then press R again.
Good luck with installation – a bit of a fiddle but got there in the end. I know many give up straight away but it is just the case of checking you have everything correct. If it gives an error then go back and double check everything again.
A sleek and modern quality lock. Very easy to install but take you time and read the manual first before starting. Then when installing follow each step precisely in order and you won’t have any problems. Ensure the actuator is set straight and lined up correctly. With this check done, you shouldn’t have any other issues. When registering the unlocking accessories, ensure you do them all in one go. Press button, register each one in turn, then press button and they will all work perfectly. It took me about an hour to install, I was working slowly and carefully. Also installed the z wave module, which again, is easy to do..but follow the manual word for word.
Had this now 6 months, so review time.
Installation – I had a new door installed, and they installed this. Looked fairly straight forward if you know what you are doing, but personally I would not do it on my own.
Tags/Smart Things – Installed a SmartThings module, and this works great on the phone. Tags I have had no issues with – but the card it came with is now forgotten and needs to be reset. But over-all they work as expected. Locking is easy, although does ‘fail to lock’ about 5% of the time – but you hear it trying to lock, so obvious when it doesn’t. Just lift handle again
Batteries – probably last about 3 months, and you do get a sound warning when they start to go down. My major complaint is the app – always seems to say a full battery, even when about to run out. The app really is awful. Fortunately the SmartThing app tells you battery %
Over-all happy with the purchase. Would not rely on it 100%, so all keys have a back-door key on as a back-up, but that was the case before hand.
It’s a very good product and very convenient to sent an electronic key to someone. You can also dial in the times and dates a key will work for so it’s great for cleaners, trades etc. I’d say that you need to pay to have the Yale professional cone and fit the lock for you, it’s not too expensive at around 100 because it’s definitely not a job a layperson could do easily.
The lock system does not allow you to cut more than a few virtual keys. Once you run out, you must buy more credits to issues more keys. It’s a bit bogus, but I can kind of see the rationale behind it.
It’s a very good product and very convenient to sent an electronic key to someone. You can also dial in the times and dates a key will work for so it’s great for cleaners, trades etc. I’d say that you need to pay to have the Yale professional cone and fit the lock for you, it’s not too expensive at around 100 because it’s definitely not a job a layperson could do easily.
The lock system does not allow you to cut more than a few virtual keys. Once you run out, you must buy more credits to issues more keys. It’s a bit bogus, but I can kind of see the rationale behind it.
An excellent doorlock works as described I even bought the remote control. The only downside I had with it was the fitting. I ended up getting a locksmith out to fit it. Not as easy as they make out. But the door handle itself is excellent and works fine I’ve had it about a month now and had no problems at all. Would recommend it, but beware the fitting not so simple.
An excellent doorlock works as described I even bought the remote control. The only downside I had with it was the fitting. I ended up getting a locksmith out to fit it. Not as easy as they make out. But the door handle itself is excellent and works fine I’ve had it about a month now and had no problems at all. Would recommend it, but beware the fitting not so simple.
Easy to install and very convenient, specially with the z-wave module installed. The Smartthings app open the lock in less than a second from anywhere.
Out of the box you can use the Yale App to unlock the door by bluetooth, but I certainly prefer the Smartthings responsiveness. However the bluetooth connection directly to the Yale App in your mobile is very important when power is off in the house or/and Wifi is off, you still will be able to open the door with the Yale App or a tag.
It came with a key tag and a key tag sticker.
You will need the module and a hub to make the lock work remotely.
Build quality: Really good build quality. It gives you confidence in the reliability of the product.
Installation: The installation was a bit fiddly. All the steps are well defined in their YouTube video, so I recommend that you follow those. It will take you between 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete the installation.
Unlocking using RFID: This feature works really well. You place the RFID card / fob on the sensor, and door unlocks.
Unlocking using phone: Not very useful. In order to do this, you need the follow these steps: 1. Open the Yale app on your phone; 2. Tap to unlock; 3. Tap the sensor on the lock in order to wake the bluetooth in the lock; 4. Move the phone close to the lock.
You’re much better off to buy an RFID phone tag, and stick in to the back of the phone underneath the phone cove. It’s invisible, and it’s quick.
If Yale would have an AppleWatch-compatible app, I would give this product five stars, as it would take the phone out of the equation, and I would be more than happy to tap the lock in order to wake the Bluetooth.
I’ve only installed the lock on April 24th, 2020. This means that I didn’t need to change the batteries yet. I’ll provide an update in case I’ll be locked out of the house.
Build quality: Really good build quality. It gives you confidence in the reliability of the product.
Installation: The installation was a bit fiddly. All the steps are well defined in their YouTube video, so I recommend that you follow those. It will take you between 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete the installation.
Unlocking using RFID: This feature works really well. You place the RFID card / fob on the sensor, and door unlocks.
Unlocking using phone: Not very useful. In order to do this, you need the follow these steps: 1. Open the Yale app on your phone; 2. Tap to unlock; 3. Tap the sensor on the lock in order to wake the bluetooth in the lock; 4. Move the phone close to the lock.
You’re much better off to buy an RFID phone tag, and stick in to the back of the phone underneath the phone cove. It’s invisible, and it’s quick.
If Yale would have an AppleWatch-compatible app, I would give this product five stars, as it would take the phone out of the equation, and I would be more than happy to tap the lock in order to wake the Bluetooth.
I’ve only installed the lock on April 24th, 2020. This means that I didn’t need to change the batteries yet. I’ll provide an update in case I’ll be locked out of the house.
The issues i had with syncing tags onto the app have now been fixed. I am not sure still if it was the app or the lock itself but now all my tags register as they should using the app. I just uninstalled the app and restored the lock to its factory settings.
So far the lock is working faultlessly with tags and card. Just lifting up the handle to lock the door is so much better than trying to fiddle with a key when your hands are full.
The shear weight of the handles indicates how well made this device is. The install on the 2nd attempt took less than 15mins and was so easy to set up initially without any new holes being made or adjustments to the door itself.
I have however kept a 9v battery hidden nearby outside for emergencies, should the device decide not to open for any reason.
I will give another review midway through the year.
The issues i had with syncing tags onto the app have now been fixed. I am not sure still if it was the app or the lock itself but now all my tags register as they should using the app. I just uninstalled the app and restored the lock to its factory settings.
So far the lock is working faultlessly with tags and card. Just lifting up the handle to lock the door is so much better than trying to fiddle with a key when your hands are full.
The shear weight of the handles indicates how well made this device is. The install on the 2nd attempt took less than 15mins and was so easy to set up initially without any new holes being made or adjustments to the door itself.
I have however kept a 9v battery hidden nearby outside for emergencies, should the device decide not to open for any reason.
I will give another review midway through the year.
Good lock, fitting isn’t too bad if you follow the YouTube tutorial. I had issues with the actuator, it would lock but not unlock took the lock off the door about 8 times making sure it was in the correct position. In the end I found it worked when.i let the actuator lock. Took the handle off the door, reset the position of the arrows and put the handle back together. After that it worked perfectly and has done since. If it had worked the first attempt it would have got full stars
A little bit daunting to fit but following the instructions was pretty straight forward . I spent the first few days with it waving the fob around in front ofnrhe lock before realising you need to touch the Yale circle on your fob directly on the Yale circle on the lock with the Yale circle facing you , then it works first time every time . The app and phone unlock via Bluetooth is really only a backup way to get in as you need to open the app and then touch the lock then unlock the door with the phone and in practice it’s just too long . If you add the smartthings module you can use that to open the lock from your car or while walking upto the lock which is much better but at the price point it really should of had this feature built in or at least the module should be heavily subsidised but it’s not it’s another high price at anywhere upto 50 . The feature to power the lock with a battery from outside just incase the batteries run out is good but it does say it will give you plenty of warning when they are getting low (we shall see) I would also prefer that to open the door from the inside was a button that activated the motor rather than a knob that you push and turn . It’s too much for my hands (whole reason for getting it in the first place ) and I have to grab my phone and unlock it with the smartthings app. I would like to see a updated lock in the future that address all these points
A little bit daunting to fit but following the instructions was pretty straight forward . I spent the first few days with it waving the fob around in front ofnrhe lock before realising you need to touch the Yale circle on your fob directly on the Yale circle on the lock with the Yale circle facing you , then it works first time every time . The app and phone unlock via Bluetooth is really only a backup way to get in as you need to open the app and then touch the lock then unlock the door with the phone and in practice it’s just too long . If you add the smartthings module you can use that to open the lock from your car or while walking upto the lock which is much better but at the price point it really should of had this feature built in or at least the module should be heavily subsidised but it’s not it’s another high price at anywhere upto 50 . The feature to power the lock with a battery from outside just incase the batteries run out is good but it does say it will give you plenty of warning when they are getting low (we shall see) I would also prefer that to open the door from the inside was a button that activated the motor rather than a knob that you push and turn . It’s too much for my hands (whole reason for getting it in the first place ) and I have to grab my phone and unlock it with the smartthings app. I would like to see a updated lock in the future that address all these points
This is a good product and now works very well. We had a very old front door and lock and it was a
very difficult job fitting this lock, so bear that in mind. I am sure any reasonably modern lock can be replaced fairly easily. It took a while to figure out the setting up and distributing of phone keys but all works well now. I still have difficulty sending 24 hour keys to tradesmen, it worked with the family bit I haven’t had any success since then. The family now all have cards which they prefer to the phone key. The only negative I have now with this lock is the turning knob inside, its chrome and doesn’t have enough grip, you have to turn this to open from the inside, it needs to be rubber or something similar. Overall though a good product.
Excellent lock! Have to careful when fitting, make sure you fit the part that replaces your old actual lock in a way that it can turn easily! This is adjustable, bit if not perfect it either won’t lock or will flatten batteries quicker than normal!
Find and cards are cheap and easy to pair up using the Yale app. (1 card and 1 fob included!)
I will buy the Wi-fi connector next (Z-wave module 2) next so it be locked/unlocked remotely..
Kids sometimes struggle to unlock door from inside the house (push and twist)
Excellent lock! Have to careful when fitting, make sure you fit the part that replaces your old actual lock in a way that it can turn easily! This is adjustable, bit if not perfect it either won’t lock or will flatten batteries quicker than normal!
Find and cards are cheap and easy to pair up using the Yale app. (1 card and 1 fob included!)
I will buy the Wi-fi connector next (Z-wave module 2) next so it be locked/unlocked remotely..
Kids sometimes struggle to unlock door from inside the house (push and twist)
Once you get it to work, it’s all good! Don’t get me wrong there are a few issues, such as we had a dud which wouldn’t connect to the tags after all the install, the app is not the greatest and did not work with the latest version of iOS, but and it is a big but once it is working it is great! Installation was easy for us as we had the old version of this lock so just needed a plate to cover up all the holes as it is a different size. But once you work out the mechanics it is a sinch to install. Overall great lock but install with the app is troublesome and the support is questionable – one guy said: “don’t use the app” another said “use the app” – we are still not brave enough to use the app!
When we arrive at home, usually coming with kids , buggy and lots of bags, it’s really easy to use the key tag to just open the door.not necessary to find the right key. The installation guide is well written , not necessary to have a professional installer. If you properly follow the instructions, and doing steps as it recommended, it will not be any issue. I am planning to have to install the z Wave modul, so I can open the door without literally touching the fob or my phone to the locker.
When we arrive at home, usually coming with kids , buggy and lots of bags, it’s really easy to use the key tag to just open the door.not necessary to find the right key. The installation guide is well written , not necessary to have a professional installer. If you properly follow the instructions, and doing steps as it recommended, it will not be any issue. I am planning to have to install the z Wave modul, so I can open the door without literally touching the fob or my phone to the locker.
The lock itself took about 30 mins to install and was easy to fit into a composite door. Programing the fob at the door was simple and straightforward. The android ios app is very basic, a 5 year old could do better with its development. I can only assume that Yale has a contract with the app developer and this is what is stopping them getting something decent, it really is a huge embarrassment to a big brand such as Yale. The app aside (which you don’t have to use once the fobs are assigned) the lock is very good and the app shouldn’t put you off buying it.
I was really looking forward to this and the manual installation was simple enough, my issue was that whilst it was able to lock the door, it wasn’t able to unlock it. I took if off and later reset it and reinstalled again but it completely stopped responding and completely overheated the batteries to the point I had to leave them outside to cool down. I suspect it may have been a faulty unit. I may be inclined to try again if it goes down in price for Black Friday
*Edit* so I caved in again and bought the Conexis again and as suspected, the previous one was a faulty unit. The new one was fitted and set up within 45 mins and everything works smooth and first time. I bought the Z wave module to further sync it to my existing smart environment and it’s superb. I can unlock the door from my Apple Watch and throughly Samsung SmartThings app as well the tags. I always know whether my door is locked so that’s an added bonus. It’s been installed for just under a week so fingers crossed this will keep me happy
I was really looking forward to this and the manual installation was simple enough, my issue was that whilst it was able to lock the door, it wasn’t able to unlock it. I took if off and later reset it and reinstalled again but it completely stopped responding and completely overheated the batteries to the point I had to leave them outside to cool down. I suspect it may have been a faulty unit. I may be inclined to try again if it goes down in price for Black Friday
*Edit* so I caved in again and bought the Conexis again and as suspected, the previous one was a faulty unit. The new one was fitted and set up within 45 mins and everything works smooth and first time. I bought the Z wave module to further sync it to my existing smart environment and it’s superb. I can unlock the door from my Apple Watch and throughly Samsung SmartThings app as well the tags. I always know whether my door is locked so that’s an added bonus. It’s been installed for just under a week so fingers crossed this will keep me happy
The conversation went as follows (names and most pleasantries removed)
Yale: In regards to the Advanits & Coneixs. They are not compatible due to the Advantis locking mechanism being the opposite way around compared to the normal multi point lock. Hope this makes sense.
Me: Hi the locking mechanism still appears to the handle as the standard way round. The internals may be different but the handle is still the same way up. Has anyone actually tried it?
Me: (Pictures sent showing normal door handle is the same way up etc.)
Yale: It is the way the deadbolt is located, as it is above the latch.
Me: (Puzzled) How does that affect it?
Yale: it allows the Handle to lock, but due to mechanism inside the lock can not retract the deadbolt back.
At this point, I am convinced my correspondent does not understand what he is talking about. I took the plunge, and bought one anyway. I was convinced that as far as the door locking mechanism it did no less and no more than any other door handle, and vice versa, The Yale Conexis door handle performed the same tasks in the locking mechanism as any other door handle.
Cut a long story short, I bought it, I installed it, thank heavens for the video, just make sure you tighten the actuator screw before any testing. It worked. It behaved exactly as I expected it to, as it is intended to.
THE YALE CONEXIS L1 IS COMPATIBLE WITH AVANTIS MULTI-POINT LOCKS!
I have only had id a day so far, but I am knocking off a star because of:
(a) The App on my partners phone says she must confirm with the email sent to her, as yet, no email. Hardly the fault of an Avantis Multi-point lock.
(b) [email protected] does not respond.
(c) I have raised the issue with the same person via Facebook, so far, without acknowledging the fact that I successfully installed installed the handle on an “incompatible” lock, so far his response re the non existent email has been: “We’ve noted your issue and a member of our customer support team will get back to you soon ”
We shall see.
If I have other problems, I will update this later.
Well, I was wondering if I should invest when according to the compatibility guide, my Avantis multi-point, with the dead bolt above the latch, is not compatible with it. I even removed it to see about replacing it, however, looking at it, the question I had was why is it incompatible. So I asked Yale, via Facebook, [email protected] have never responded.
The conversation went as follows (names and most pleasantries removed)
Yale: In regards to the Advanits & Coneixs. They are not compatible due to the Advantis locking mechanism being the opposite way around compared to the normal multi point lock. Hope this makes sense.
Me: Hi the locking mechanism still appears to the handle as the standard way round. The internals may be different but the handle is still the same way up. Has anyone actually tried it?
Me: (Pictures sent showing normal door handle is the same way up etc.)
Yale: It is the way the deadbolt is located, as it is above the latch.
Me: (Puzzled) How does that affect it?
Yale: it allows the Handle to lock, but due to mechanism inside the lock can not retract the deadbolt back.
At this point, I am convinced my correspondent does not understand what he is talking about. I took the plunge, and bought one anyway. I was convinced that as far as the door locking mechanism it did no less and no more than any other door handle, and vice versa, The Yale Conexis door handle performed the same tasks in the locking mechanism as any other door handle.
Cut a long story short, I bought it, I installed it, thank heavens for the video, just make sure you tighten the actuator screw before any testing. It worked. It behaved exactly as I expected it to, as it is intended to.
THE YALE CONEXIS L1 IS COMPATIBLE WITH AVANTIS MULTI-POINT LOCKS!
I have only had id a day so far, but I am knocking off a star because of:
(a) The App on my partners phone says she must confirm with the email sent to her, as yet, no email. Hardly the fault of an Avantis Multi-point lock.
(b) [email protected] does not respond.
(c) I have raised the issue with the same person via Facebook, so far, without acknowledging the fact that I successfully installed installed the handle on an “incompatible” lock, so far his response re the non existent email has been: “We’ve noted your issue and a member of our customer support team will get back to you soon ”
We shall see.
If I have other problems, I will update this later.
Instal, what a pig this was, just about everything with my front door required modification, no holes lined up, had to re drill the door, install a new locking mechanism, the wire which passes from one side to the other passes through the same hole as a screw which tends to get a bit of a hard time during fitting. Setting up the unit via instructions is hit and miss, it can be straight forward but if it’s not aligned exactly as Yale state then you will have to dismantle completely and start again the install fitting. Instructions to re perform installations are very hit and miss and the instructions did never suggest having to delete the app and re install it after the mechanical bits had been refitted. Without doing this it was impossible to reset the device to get it to sync and work. Spent hours. Was it worth it?
Well now it’s been in place for around 3months and it’s been very reliable.
I have two small niggles with its operation tho. One is that if the door user does not pull up the handle fully to its stop to lock the door on the way out the door lock will lock then unlock the door as the door user leaves the premises, not helpful when you want to know your house is locked while your out.
A further point is that Yale state that the door can be locked and unlocked remotely, this is not true, the device can only carry out the task of turning what would have been the key, it cannot unlock or lock the door the door user us the only person that can do this manually.
I’d love to see a door lock that can actually lift up the handle then unlock the door and vice versa.
Connection to smart app is a bit rubbish and pointless, unless it can do the whole task of opening and closing the door in my opinion.
For those guys reading this that think I might be a bit inept, I’m a builder of 20yrs and have fitted many front doors, lock, stock and barrel.
Instal, what a pig this was, just about everything with my front door required modification, no holes lined up, had to re drill the door, install a new locking mechanism, the wire which passes from one side to the other passes through the same hole as a screw which tends to get a bit of a hard time during fitting. Setting up the unit via instructions is hit and miss, it can be straight forward but if it’s not aligned exactly as Yale state then you will have to dismantle completely and start again the install fitting. Instructions to re perform installations are very hit and miss and the instructions did never suggest having to delete the app and re install it after the mechanical bits had been refitted. Without doing this it was impossible to reset the device to get it to sync and work. Spent hours. Was it worth it?
Well now it’s been in place for around 3months and it’s been very reliable.
I have two small niggles with its operation tho. One is that if the door user does not pull up the handle fully to its stop to lock the door on the way out the door lock will lock then unlock the door as the door user leaves the premises, not helpful when you want to know your house is locked while your out.
A further point is that Yale state that the door can be locked and unlocked remotely, this is not true, the device can only carry out the task of turning what would have been the key, it cannot unlock or lock the door the door user us the only person that can do this manually.
I’d love to see a door lock that can actually lift up the handle then unlock the door and vice versa.
Connection to smart app is a bit rubbish and pointless, unless it can do the whole task of opening and closing the door in my opinion.
For those guys reading this that think I might be a bit inept, I’m a builder of 20yrs and have fitted many front doors, lock, stock and barrel.
Good lock and easy to install once we changed the locking mechanism in the door. Be very careful to measure the the exact distance. I had a split lock and it would not support this so I had to buy a new mechanism. Absolutely my fault but just a warning to others to double check. My only negative is that this lock has been advertising that it will support HomeKit for about the last 2 years and as yet nothing has come of it. I kind of wish I had Brought another lock now as I can not see them ever bringing HomeKit support to this lock.
Good lock and easy to install once we changed the locking mechanism in the door. Be very careful to measure the the exact distance. I had a split lock and it would not support this so I had to buy a new mechanism. Absolutely my fault but just a warning to others to double check. My only negative is that this lock has been advertising that it will support HomeKit for about the last 2 years and as yet nothing has come of it. I kind of wish I had Brought another lock now as I can not see them ever bringing HomeKit support to this lock.
Installed it myself and the guide is easy to follow and not too difficult. Just take your time and it will work fine. Had to fiddle with it a few times to get the alignment right.
Set it up with a card, phone and tag. All work fine and are easy to set up. I use the tag on my keys to open the door 90% of the time but now I don’t need to take keys on a night out.
Speaker on inside only (except alarm) so when you lock it from the outside it’s hard to hear the confirmation tone. You would check the handle either way, but you want to hear the tone first so you know it is locked. The locking takes about 3-5 seconds from lifting handle to lock, but you don’t need to hold the handle up and on completion a tone sounds to confirm it is locked.
I do not have the z wave adaptor because nothing else works on z wave. Could they not launch an adaptor that would work with Alexa plus without a expensive bridge? Seems like they have opted for beta over VHS (the wrong format).
Overall happy with the lock but to get the most out of it you need to invest in a z wave module and bridge so you can unlock remotely, check it is locked and so on.
Cant tell you how secure it is as no one has tried to break in but I am confident that one look at a lock with no key and the average burglar would just move on with their bump key to next door.
Installed it myself and the guide is easy to follow and not too difficult. Just take your time and it will work fine. Had to fiddle with it a few times to get the alignment right.
Set it up with a card, phone and tag. All work fine and are easy to set up. I use the tag on my keys to open the door 90% of the time but now I don’t need to take keys on a night out.
Speaker on inside only (except alarm) so when you lock it from the outside it’s hard to hear the confirmation tone. You would check the handle either way, but you want to hear the tone first so you know it is locked. The locking takes about 3-5 seconds from lifting handle to lock, but you don’t need to hold the handle up and on completion a tone sounds to confirm it is locked.
I do not have the z wave adaptor because nothing else works on z wave. Could they not launch an adaptor that would work with Alexa plus without a expensive bridge? Seems like they have opted for beta over VHS (the wrong format).
Overall happy with the lock but to get the most out of it you need to invest in a z wave module and bridge so you can unlock remotely, check it is locked and so on.
Cant tell you how secure it is as no one has tried to break in but I am confident that one look at a lock with no key and the average burglar would just move on with their bump key to next door.
Update. After 3 months everything still working great. Battery drain with the zwave module installed down to 48 % in 3 months which is on schedule for the expected battery life.
After weeks of deliberation of the reviews I have finally taken the plunge and purchased the Yale Conexis L1 lock. My long deliberation was due to the mixed reviews but I decided that the people who had no issues had probably fitted the lock correctly.
Installation for a basic DIY person like me was quite easy. I took my time and followed the instructions on the booklet but also followed some great YouTube videos which are available.
Pairing the Phone, tags and cards was nice and simple.
The lock is working great after 3 weeks and I haven’t come across any problems.
I have had no battery draining issues.
The Yale app for the phone is pretty basic but works ok for basic things like unlocking and sending someone a virtual key if they are locked out. The other person must have the Yale app on their device.
After 2 weeks I purchased the z-wave module to pair with my Samsung Smartthings Hub.
Very easy to set up and now I can open the door from anywhere.
I thought I’d never use it but on the second day after installation my builder friend had left some tools in my house that were urgent for him to finish a job that day. He phoned me whilst I was at work and I was able to let him in to collect his tools (he was well impressed)
I just made sure he lifted the handle when he left as this will automatically lock the door.
I know some people have had battery issues with the fitted Z-Wave module and smartthings hub but I have had a 2% reduction in the battery in 1 week.
Pro’s
No more keys to worry about. Less likely to get locked out.
Added benefits when adding Z-wave module and Smartthings Hub.
Overall a cool lock if you like your gadgets.
Cons
Expensive if you are also buying the Z-wave Module and the Smartthings.
So this was a straight replacement for my for my old front door lock. Didn’t need to drill any holes and all fitted very nicely. Installation: you need to read the instructions carefully and not just dive straight in. Locked fitted and nicely secured in about 40 minutes (including my mistakes).
Setting up the lock is easy via the app, which I find simple and effective. Sharing keys is easy too.
All feels far more secure now, no lost keys (my kids were a devil for that) all easily manageable now, even have positive comments from visitors who all seem to be impressed.
I chose this Yale lock rather than some of the other brands out there because to me the Yale Brand is a quality brand and I thought it must be fairly good for Yale to put their name to it!
I also purchased the AMAZON install service which was also truly fantastic! Guy Turned up on time and installed the lock with ease and show me exactly how to use it and set it up! I was very very pleased with this service and would highly recommend to anyone wishing to purchase this product with a hassle-free install!
The product has been in situ now for a good few months and works absolutely flawlessly! Not had a single problem at all. I purchased additional keys from Amazon and set up with ease!
Everyone who comes to my house gets the full sales pitch on this lock as I can’t speak more highly of it. It’s perfect if you are like me and have kids that lose keys and therefore you want a lock where you can stop the revoke the key without having to replace the lock. it’s also handy if you have a cleaner and are worried about them having a key or you could give them permission to enter from the app.
Personally, I am not a fan of the app as it takes a while to get to the lock part and open the door, therefore, a bit gimmicky but the door handle as a normal door handle with tap entry tags is perfect. I also like the fact that you just pull up the handle to lock the door as we always forgot to put the key in to lock once inside but now it’s simple when entering or leaving the house you can just pull up the lock to lock the door safely.
A truly fantastic product with no issues at all!
Get one!!
I had read all the reviews for this product and it seemed to me that they were either really negative or really positive. I have had the lock now for a week and love it. It was pretty simple to install after watching the Yale youtube videos a few times. I had a small problem where I would pair the fobs with the lock itself pressing the pair button but after 10 mins or so the fobs would not open the door. I then tried pairing the fobs using the app and that was the better option. The app tells you when to apply the fob to the lock to send its signal ( Bluetooth) and then it tells if it has been successful. The app also tell you the locks battery life and I plan to change the batteries every 4 months just to be safe. I paired 8 keys this way and they all work perfect so far. My house is an Airbnb so I have guests coming and going all the time. I purchased this lock because the guests would often have trouble using my old lock and key. I have made sure though that I have another way to get into the house should the lock ever fail. I have back door keys locked in a fob security box at the front door. My cousin has had this lock for 3 years and reports no problems at all. It was on this info I decided to take the plunge. Highly recommended.
It is easy to fit. However, I had an issue removing the original euro cylinder. The manufacturer of my door decided to use Loctite and low quality screws. This was on the main screw on the edge of the door which holds the euro cylinder. The result was the screw became threaded. I got it out using a screw remover tool and my Dewalt 18v drill.
Once the old handle and lock were removed, the install of the new lock was straightforward. Take time at this point to make sure everything is correctly aligned. There is a bit of ‘play’ before you torque the screws, so at this point make sure the lock is turning and not getting snagged. This happened to me but I realised if I loosened the screws and then tried it while loose, it would turn, from there I just tightened the screws and it worked fine.
When programming your fobs and cards, make sure you complete this all in one go. I have heard it is not possible to add more later without removing them all and adding them all back with the new devices. I programmed mine all in one go and have never had a problem.
The lock has performed admirably for more than a year now. Recently after the install, we would occasionally get the lock spinning sound when it was trying to engage the lock. This was our fault for not quite engaging the locking mechanism on our door. This is easily rectified by pushing the door handle up with a little bit more force.
The Yale app is not that good. However, it did get a large update around the middle of 2018 and was a large improvement. It removed the ridiculous ‘turn the phone’ to unlock the door feature. Now you just press the unlock button (Genius!).
I bought the lock to integrate with Samsung Smartthings. Why would I want to do this? When integrated with ST you have total control of the lock. I had to buy the Smartthing Module 2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yale-Smart-Door-Z-Wave-Module/dp/B07965NDRN/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=yale+smartthings+module&qid=1554798195&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull
It is about 42 but well worth the investment for the benefit which become available. I have set the lock up so that it will automatically unlock the door when one of the ST presence sensor is detected.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-SmartThings-F-ARR-UK-2-Presence-Sensor/dp/B01LZK6ANK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=smartthings+presence+sensor&qid=1554798319&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
This works very well. When arriving home, the door is unlocked automatically and I do not have to mess around with keys. This is particularly useful when carrying objects like shopping bags and not having to put them on the wet floor to find my keys in my pocket.
I have also integrated the lock with Phillips Hue lights. I have set some of them to a red colour when the door is unlocked. This has warned us a few times that the door is unlocked. I can unlock the door remotely to let in family and friends if we are not home.
There are so many negative reviews about this product — I have my own thoughts as to why. Firstly, I believe that if the mechanism is not aligned correctly, it is going to cause problems later down the road. From batteries not lasting long and to the unit prematurely failing; this more than likely down to increased friction. Secondly, several users of the Z Wave module have also been highly critical. One aspect about Z Wave devices which needs to be appreciated is Z Wave does not use the existing Wi-Fi signal, it uses its own network and a different frequency. Therefore, in order for the device to work optimally, the lock has to have access to a strong Z Wave signal. Most Z Wave devices which are mains powered repeat the signal and improve the strength and range of the network. If the signal is weak, it will have a negative impact on the battery life.
I use rechargeable batteries for the lock. The instructions tell you not to, however, I have found not ill effect for not following their instructions.
Overall, the lock has work out great for us over for over a year. It is more convenient, feels high quality and looks good too. I ignored the numerous bad reviews and thought it was down to a bad installs, which created the bad experiences. I am glad I ignored the negative reviews.
It is easy to fit. However, I had an issue removing the original euro cylinder. The manufacturer of my door decided to use Loctite and low quality screws. This was on the main screw on the edge of the door which holds the euro cylinder. The result was the screw became threaded. I got it out using a screw remover tool and my Dewalt 18v drill.
Once the old handle and lock were removed, the install of the new lock was straightforward. Take time at this point to make sure everything is correctly aligned. There is a bit of ‘play’ before you torque the screws, so at this point make sure the lock is turning and not getting snagged. This happened to me but I realised if I loosened the screws and then tried it while loose, it would turn, from there I just tightened the screws and it worked fine.
When programming your fobs and cards, make sure you complete this all in one go. I have heard it is not possible to add more later without removing them all and adding them all back with the new devices. I programmed mine all in one go and have never had a problem.
The lock has performed admirably for more than a year now. Recently after the install, we would occasionally get the lock spinning sound when it was trying to engage the lock. This was our fault for not quite engaging the locking mechanism on our door. This is easily rectified by pushing the door handle up with a little bit more force.
The Yale app is not that good. However, it did get a large update around the middle of 2018 and was a large improvement. It removed the ridiculous ‘turn the phone’ to unlock the door feature. Now you just press the unlock button (Genius!).
I bought the lock to integrate with Samsung Smartthings. Why would I want to do this? When integrated with ST you have total control of the lock. I had to buy the Smartthing Module 2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yale-Smart-Door-Z-Wave-Module/dp/B07965NDRN/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=yale+smartthings+module&qid=1554798195&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull
It is about 42 but well worth the investment for the benefit which become available. I have set the lock up so that it will automatically unlock the door when one of the ST presence sensor is detected.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-SmartThings-F-ARR-UK-2-Presence-Sensor/dp/B01LZK6ANK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=smartthings+presence+sensor&qid=1554798319&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
This works very well. When arriving home, the door is unlocked automatically and I do not have to mess around with keys. This is particularly useful when carrying objects like shopping bags and not having to put them on the wet floor to find my keys in my pocket.
I have also integrated the lock with Phillips Hue lights. I have set some of them to a red colour when the door is unlocked. This has warned us a few times that the door is unlocked. I can unlock the door remotely to let in family and friends if we are not home.
There are so many negative reviews about this product — I have my own thoughts as to why. Firstly, I believe that if the mechanism is not aligned correctly, it is going to cause problems later down the road. From batteries not lasting long and to the unit prematurely failing; this more than likely down to increased friction. Secondly, several users of the Z Wave module have also been highly critical. One aspect about Z Wave devices which needs to be appreciated is Z Wave does not use the existing Wi-Fi signal, it uses its own network and a different frequency. Therefore, in order for the device to work optimally, the lock has to have access to a strong Z Wave signal. Most Z Wave devices which are mains powered repeat the signal and improve the strength and range of the network. If the signal is weak, it will have a negative impact on the battery life.
I use rechargeable batteries for the lock. The instructions tell you not to, however, I have found not ill effect for not following their instructions.
Overall, the lock has work out great for us over for over a year. It is more convenient, feels high quality and looks good too. I ignored the numerous bad reviews and thought it was down to a bad installs, which created the bad experiences. I am glad I ignored the negative reviews.
I am a bit of a tech freak so this was just another bit of tech for my home. Easy to install if you ignore the instructions and follow the video by Yale on YouTube. The smart lock allows you to open it with your smartphone, the supplied card or the two fobs supplied with the lock. You can also send a digital key to someone that you need to give access to your property. You can limit digital keys to only access at certain times. All in all very pleased with my purchase.
I am a bit of a tech freak so this was just another bit of tech for my home. Easy to install if you ignore the instructions and follow the video by Yale on YouTube. The smart lock allows you to open it with your smartphone, the supplied card or the two fobs supplied with the lock. You can also send a digital key to someone that you need to give access to your property. You can limit digital keys to only access at certain times. All in all very pleased with my purchase.
Installation was very easy and although the lock does look quite big, its not overwhelming.
The lock has solved all the issues with the door being left insecure and the whole family has got into the habit of locking it after leaving/entering the house.
Wife also used to lose her keys on a regular basis, so having a credit card sized card to keep with her mobile (which she loses less regularly) has proven to be useful. Although we have both downloaded the app to unlock the door from our phones using bluetooth (or however it works), we have found this to be a bit temperamental. So I use the fob to access the lock which I keep with my car keys and it is still going strong after being in my pocket with the keys for the last three months with no signs of wear.
Another bonus is the kids can open the door from the inside in the event of an emergency without having to hunt for the keys as it is essentially a thumb lock on the inside. If the kids were younger I would have concerns about them allowing themselves out the house unsupervised – something to consider for younger households.
I haven’t connected mine to the yale alarm system as this seems to be putting all my eggs into one basket. Happy for it to be standalone. After I couldn’t switch off my house alarm when the internet went down, I have fallen out of love with the Yale smart alarm system at the moment.
After three months of use the 9v battery is now running low and needs replacing. Hoping this is because it was in storage a while and had lots of use from family getting use to it. If I have to replace the battery every three months, this will be a big negative.
All in all, very pleased with it and appears to be wearing well and to be a good, secure system and user friendly.
Would recommend.
So far it’s brilliant… Took only 20 minutes from start to finish to install… Used only a screw driver… Worked perfectly first time and every time since. It seemed an awful lot of money (even in the sale at 190 plus the zWave module, but I have to say that even at full price it is value for money) It is an engineering thing of beauty and construction and design is as solid as a rock. The instructions are excellent (but read them at least a couple times before starting and follow them EXACTLY).
THE app is faultless on Android at least… Haven’t tried on iPhone, but friends and family says iPhone App is OK having sent a shared key by email. Amazon Echo will not allow the unlocking by voice but will lock OK (lift the handle first).
If you unlock by card, phone or fob and fail to open the door it will lock after around a minute automatically like a car would. Also confirming solid operation by phone using 3g & 4g when away from home. The security seems excellent.
Update 1:
Received product at around 7:30pm on Tuesday 11th. Being extremely impatient I began the installation process straightaway.
The written enclosed instructions were awesome. Very clear. However I preferred the online video which was very easy to follow.
Taking off the old lock was a small easy task. I applied wd40 to all screws I was going to undo as the lock had been in place for over 25years!
I took this opportunity to check gearing inside the door was greased and made sure all points were working correctly. I applied wd40 anyway.
Taking out the old barrel was easy. A screw on face of door where the locks and hinges are, holds it in place.
You may need to put your key in the barrel and turn it while pulling it out.
IT WILL BE A GOOD IDEA AT THIS STAGE TO PLACE SOMETHING BETWEEN DOOR AND FRAME SO IT DOESNT CLOSE.
(I thought I’d be clever and pushed the lock up to engage the lock and hooks so it wouldn’t close, this was a mistake. As I’ll explain later)
Next step was to fit the new barrel. This was probably the hardest bit as I couldn’t line it up with the screw from the outside. A little fiddling and it was done.
It’s a god idea not to tighten the screws. Leave em loose. For now.
I ran in to a slight hiccup where the bottom lug of the outside handle wouldn’t go through the original hole of the door as it was higher up.
Out came the drill and bit and I drilled a new hole. Sorted!
Inside door, I fitted the bracket, screwed it in. Left the screws loose for now. Used the lineup gadget and tightened all the screws. Including one for the barrel.
Attached the cable and fitted inside handle. Inserted batteries.
Did the appropriate testing. But door wouldn’t lock. Gutted.
I did everything, Checked everything again. Still no joy. Was thinking of handing back.
Till I realised, maybe the barrel needs to come out and door locks and hooks need to be unengaged.
Voila!
Worked a treat!
Next step was to pair the fob. No problem. Few seconds. All done.
Finally installed app. And to be honest, I have no idea what the issue is. Worked straight away.
Lay out could be better, but it works fine. (Then again I’m only on day 3, lol)
Not happy that I have to buy sharing keys.
And just 1 fob and 1 key card is def not enough.
Then again at about 5 for a pair isn’t bad.
I’ll be buying the z wave module 2 and smart things hub to configure with homebridge and Siri.
I’ll update again.
Update 2:
I have now added the Z Wave Module 2 with the SmartThings hub both purchased from Amazon.
Works out of the box with very little config via the SmartThings apps.
I can now lock and unlock the door remotely.
I went one step further and used Homebridge to incorporate SmartThings with my iPhone Home App. Now Siri can unlock and lock my door.
Very happy with my purchase.
Update 1:
Received product at around 7:30pm on Tuesday 11th. Being extremely impatient I began the installation process straightaway.
The written enclosed instructions were awesome. Very clear. However I preferred the online video which was very easy to follow.
Taking off the old lock was a small easy task. I applied wd40 to all screws I was going to undo as the lock had been in place for over 25years!
I took this opportunity to check gearing inside the door was greased and made sure all points were working correctly. I applied wd40 anyway.
Taking out the old barrel was easy. A screw on face of door where the locks and hinges are, holds it in place.
You may need to put your key in the barrel and turn it while pulling it out.
IT WILL BE A GOOD IDEA AT THIS STAGE TO PLACE SOMETHING BETWEEN DOOR AND FRAME SO IT DOESNT CLOSE.
(I thought I’d be clever and pushed the lock up to engage the lock and hooks so it wouldn’t close, this was a mistake. As I’ll explain later)
Next step was to fit the new barrel. This was probably the hardest bit as I couldn’t line it up with the screw from the outside. A little fiddling and it was done.
It’s a god idea not to tighten the screws. Leave em loose. For now.
I ran in to a slight hiccup where the bottom lug of the outside handle wouldn’t go through the original hole of the door as it was higher up.
Out came the drill and bit and I drilled a new hole. Sorted!
Inside door, I fitted the bracket, screwed it in. Left the screws loose for now. Used the lineup gadget and tightened all the screws. Including one for the barrel.
Attached the cable and fitted inside handle. Inserted batteries.
Did the appropriate testing. But door wouldn’t lock. Gutted.
I did everything, Checked everything again. Still no joy. Was thinking of handing back.
Till I realised, maybe the barrel needs to come out and door locks and hooks need to be unengaged.
Voila!
Worked a treat!
Next step was to pair the fob. No problem. Few seconds. All done.
Finally installed app. And to be honest, I have no idea what the issue is. Worked straight away.
Lay out could be better, but it works fine. (Then again I’m only on day 3, lol)
Not happy that I have to buy sharing keys.
And just 1 fob and 1 key card is def not enough.
Then again at about 5 for a pair isn’t bad.
I’ll be buying the z wave module 2 and smart things hub to configure with homebridge and Siri.
I’ll update again.
Update 2:
I have now added the Z Wave Module 2 with the SmartThings hub both purchased from Amazon.
Works out of the box with very little config via the SmartThings apps.
I can now lock and unlock the door remotely.
I went one step further and used Homebridge to incorporate SmartThings with my iPhone Home App. Now Siri can unlock and lock my door.
Very happy with my purchase.
To start with, im very much used to home automation and I consider myself tech savvy.
In my use case, all I needed was a lock that I could control remotely, with the 50 extra addin module this works fine, I also wanted to be able to lock by just lifting the handle. It does this perfectly. You walk out the door, lift the handle and it locks straight away. Perfect for me!
Initial setup with the iPhone app was a bit of a pain, paired it with the included card which worked simple but then the app refused to work to do anything else with it. Eventually I had to delete the app and start again. Then it all worked fine.
The app is Bluetooth only, so don’t expect to control your lock without being stood right next to it. You won’t be able to remotely open your door without buying one of the 50 addon modules. I bought a Zwave one which works with my fibaro HC2.
You can apparently set that keys / tags work only at certain days and times, I assume this requires the Yale module because it’s not available in the app or via the Zwave system I’m using.
THIS WILL NOT LOCK WITHOUT THE HANDLE HAVING BEEN LIFTED MANUALLY.
C.A.Walker is the guru and gospel for installation.
Follow his advice …
I’ve had this fitted for just over a week. Initially I coupled some fobs, tags and those phone things. No problem.
I bought extra fobs and cards and installed these when the lock was set up. I had no problems whatsoever.
Matched my iphone to the lock and it works perfectly. Put one of those phone sticker things on my wife’s phone, works perfectly.
I keep on trying out the lock … opening/shutting, expecting something to go wrong. …
i’m swatting through everything on the internet to find out about the z wave module 2: Its all negative, just as much about the Yale conexsis was.
A week is obviously insufficient time to comment about the mechanical efficacy of this lock, but I can say that the negative ratings regarding the electronic setup were, in my case, grossly misleading: The fobs, cards and those phone things matched immediately; later on, my phone and additional ‘keys’ were easily added.
My only reservation about this lock is that it doesn’t require the upward manly thrust, to lock, that my original fitting had.
Month later, still working like a dream
C.A.Walker is the guru and gospel for installation.
Follow his advice …
I’ve had this fitted for just over a week. Initially I coupled some fobs, tags and those phone things. No problem.
I bought extra fobs and cards and installed these when the lock was set up. I had no problems whatsoever.
Matched my iphone to the lock and it works perfectly. Put one of those phone sticker things on my wife’s phone, works perfectly.
I keep on trying out the lock … opening/shutting, expecting something to go wrong. …
i’m swatting through everything on the internet to find out about the z wave module 2: Its all negative, just as much about the Yale conexsis was.
A week is obviously insufficient time to comment about the mechanical efficacy of this lock, but I can say that the negative ratings regarding the electronic setup were, in my case, grossly misleading: The fobs, cards and those phone things matched immediately; later on, my phone and additional ‘keys’ were easily added.
My only reservation about this lock is that it doesn’t require the upward manly thrust, to lock, that my original fitting had.
Month later, still working like a dream
Some of the reviews really put me off buying this but I’m so glad I didn’t listen, one month in and I’m turning into a Yale salesman, I can’t stop talking about how good this lock is. Didn’t bother with the instructions, just followed the video on YouTube and was so easy to install I think my 14 year old daughter could have installed it, feels really sturdy and high quality, only thing I’m not keen on is unless you pull the handle up every time you shut the door the door is open to anyone inside or out, on my previous lock the outside handle would not open the door without a key even if the handle was not pulled up to deadlock, from the outside you couldn’t open the door, but on the Yale you can, caught me out a few times when I’ve gone out and remembered I hadn’t pulled up the handle, the Samsung Hub App lets you check the status of the lock but you can’t lock the door as the handle needs to be pulled up so have had to turn around and come home to lock the door a few times, would be better if you could set it to require a tag or card to open the door from the outside whether the handle was pulled up or not. Setting it up with the z wave module, Samsung smart hub and Alexa was not easy, Yale do make it seem so easy but this took days of trying and research before I got it all working, there are no easy to follow instructions as all the hardware tells you to check the other manufacturer for instructions but got there in the end, now when I’m in bed and can’t remember if I locked the door I can check the status with the phone app or Alexa, I carry the key fob tag for the lock but have only really used my phone to unlock, with the stick on patch on the back of my phone it’s easy, and I never leave home without my phone, there is a module that lets you use a push button key fob to unlock but it’s this or the z wave and the z wave with the smart hub is definitely the better option, would be good if there was a combined module for both. Definitely recommend this lock and completely satisfies my gadget thurst.
Really really nice lock and when working works well,
Booked installation via amazon as saw videos but wanted a proper job been a door lock.
A Polish guy came to install and messed up lock and door
Had to get a second lock
Came back 3 times to fix door he messed up and installed lock but was not working right and looked like was not installed right.
Called YALE they sent one of their own installers and he had take everything off:
1: Original installed had the wrong part for my door which you have in box
2: door needed simple adjustment on hinges
Now works 100% and we love it. Thanks to Yale
My advice:
Make sure your 100% correct aligned and straight before attempting install
If you not 100% ONLY use the Yale guys not the Mickey Mouse Amazon guy.
Would get 5 stats if it came
With network adapter which you have to buy separate
Really really nice lock and when working works well,
Booked installation via amazon as saw videos but wanted a proper job been a door lock.
A Polish guy came to install and messed up lock and door
Had to get a second lock
Came back 3 times to fix door he messed up and installed lock but was not working right and looked like was not installed right.
Called YALE they sent one of their own installers and he had take everything off:
1: Original installed had the wrong part for my door which you have in box
2: door needed simple adjustment on hinges
Now works 100% and we love it. Thanks to Yale
My advice:
Make sure your 100% correct aligned and straight before attempting install
If you not 100% ONLY use the Yale guys not the Mickey Mouse Amazon guy.
Would get 5 stats if it came
With network adapter which you have to buy separate
This is a great, well made product. It is a heavy piece of kit! Some of the reviews might put people off but don’t be. My advice to anyone fitting one of these is: read the instructions a few times. Take the measurements a few times and refer back to the diagram when taking the measurements (I took one measurement wrong as I didn’t check the diagram of exactly the measurement I should have been taking!) Then, now you know sizes, sort out the appropriate packs of fitting bar/screws you need for your door size and put the rest aside. Fitting is straightforward but a couple of tips: Depending on how you existing lock is mounted (mine was mounted with a screw just below the handle and one at the bottom) if your existing lock is fitted like this, you may want to have a drill and self tapping screw to hand to add an upper screw to the inside of the new mounting plate for support. The other critical point I would make is, when you fit the outside handle and push the cable with plug through to the inside, the diagram/ instructions say to curl the excess cable in around behind the inside handle… don’t ….. as there is limited room and you will damage the cable easily when you put the inside handle on. My advice would be to gently feed the excess cable back in to the large door void as you push the inside handle in to place; easier and better for the cable! Registering tokens/cards is easy. I did half when installing the lock and the remainder using the App when the lock was fitted. Personally, I would do one immediately after fitting the lock (for safety in case you accidentally lock!) and the remainder from the App as you can name them and easy to know who has what in case you want to delete anyone later! Fitting time is probably 30 mins to take your time. I don’t use the App much but my youngest son has a ‘virtual’ key on his iPhone and he finds this great for opening the door (and means we don’t have door keys being lost around the place and worry about whether to change the locks!) The lock has been in place now for over a month and has had no issues. I love being able or unlock to lock the door without fumbling for keys ( Pulling the handle fully up locks the door from inside or out and the thumb wheel inside unlocks.) bonus is that it is easy to carry/hide a spare token in your wallet for the credit card tokens or the fobs are small and can be added to all keys. I haven’t tried the smaller stick on fobs that can be applied to phones etc.
Recently took the plunge on this with the special offer price and decided to give it a go myself to install. The first time went kind of smoothly until I got to programming the master key, for some reason this wouldn’t pair so I decided to reset it and start again which took a couple of minutes to do. Once the master key worked the 2nd time round (No idea what happened first time, user error im sure)I then paired the smart phone app which works a treat. I’m not sure what peoples issue is with the app but it works really well, I’ve even added 2 more additional tags via the app which allows you to name them as you do so. Solid build to the lock so I am very pleased so far..
When hubby first got this delivered I though ‘oh great, here’s another complication to add to my day’ i had visions of me getting locked out and locked in!!!
But nope……its very very easy to work, and I totally love it. My boys aged 11 can unlock it with my phone and help me more, and I automatically keep the door locked now as it is easier and I feel safer. Everyone should really have a conexis lock, I wouldn’t be without it now.
When hubby first got this delivered I though ‘oh great, here’s another complication to add to my day’ i had visions of me getting locked out and locked in!!!
But nope……its very very easy to work, and I totally love it. My boys aged 11 can unlock it with my phone and help me more, and I automatically keep the door locked now as it is easier and I feel safer. Everyone should really have a conexis lock, I wouldn’t be without it now.
I’ll have to but the Z-Wave adapter and actually combine it with my home automation but if you haven’t got home automation, it does a great job on it’s own and we’re more than happy with it.
Then came the Yale L1. I had been watching this lock for a while on the various sites but the mixed reviews always pointed me to buying from somewhere I can get warranty/support/returns and Amazon is great for this.
Once arrived, I was shocked how big it is. But how many times do you see a door handle in your hand and off the door -it turned out it’s actually only slightly bigger than the existing one I had – about the same as removing the battery module on this handle.
Fitting SHOULD have been easy but took almost 6 hours. This will not be the same for everyone buying as in my case, my existing lock screw was rounded off and so we spent ages trying to hack it off, going off to buy screw removers and so on as by then, we could not put the old handle back on.
Once this was removed, everything went on fine but the door just would not lock.
The lock engaged however not fully.
After numerous attempts at refitting, we pulled the locking mechanism put by one notch despite measuring up to what the manual stated it should be based on our door size and voila, everything started to work perfectly.
So the advice would be – Go slow with the existing lock screw to start with. The problem is these screws bond with uPVC doors and is a known issue so after years of not budging, it aint gonna budge!
And on fitting the L1, check check and double check sizing and alignment.
There is also an issue with certain Z-wave modules for this lock where the battery drains very quickly – Yale support has been excellent regarding this and where I was getting 9 days battery life, I’m on day 12 now so I think it is resolved.
I’m still not entirely happy with the way the App works for this lock but maybe thats just my understanding – as I use the home automation app more, the Yale app itself rarely gets used and is not of any importance at this stage.
Also with pairing up to HA, remember the lock has to be included in secure mode and be practically touching the HA hub/controller otherwise it will not pair properly.
Looking at the lower end reviews:
For those where you have to lift to the top – remember this lock unlocks the “key” part you would have. But you still have to raise the handle to engage the manual locks built into the door. This is by design and has no other way around it.
To be honest, this is good in terms of safety too or should you get locked out.
If your lock does not engage fully, check the handle is fully up. Again, this is no different to the manual way of locking …you would not be able to turn the thumb screw fully to lock the door until the handle was engaged up fully.
Then came the Yale L1. I had been watching this lock for a while on the various sites but the mixed reviews always pointed me to buying from somewhere I can get warranty/support/returns and Amazon is great for this.
Once arrived, I was shocked how big it is. But how many times do you see a door handle in your hand and off the door -it turned out it’s actually only slightly bigger than the existing one I had – about the same as removing the battery module on this handle.
Fitting SHOULD have been easy but took almost 6 hours. This will not be the same for everyone buying as in my case, my existing lock screw was rounded off and so we spent ages trying to hack it off, going off to buy screw removers and so on as by then, we could not put the old handle back on.
Once this was removed, everything went on fine but the door just would not lock.
The lock engaged however not fully.
After numerous attempts at refitting, we pulled the locking mechanism put by one notch despite measuring up to what the manual stated it should be based on our door size and voila, everything started to work perfectly.
So the advice would be – Go slow with the existing lock screw to start with. The problem is these screws bond with uPVC doors and is a known issue so after years of not budging, it aint gonna budge!
And on fitting the L1, check check and double check sizing and alignment.
There is also an issue with certain Z-wave modules for this lock where the battery drains very quickly – Yale support has been excellent regarding this and where I was getting 9 days battery life, I’m on day 12 now so I think it is resolved.
I’m still not entirely happy with the way the App works for this lock but maybe thats just my understanding – as I use the home automation app more, the Yale app itself rarely gets used and is not of any importance at this stage.
Also with pairing up to HA, remember the lock has to be included in secure mode and be practically touching the HA hub/controller otherwise it will not pair properly.
Looking at the lower end reviews:
For those where you have to lift to the top – remember this lock unlocks the “key” part you would have. But you still have to raise the handle to engage the manual locks built into the door. This is by design and has no other way around it.
To be honest, this is good in terms of safety too or should you get locked out.
If your lock does not engage fully, check the handle is fully up. Again, this is no different to the manual way of locking …you would not be able to turn the thumb screw fully to lock the door until the handle was engaged up fully.
I paired them both, to find only one working at a time,So rang customer service, very helpful and quick to answer (about 30 secs waiting time ) The mistake was mine,
If you pair them separately it cancels the one previously paired, apparently got to pair at the same time together, so will have to try this..
I downloaded the Conexis app I had read and watched bad reviews about this, But got to say its working great for me, unlocks my door every time, today I sent a shared key today to one of my friends as a tester, found it very easy, he as to download the app and set up account with email on his phone
Through the app on my side I allow conexis to see all my contacts, and it immediately knew he had an account with his email showing, all you have to do his press one button that says shared a key. at this stage upto you if you send permanent key of but restrictions on time/day. he got it immediately as he was sat next to me, and it worked straight away.. Love it
The only bad thing is!! if you revoke a key, you lose it…… Not sure why they do this? suspect its about the
I paired them both, to find only one working at a time,So rang customer service, very helpful and quick to answer (about 30 secs waiting time ) The mistake was mine,
If you pair them separately it cancels the one previously paired, apparently got to pair at the same time together, so will have to try this..
I downloaded the Conexis app I had read and watched bad reviews about this, But got to say its working great for me, unlocks my door every time, today I sent a shared key today to one of my friends as a tester, found it very easy, he as to download the app and set up account with email on his phone
Through the app on my side I allow conexis to see all my contacts, and it immediately knew he had an account with his email showing, all you have to do his press one button that says shared a key. at this stage upto you if you send permanent key of but restrictions on time/day. he got it immediately as he was sat next to me, and it worked straight away.. Love it
The only bad thing is!! if you revoke a key, you lose it…… Not sure why they do this? suspect its about the
I paired them both, to find only one working at a time,So rang customer service, very helpful and quick to answer (about 30 secs waiting time ) The mistake was mine,
If you pair them separately it cancels the one previously paired, apparently got to pair at the same time together, so will have to try this..
I downloaded the Conexis app I had read and watched bad reviews about this, But got to say its working great for me, unlocks my door every time, today I sent a shared key today to one of my friends as a tester, found it very easy, he as to download the app and set up account with email on his phone
Through the app on my side I allow conexis to see all my contacts, and it immediately knew he had an account with his email showing, all you have to do his press one button that says shared a key. at this stage upto you if you send permanent key of but restrictions on time/day. he got it immediately as he was sat next to me, and it worked straight away.. Love it
The only bad thing is!! if you revoke a key, you lose it…… Not sure why they do this? suspect its about the
I paired them both, to find only one working at a time,So rang customer service, very helpful and quick to answer (about 30 secs waiting time ) The mistake was mine,
If you pair them separately it cancels the one previously paired, apparently got to pair at the same time together, so will have to try this..
I downloaded the Conexis app I had read and watched bad reviews about this, But got to say its working great for me, unlocks my door every time, today I sent a shared key today to one of my friends as a tester, found it very easy, he as to download the app and set up account with email on his phone
Through the app on my side I allow conexis to see all my contacts, and it immediately knew he had an account with his email showing, all you have to do his press one button that says shared a key. at this stage upto you if you send permanent key of but restrictions on time/day. he got it immediately as he was sat next to me, and it worked straight away.. Love it
The only bad thing is!! if you revoke a key, you lose it…… Not sure why they do this? suspect its about the
Its great being able to lock the door with no key from the inside just lift the handle and it locks like a dream with a note telling me it had completed the task, a simple thumb lock will unlock it from the inside so no danger if there is a fire and need to get out quickly.
Its been in now for a couple of months and is still working on original batteries, (Not bad seeing as there are 6 people using it) Everybody seems to like the new addition although it was one of those what have you bought now looks from everybody when I got it. Have to say its well made and has taken the stress of finding a key at night when all seem to have vanished into thin air. I have the app on my mobile phone so can get in using that if I’ve gone out without a fob. Fitted properly this is a gem and one of my favourite purchases.
Its great being able to lock the door with no key from the inside just lift the handle and it locks like a dream with a note telling me it had completed the task, a simple thumb lock will unlock it from the inside so no danger if there is a fire and need to get out quickly.
Its been in now for a couple of months and is still working on original batteries, (Not bad seeing as there are 6 people using it) Everybody seems to like the new addition although it was one of those what have you bought now looks from everybody when I got it. Have to say its well made and has taken the stress of finding a key at night when all seem to have vanished into thin air. I have the app on my mobile phone so can get in using that if I’ve gone out without a fob. Fitted properly this is a gem and one of my favourite purchases.
Yale Conexis L1 Pros
Remotely See the status of lock/unlock
Z-wave Compatible (With a Samsung Smartthings devices handler)
Keyless entry (Fob, Card, Mobile Device)
Advertised as easy to install without a professional
Can be unlocked internally manually.
Can have emergency charge through 9v Battery
In the event of losing a fob, it’s easier to lock it out than to replace the entire lock
Easily Available
Cons
I’m sure it can be hacked
It requires power to operate
It doesn’t have a fallback manual lock (Fobs, Cards, Bluetooth and Z-wave only)
Requires the handle to be pulled up to lock after opened (Same as if you already have to do this on a manual door)
Expensive
Will it fit my door?
Most Likely, The Kit has the largest array of movable parts and spares that I’ve seen in a very long time. But if you’re unsure and want to check ahead of time then Yale Provide a Compatability Guide found here
Remote Use
The Conexis L1 Smart lock doesn’t yet officially support the Z-Wave Module and It’s obvious why later but unofficially it works as well as any other Yale Z-Wave enabled device.
It’s also possible to use the more officially supported ‘Yale Module’, Allowing you to use the Yale Smart Living console and apps to remotely access and control the lock.
Out of the box (no additional module needed), the Lock supports Bluetooth to allow it to activate and pair with your phone to unlock.
Installation
Now I foolishly forgot to take photos during the install process, But then again it took less than 15 minutes to remove the old lock and to fit the new. I cannot stress enough how easy this lock was to install.
Yales own video shows the process perfectly and it really is as easy as they show.
Integrating into a Smart Home
Now I’m still a paranoid person when it comes to locks and while I did add the lock into my Z-Wave network I do not have any (at this time) automated rules in place that will lock or unlock the door.
The device adds happily into the Samsung Smartthings controller and with the Rboy App and Device handler works without issue.
You could however in both passive and active ways;
Get Alerts when a particular fob unlocks the door
Get Alerts when the door is unlocked and everyone has left the house
Get Alerts if someone tries to unlock it but no one is detected at home
Get Alerts if it failed to lock.
Trigger Lights, Sound and Camera actions if the door is opened.
Trigger the door to lock when you leave the house (assuming the handle has been pulled up)
Trigger the door to unlock when you come home.
8 Weeks Later
Let’s cover the negatives first;
So Why do I think that the Conexis L1 Smart Lock isn’t officially supported with the Z-Wave module. Battery Life — Dear God does it chew through Batteries with the Z-Wave module installed. After 8 weeks after the install, I’ve been through at least 4 complete battery changes (and remember it takes 4 AA batteries).
The Bluetooth part and the Offical Yale App — The worst App I’ve ever used. Crashes, Popups randomly to try and unlock the door. Overall just unreliable, Even adding tags after the initial install is just a pain. The Yale Hardware and install team get a pat on the back but the Software UX and UI team need to rethink and retest.
The Positives
Unlocking using a Fob, Card or through Smartthings is very easy. As a cyclist, I don’t have to dig out my keys anymore when I leave the house in the morning nor when I get home again. If I were to go out late at night I don’t have to carry keys with me at all. This one positive by itself is nothing but a godsend and easily makes up for the poor battery life.
It locks when it’s meant to, and Unlocks as well — No hardware jams and the internal unlocker is a great feature. I’m glad they didn’t require you to use a fob or key to unlock from the inside.
So is it worth it?
If you have the cash to burn, and can provide alternative security (e.g. Cameras, Alarms etc) then Yes.
Make sure you open the back door, or leave an accessible window open, just in case, Do this before you do anything else, as you may get overconfident, (we are ridiculous apes after all), and end up locking yourself out.
Use the YouTube video to install, not the manual, (search Conexis L1 on YT and pick the Yale video). Make sure you follow it exactly. Do not mess with the thumb turn, line the arrows up exactly, do not mess with the actuator etc. If you do you’re knackered and will have to start again, most probably after you’ve put it all together, (which will hurt your heart). Just take your time.
Order more key tags/cards/phone stickers with the lock. When you go through the registration of the first tag, ignore the video which tells you to register one tag and use the app for the rest. The app appears to have been developed on a school dinner budget, don’t trust it. Register all the fobs, cards etc at the same time. So, you press R once as guided in the video, and hold up each tag/card/phone sticker thing in turn, do not press R after each one, just hold them all up in turn; be quick as it does time out after 30 seconds or so, (red lights and beeps). Once you have registered all your tags etc, then press R. (Each one you hold up should be greeted with a beep and a green light, just keep holding each one up and registering. Register like your life depends on it!)
Test each tag/card etc, with the door open, just pull up the handle, wait for it to churn and lock, then use the each fob to unlock, and so on. Now you have a bunch of registered things you can give to people, hide in your socks or whatever. Next; download the app and go through the directed motions. It worked okay for me, but your mileage may vary. The key here is you’re not too bothered if the app doesn’t work because you have a whole load of tag/card things that do work so you can take your time with the app.
Troubleshooting Tip:
If the handles are misaligned when you’ve finished, and you decide to remove the inner plate to realign the screws etc, take the actuator out and reset it, otherwise, when you put it all back together you could find it churns away and no longer locks properly. I did this and was thoroughly disgruntled until I worked out the problem, You have to treat this thing with kid gloves. Each mess around you do, be prepared to reset from the beginning, which is why it’s good to get it right first time. Check and double check handle alignment.
Don’t lose heart with it. If it isn’t working, I would say that it is because it needs resetting from the start. The actuator is sensitive, if it’s not all aligned properly it will not lock properly.
It’s a good product, you just have to follow the video instructions to the word, until you get to the fob registering, ignore what she says on the video and register all your fob things at once, as I have said above. I would have given 5 stars but this thing is new, so I’m holding out to see if there are more horrors it presents.
In short. If you have a composite door with multi-locks, it’s your only option in the UK. But don’t be put off, you can make it work for you if you don’t get sloppy and follow the instructions on the video to the letter, word, whatever.
EDIT: I’ve had the lock for getting on a year and it’s still going strong. I have had no issues with it apart from occasionally it keeps spinning after locking, you just lift the handle again and it stops. The lock has been incredibly useful, my kids have a tag stuck to their phones so they no longer lose or forget keys, because, as every parent of teenagers know, they never, EVER forget their phone.
Make sure you open the back door, or leave an accessible window open, just in case, Do this before you do anything else, as you may get overconfident, (we are ridiculous apes after all), and end up locking yourself out.
Use the YouTube video to install, not the manual, (search Conexis L1 on YT and pick the Yale video). Make sure you follow it exactly. Do not mess with the thumb turn, line the arrows up exactly, do not mess with the actuator etc. If you do you’re knackered and will have to start again, most probably after you’ve put it all together, (which will hurt your heart). Just take your time.
Order more key tags/cards/phone stickers with the lock. When you go through the registration of the first tag, ignore the video which tells you to register one tag and use the app for the rest. The app appears to have been developed on a school dinner budget, don’t trust it. Register all the fobs, cards etc at the same time. So, you press R once as guided in the video, and hold up each tag/card/phone sticker thing in turn, do not press R after each one, just hold them all up in turn; be quick as it does time out after 30 seconds or so, (red lights and beeps). Once you have registered all your tags etc, then press R. (Each one you hold up should be greeted with a beep and a green light, just keep holding each one up and registering. Register like your life depends on it!)
Test each tag/card etc, with the door open, just pull up the handle, wait for it to churn and lock, then use the each fob to unlock, and so on. Now you have a bunch of registered things you can give to people, hide in your socks or whatever. Next; download the app and go through the directed motions. It worked okay for me, but your mileage may vary. The key here is you’re not too bothered if the app doesn’t work because you have a whole load of tag/card things that do work so you can take your time with the app.
Troubleshooting Tip:
If the handles are misaligned when you’ve finished, and you decide to remove the inner plate to realign the screws etc, take the actuator out and reset it, otherwise, when you put it all back together you could find it churns away and no longer locks properly. I did this and was thoroughly disgruntled until I worked out the problem, You have to treat this thing with kid gloves. Each mess around you do, be prepared to reset from the beginning, which is why it’s good to get it right first time. Check and double check handle alignment.
Don’t lose heart with it. If it isn’t working, I would say that it is because it needs resetting from the start. The actuator is sensitive, if it’s not all aligned properly it will not lock properly.
It’s a good product, you just have to follow the video instructions to the word, until you get to the fob registering, ignore what she says on the video and register all your fob things at once, as I have said above. I would have given 5 stars but this thing is new, so I’m holding out to see if there are more horrors it presents.
In short. If you have a composite door with multi-locks, it’s your only option in the UK. But don’t be put off, you can make it work for you if you don’t get sloppy and follow the instructions on the video to the letter, word, whatever.
EDIT: I’ve had the lock for getting on a year and it’s still going strong. I have had no issues with it apart from occasionally it keeps spinning after locking, you just lift the handle again and it stops. The lock has been incredibly useful, my kids have a tag stuck to their phones so they no longer lose or forget keys, because, as every parent of teenagers know, they never, EVER forget their phone.
Excited and a bit disappointed at the same time. The lock was delivered on the day promised, looks really sturdy and of good quality. Installation was straightforward. I’m definitely not a DIY person and I managed it with the instruction manual. Worked straight after battery inserted. So far so good.
The disappointed bit started when I tried to pair/add tags. As everyone else has already noted, the app is horrible. Now if you interpret all “lock” in the app as “key” it’ll make a lot of sense. But it is still incredibly unclear in some aspects. The master card/fob was paired with no problem (note you can pair either the card OR the fob but not both). Now going to the app for additional pairing. At first it didn’t work at all. No matter how I pressed the Bluetooth button on the lock it does not turn purple. googled but didn’t find any answer so I just deleted the lock (as it appears in the app but really it means deleting the key) and added another one. Then I can pair additional tags/cards but I was one virtual key down!! Surely deleted keys should be restored as available ones??? Also it is terribly confusing about “users” of the keys. As soon as I paired one additional tag in the app a “User 1” was added. I used another virtual key and paired the first card with it, then Users 1, 2 and 3 were added. They don’t seem to be associated with any keys/cards/fobs etc, so what are they?? Once a key (or “lock” as the app chose to call it” is set up, I cant transfer it to a new user/owner without creating another key (thus using my “precious” virtual key allowance – doesn’t seem logical? I have enough spare cards/fobs that I don’t really need to pair but after reading some reviews I was deeply concerned that they would have to be paired all in one go otherwise future pairing may remove previously paired cards so I paired them all. Another confusion comes from notification. I was experimenting with the lock for quite a while last night but in the history it only recorded three door opening event. Also it is very confusing as to which events you would like to be notified.
In summary the lock is working fine but the app is absolutely hopeless. A bit surprised as card operated doors are in almost every hotel so at least key paring and customising authorisation for a key (eg for a limited time only) should not be anything too new to configure. I really hope they could update or, even better, completely rewrite the app so that this lock gets the reputation it deserves.
Oh and, is there a forum or anything (apart from Yale customer service)? Unlike any other things I’ve bought in my life which I’m generally OK using, with this one I expect I’ll encounter loads of issues later. Is there anywhere I could go for help or search someone else’s solution?
Second unit went in without fuss and I am very impressed.
My house got burgled for car keys with someone still asleep in the house recently because they failed to lock the deadbolt with a key at night. This solves this problem as all I need to do is raise the handle at night. It also means that when I leave the house empty the deadbolt is applied simply by lifting the handle up so a lot easier than before.
I ordered 3 extra fobs and thought these would need to be added via the app but I could not add the lock in the app. It failed to find the lock. So I tried adding the fobs directly from the lock but pushing R then touching each key in turn until the green light came on and the R button again at the end and it worked fine.
You’ll need to use some common sense – my lock, for instance, uses a screw with an allen head to keep the lock barrel in place, because it has to be beneath the level of the frame – so I had to re-use the old one (not use the new supplied screws). Other than that, everything is provided to fit many combinations of frame thickness and position of lock.
Next – pairing new keycards. Yale should make it MUCH more clear in the booklet – but to avoid doubt: when installing the lock, you pair ONE fob/card as part of the install. Just one. No more. Then you load the app onto your smartphone, create an account, and pair the lock with your smartphone. THEN you use the app to activate every other fob/card. If you try to paid another card/fob using the button on the lock, you’ll erase all the others, and have to start from scratch.
The lock works well, although the locking/unlocking motor does make a noise like it’s really struggling (does on mine, anyway) – but internally everything seems of very high quality.
Overall this is an excellent lock – so why have I only given it 4 stars?
(1) For such an expensive lock, the stingy so-and-sos only give you one card and one fob.
(2) For such an expensive lock it only has a 2-year guarantee – I think it should be far longer than this. Reading other reviews about their “service” department, I’ve kept my old lock!
And finally – yes, the app (Android) is dreadful. I think I’ve finally found the way to turn off the notification to tell me that I’ve just opened the door (fairly obvious), but it still keeps coming up with other spurious notifications. The app works as a way to open the lock, and it works as a way to activate keyfobs but otherwise it’s rubbish.
Personally I wouldn’t use the cards – put a card in your wallet with your personal identification/address – get that stolen and you’ve just given someone your address and the key!
You’ll need to use some common sense – my lock, for instance, uses a screw with an allen head to keep the lock barrel in place, because it has to be beneath the level of the frame – so I had to re-use the old one (not use the new supplied screws). Other than that, everything is provided to fit many combinations of frame thickness and position of lock.
Next – pairing new keycards. Yale should make it MUCH more clear in the booklet – but to avoid doubt: when installing the lock, you pair ONE fob/card as part of the install. Just one. No more. Then you load the app onto your smartphone, create an account, and pair the lock with your smartphone. THEN you use the app to activate every other fob/card. If you try to paid another card/fob using the button on the lock, you’ll erase all the others, and have to start from scratch.
The lock works well, although the locking/unlocking motor does make a noise like it’s really struggling (does on mine, anyway) – but internally everything seems of very high quality.
Overall this is an excellent lock – so why have I only given it 4 stars?
(1) For such an expensive lock, the stingy so-and-sos only give you one card and one fob.
(2) For such an expensive lock it only has a 2-year guarantee – I think it should be far longer than this. Reading other reviews about their “service” department, I’ve kept my old lock!
And finally – yes, the app (Android) is dreadful. I think I’ve finally found the way to turn off the notification to tell me that I’ve just opened the door (fairly obvious), but it still keeps coming up with other spurious notifications. The app works as a way to open the lock, and it works as a way to activate keyfobs but otherwise it’s rubbish.
Personally I wouldn’t use the cards – put a card in your wallet with your personal identification/address – get that stolen and you’ve just given someone your address and the key!
Initially I mis-understood how the whole pairing of keys function worked and proceeded to try and pair all the fobs I had via the R button and the lock itself. Only to find myself locked out after walking the dog. Luckily I had the back door key with me!
So how it works is you pair a master/initial physical key using the button on the inside of the lock. This is the key you should keep somewhere safe so that you can use it if you lose yours. Once this has been done, all further keys (physical or virtual) should be setup via the app. If you pair another physical key via the door handle itself, you will erase whatever key was previously paired.
As has already been mentioned on here and elsewhere, the app isn’t the greatest but other than occasionally being slow, I haven’t had any issues with it. So far I’ve only had it installed for a couple of hours but so far so good. The real test will be on Monday when my daughter comes home from school and tries to get in!
Installation – First thing to say is, when It comes to DIY Im like Mr Muscle was in the TV adverts – useless!! however the installation (with the exception of Z-wave pairing) took me less than 20 minutes. I ignored the printed instructions, yale have a fantastic installation video (search youtube), it was very easy to follow and I was surprised how easy it was. Its fits a variety of doors and works perfectly.
Pairing (tags) – In the pack you get one smart card and one tag, pairing process is easy (take off the cover, press the button, touch the tag then press the button again). However I noticed you can only pair one or the other (unless Im doing something wrong) I hope that issue is only one type and not one single device! I have two more tags en-rounte so will find out.
Update – Speaking to Yale turns out you can pair multiple tags (phew) but it all has to be done at once during a single pairing process.
App – I have to agree with most people here, the app sucks big time! Yale need to sack the developers and start again, twist to unlock??? seriously annoying. I don’t plan to use the app and use Smartthings intergration and whilst running Homebridge I can ask Siri to unlock the door and voila the door unlocks.
Z-wave – This things doesn’t officially support the z-wave module, however I had no issues installing it and did get it working but it is very fiddly (See my review of the Z-wave device for instructions on how to get this thing working).
With the ST integration I like that I see its locked, and the battery also.
Top tip – Keep a 9V battery in the garden or in the car incase the battery dies.
Positives –
Easy to fit – anyone can really do it
works well
Feels very sturdy
Addition of Z-Wave module makes it work with Smart Home Automation Hubs (note no official SmartThings Support)
I can Ask Alexa to Lock the door!
The Mechanism means mine 4 year old can’t just open it
Downsides-
App – Is Awful!
Batteries will run out when I least expect it
Pairing Tags all has to be done at once
Overall I think this is a great addition to any Smart home, as long as you accept that the phone App needs work, the good news is software can be fixed, hardware on the other hand is different.
Now on to the bright side, Amazon were excellent and sent me a replacement unit the very next day. This unit litterally took 15 mins to fit and it fired up, paired phone and 2 tags, 2 cards without issue. This is a seriously good lock, amazing features and despite all the app related issues i read on here, i have had none what so ever. I use Android not sure if that makes a difference. To anyone thinking of getting one of these i highly recommend it. Its easy to install ” i have two left hands and no lock expierience” and even i did it. Yes i had a faulty unit but the replacement is of a superb standard and i think i was just unlucky with the first.
Measure your door before you buy !! There is a thickness limit of between 44mm and 70mm. If your door is not between those measurements it will not work ..
Just a few of the things that worried me before buying….
Can i fit it? Yes its properly easy to fit.
Will it be ok with my upvc door? Yes fine.
Will the app work? Yes no problem for me.
Is the build quality sturdy? Very solid indeed.
Is it easy to pair tags and keys and things? Very
Will it be worth the spend? Yes i really think so.
Has it got that blokey gadget appeal? Shed Loads…
Few months into ownership now so i thought i would do a quick update.
Battery life is excellent, i ditched the batteries that came with it from day one and replaced with Duracell. I havnt even lost one battery bar so far. The twist to unlock phone feature is frankly aweful with my s7 edge but i dont use that anyway.
The lock however is ace and im still very happy with this purchase. My wife uses a card, daughter has a tag stuck to the back of her phone and i have a fob, all 3 work a treat. I love the fob though tbh as i can unlock as i pull up on the drive and take stuff straight into the house without fumbling for keys.
Long story short, i am very glad i purchased it. The app is a bit crap but once its setup everything is fine.
Be prepared to answer questions though from visitors as everyone wants to know how it works :))
Yale say it’s not HomeKit compatible (that needs sorting otherwise I will have to move to SmartThings and get another hub and this is the only lock that seems to be reliable on a standard PVCu door) Although remember to take the batteries out before you put the ZWave module in otherwise it won’t register it. I’ll keep an eye out for official integrations as there are applets on If This Then That to enable it via SmartThings.
I’m an early adopter of tech normally so I hope any software updates will be made available swiftly and on a regular basis. The only thing I am disappointed in was the batteries supplied – they are a generic brand of cheap battery and were thrown straight into the recycling and replaced with Duracell Industrials (ProCell)