Want to vet and Idea I have had after reading several threads. Hoping someone with similar set up can confirm.
Current Situation. Ceiling Fan in main stairwell is wired to a single line, in a 3 way configuration with 2 switch locations (one upstairs, one downstairs). I have installed a Lutron Maestro that works on the 3 way, and with an RF canopy controller to give me seperate light and fan control, with dimming for both.
So without being able to run additional lines to separate power to the fan and the lights, creates the challenge. For the same reason, no value in increasing the size of the box that I can see.
Note: I think the Hampton bay remotes and wall remotes are ugly and I want wall mounted solution.
My intended solution.
Hampton Bay Controller mounted in Canopy.
Hardwire the fan/light to an always on through the fan controller. (bypassing a physical switch)
Use 4 Pico Remotes total, 2 Upstairs and 2 downstairs - 1 set for lights and 1 set for fan
Mount 1 Remote in existing box, 2nd flush mounted beside to mimic 2 gang switch.
My question here is ... can I have 2 pico remotes set up to control the same function ie dimming the lighting? (I don't currently own the Caseta system)
The only thing I don't love the idea of is the hardwiring of the setup... I would prefer to have a physical switch somewhere in there as sort of a fail safe.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or feedback.. hopefully I have explained well enough.
For the Hampton controllers, you will definitely want to keep a hardwired switch available. These sometimes need to be reset and I doubt you want to do the reset dance using your breakers.
The pico remotes can be mounted basically anywhere so you don't need to put one of them in the existing box (but you might want to cover it in some way so your friends and family don't turn the mains power off.
You can have as many button controllers as you need to control the light...you just need to create a separate rule for each pico. I believe I saw something in one of the changelogs about assigning multiple controller at once...don't quote me on that but it may also be an option.
I actually have one pico running both light and fan functions with the HB Fan Controller. The top and bottom Pico buttons operate the light, and the center two buttons are for fan. It would be much nicer to have separate pico for each function, but this works. There is no reason you could not add duplicate Pico in many areas.
I don't have a physical switch and have been lucky so far that I haven't needed it. The only hard part was resetting the controller at one point when I was installing it, and I did a bad thing and just touched/released the load and line wire 5 times. I should have run to the basement to flip the breaker, but I was being lazy and stupid. It worked, and I didn't die, so there is that.
I was trying to figure out why they called that cover a Mitzvah, but the description totally gives it away. There is a product for every need it seems. I might get one for my one switch the dog turns on by "accident". I can't seem to train him to turn it off!
I do this essentially. Mine are hard-wired on and I have never had to fully reset them. Occasionally, usually after a power outage, I need to put the hub in pairing zigbee pairing mode and powercycle them at the breaker. Once they come back on, HE finds them as "previously added device" and all is well.
@stephack That is a solid point you raise about the ability to reset things... Thanks. I can put a dumb switch in the upstairs location for this, and then flush mount the two picos.
If there is ever a day you need to (even once) you may regret that decision. I have a fan that has no switch box and I had to reset it. Let's just say I considered climbing up a ladder and ripping the fan off the ceiling. Took about half an hour of walking back and forth to my garage swearing like a sailor both ways.
It depends on luck of the draw with these puppies. I have 4. 2 reset no problem. The other 2 required David Blaine's sorcery to reset. Luckily one of them had a physical switch so I got it sorted in a few minutes. The last one did not and was the furthest from the garage.
My first came from Wink when I was a beta tester before they were commercially available. I intend to replace this one because it's finicky about going from medium to high speed, but otherwise fine. The last one I got maybe 2 years ago from Home Depot?
They are all over the house, using all kinds of repeaters. I guess I'd say that they do require some maintenance and their signal strength is horrible. (Need repeaters in each room these are in at a minimum, OP.) But the plan as suggested will work and in a good mesh, work fairly well.
