Lutron Radio Ra2 Select or Caseta programing

[lhjunk]

This Closed post that resembles my issue:

Lutron RA2 Select or RadioRA 2 Essentials

There is a trick for this. Pair it to a phantom switch and make Hubitat use the device as the trigger. By phantom switch, I mean a device that is added, paired to the occ sensor, and then physically removed. The switch (which is no longer powered or even in your house) will still have it's state communicated over telnet. Expensive, but if you know somebody who also has Radio Ra 2 switches, it works. There does seem to be a delay though - if you have Hubitat use the Lutron sensor (which is a…

@ Shawn - Great point on the phantom device!

Lutron Newbie here -

Just picked up a RA2 Select ONLY because I really like the ceiling motion sensors, and of course,
they are not casetta compatible, nor do they pass motion status via telnet (apparently).

I picked up a very expensive Lurton ra2 switch and was then able to add both to the Ra Select hub.

Fingers crossed I could see that motion trigger and do something I choose without buying all RA2 devices. No luck. Casetta, and others hubs do not see the motion as you probably know.

Is anyone familiar with Phantom/ virtual devices in Lutron, and is it possible to create phantom devices somehow by using some software (essentials ? ) other than the lutron app ?

if I swap Ra2 Select for Ra2 Main repeater, will that help ?

Do I need to become a distributor to create phantom devices?

I just cant see buying and removing / reselling devices for each room I want to install a ceiling mounted motion , just to use that removed device as
a virtual switch in a way I choose?

If I sell the devices after I add them, and my system crashes, I imagine I will be at square 1? Where does the integration get stored, in the Hub , or the cloud ?

Is there a way to modify the actual backend data in the Lutron hubs where the integration ID gets exported from to Email ?

Could we copy data from this backend system and adjust the Integration ID for a new dummy device? Are they listed by sort of MAC address or other serial number ?

Lutron can probably sell a large number of the Ceiling mounted motion sensors by exposing motion activity to telnet/ 3rd parties,

I just don't need to change all my lutron switches

Thanks for any steps in the right direction. Given Hue sensors re not too big, I just wonder if using Lutrons sensors are worth the headaches...

Hue sensors are not awful ( and motion/lux/temp activity is exposed) , but I have great respect for Clear connect, and the look of the Lutron sensor.

Thanks,
Brian

[bravenel]

@lhjunk

Is anyone familiar with Phantom/ virtual devices in Lutron, and is it possible to create phantom devices somehow by using some software (essentials ? ) other than the lutron app ?

Yes, these can be setup in RA2. In the Lutron app these are called Scenes. In Hubitat, the Main Repeater device is a button device, and these are buttons of that device.

@lhjunk

if I swap Ra2 Select for Ra2 Main repeater, will that help ?

Do I need to become a distributor to create phantom devices?

If you can find one at a decent price, a RA2 Main Repeater is certainly better than RA2 Select.

You do not need to become a distributor. However, you would have to take the RA2 free online training in order to setup the RA2 Main Repeater. It uses a Windows app for setup, as opposed to the phone app for RA2 Select.

Using Hubitat, you can mix different types of motion/contact sensors, and don't have to use RA2 Occupancy Sensors unless you want to. In my house I use mostly RA2 sensors, but also have Zigbee and Z-Wave motion sensors. Any of them can trigger automations that will control RA2 dimmers, or any other type of dimmer or bulb, not just Lutron. The advantage of Lutron sensors is the very long battery life compared to Zigbee or Z-Wave sensors.

@lhjunk

Is there a way to modify the actual backend data in the Lutron hubs where the integration ID gets exported from to Email ?

Someone wrote a script that my be posted here somewhere that transforms that email into what is needed in Hubitat for the RA2 Integration setup. However, setting up the RA2 Integration is a one-time thing, and isn't hard to do -- you'd probably take more time to figure out the script approach. I recommend using the Configuration List approach:

[lhjunk]

Appreciate the great Information, thanks!
Follow up question, If I wanted to bite the bullet and go Ra3, can I still self install after some training and explaining to my wife why I need to spend > $ 150 for a switch or a dimmer ?
-Brian

[rlithgow1]

Sadly Hubitat doesn't support Ra3 yet (it doesn't use telnet, it uses leap)...

[lhjunk]

So, thinking all Zwave via the C8, and Indigo will handle the leap plugin which I noticed just yesterday was available in Indigo store, and works great, so I hope to have Indigo talk to lutron for CLear connect, maybe upgrade to RA3, create phantom devices for triggers, and have the HE c8 publish its devices to Indigo via MQTT ( still need to work this end out ) and life will be more stable than using a Z stick. I have been wanting to learn RA3 , so this could be a good reason. Thanks again, for all the great info