Be aware, however, that you will not be able to set-up a new non-Pro Smart Bridge. Info is in this post
TLDR;
In order to receive a necessary firmware update required for future operation, all first-generation Lutron Connect Bridges (model # CONNECT-BDG-1) must be connected to the internet prior to May 25th, 2018
I ran into this issue after purchasing a non-Pro bridge on ebay several months ago and waiting until a couple of weeks ago to set it up. Lutron support was great and sent me a Smart Bridge Pro at no cost/no questions asked along with a prepaid return shipping label for the old one.
I apologize for jumping in... getting ready to start automating our new house (new to HE, but not home automation) and am trying to determine the best lighting option available for me (felt like I should jump into this thread vs starting another one... been lurking around here for a few weeks now)
Iāve read (I believe on Amazon) that one issue with Caseta switches is that they ramp to 100% when you turn them on - they donāt ramp to last level. Is that true? Seems like that would be a deal killer for many people so it surprises me... trying to understand before I start a big investment in these.
Is there a ābestā lighting option... if you were to do it all over again - what would you use? (I prefer to pick a solution and stick with it for consistency). The HomeSeer switch seems like a good option with the customizable LED indicators... is there something better? Caseta seems to get high marks but the 100% issue has caused me to pause.
Casetas do not ramp to 100%. The return to the previously set level when you issue an "On" command. Casetas also respond well to the duration in the set level command, which is not true of all other devices, allowing you to control the ramp rate when you change the level.
Thanks, so Iām clear, if a user hits the on button on the switch, it will ramp/switch to 100%? The only way to avoid is by using the automation system to turn on the lights?
If you use an in-wall dimmer or a lamp module, the top button on the device will default to 100% on. However, that is not true of Pico remotes which can be customized to whatever you want. You can press and hold the up button on the device and begin brightening the light from 0%, if it is off.
As a side note, Caseta devices do require the Pro Hub, not just the regular Caseta hub.
So this is the crux here. If you have lighting that needs an in-wall dimmer, you either have to go with a system that supports hardware control over the dimmer on level and ramp rate, or you have to deal with that lack of control at the switch.
There are creative solutions of course, but they're not for everyone. One in particular that comes to mind is something I recall Seth Johnson mentioning on Hometech.fm
Seth is a Control4 guy, and what he did was to install some dimmers up at the top of his kitchen cabinet if I remember correctly. Then he used Control 4 keypads where the light switch would be. So essentially the same thing. Digitally controlling an outlet with a remote. For him, this worked because he was doing the house wiring
Insteon does have full control over the ramp rate and on level in hardware, but you have to be prepared for the extra steps and components needed to integrate it with Hubitat. Support is community driven. Not official at this time.
If you have control over the fixtures and the lighting used, I would personally go with Hue bridge(s) for control over the lights themselves and Picos throughout for the control. That will give you maximum control. If you need to have a light that cannot take smart bulbs, I would do what @mike.maxwell has done and use Z-Wave micro modules. I think he has either the Aeon Micro or the Mini modules. Can't remember which, and he controls them with Pico remotes.
Only problem with Picos and Hue's....no fallback if your hub is suddenly on the Fritz. Personally, I need to have a backup in case my hub dies. I don't want to be walking around with a flashlight till i get the problem solved. That's why I have Casetas but then have motions sensors. So, i'm not using any buttons very much at all anyway, except to dim or brighten.
I believe most Z-Wave in-wall switches, like the GE/Jasco Z-Wave Plus models, remember their last dim level. Pressing the top half of the switch restores the light to the previous dim level setting. Pressing and holding the top/bottom smoothly ramps up/down the dim level. Pressing the bottom turns off the switch.
I have been using the GE/Jasco switches for years. I only recently bought a Caseta Smart Bridge Pro in order to add Pico Remotes to my Hubitat system. The Picos can control the Z-Wave switches, via Hubitat, very smoothly (i.e. they can be configured to behave the same as the physical switch.) I also use the Picos to control Zigbee Bulbs, again with smooth dimming, and the bulbs also remember their last dim level/color settings.
Thank you for the help! I had SmartThings in my last house and had GE/Jasco Switches and dimmers everywhere. They worked fine except Iād have to reconnect them every once in a while (not sure if switch or hub fault... I suspect hub). Looks like I will follow a similar plan or maybe switch to the HS WD200s to get the additional status lights.
I'll make the case for Lutron RadioRA 2. It uses the same reliable communication that Caseta uses - there is no tracing of mesh issues. Reliability and time not spent troubleshooting is worth a lot. I replaced most Z-wave dimmers with RadioRA 2 and am very satisfied.
It's a step up in many ways from Caseta. A few important differences: 1) it uses Maestro style controls. No ugly 4-5 button controls. 2) there is a lot more control over how dimmers work. Default power levels no problem. 3) there are more controls that be added. Most useful are multi-button keypads. 4) no reliance on 3rd party hubs for base functionality (Hubitat can make the system work better than the base level, though)
(Note that there are 2 levels of RA2. Select and full. Select is easy to buy and set up through a phone app. To get full system control, you have to take a fairly easy, but technical, on-line course. The full is worth the effort. With the full level, you program the base system on a Windows PC. Some features - full control of default dimmers, keypads, are only available in the full system.)
The only downside is cost. The controls will be about 2x the price (street level) than Caseta. If you have the budget, it's worth it IMO.
No question if I could afford an RA2 system, that would be my choice as well. However, I think the RA2 Select does not allow keypads, just Pico if Iām not mistaken.
Thanks for the thoughts. I ruled out Lutron due to the training and typically professional installation. I did not look close enough and was not aware of the Select line. Very interesting. How accurate do you think the square footage limitation is? Found a good write up (here) I didnāt see any option to increase the size of coverage...
The square footage numbers are not technical limits, they're a combination of estimated distances and number of devices that one would want for a house of a particular size. The technical limit for all 3 systems is a distance of 30 ft to the controller. My furthest is about 30 ft, I have no problems. According to others, the specs are conservative. You can add repeaters to all 3 systems to extend the distances.
I went through the same considerations when choosing my system. I went with the full RadioRA 2. I'm glad I did. You save at best a couple hundred dollars and some learning time with Select. But with full you get access to keypads. I now have three and they work great. If you think you want keypads, go full. You can move from Select to full and use the same dimmers (about the only Lutron upgrade possible in their entire line). You have to buy the new controller(s) and re-program the system.
Also, I don't believe (but I am not sure) that the default dim level can be changed for Select. I think it's like Caseta - goes to 100. Hubitat can help to mitigate that, though.
Note for the full RadioRA 2 system there are 2 levels: Essentials and Inclusive. Essentials training is free and on-line. You get 100 devices on the system. Inclusive is a step up and requires paid, live training. You get access to 200 devices with some additional device types. The software is the same. It is actually pretty good, better than most HA programs. It is easy to use.
The wiring installation is pretty much exactly the same for all the Lutron systems. All have dimmers that do and don't require neutrals. But dimmers with neutrals avoid many low-load and other light issues.
I have had good luck with Zooz Zen23 Toggle switches on Smarthings. I just ordered by Hubitat hub so I cannot confirm they are compatible yet, but they work great with 3 way setups and you don't have to replace the other switch in the 3-way setup. You retain the normal non-automated functionality, keep the toggle look and feel and they are pretty simple to install.
I have a mix of RA2 and Z-Wave lighting in my house, all seamless through Hubitat. I use RA2 motion sensors (called Occupancy Sensors), as they offer 10 year battery life. There is never a glitch with Lutron stuff, which cannot be said of Z-Wave or Zigbee.
