Outdoor lighting - the not so new Lutron outdoor plug

Why Hubitat Elevation Here's a cool thing I did!
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Summer has started, itching to try the new Lutron Outdoor plug and needed to create a project to use it :smiley:
The outdoor pergola lighting requirement was created :+1:
Considering that I had to take the wiring from the screened-in section of the deck where the power outlet is, to the pergola, I had to drill a small hole in a corner of the deck & seal it in with silicone caulk - don't want insects :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
Of course, the "Outlet" part of the extension cable is wayyyyy bigger than the hole ... there is the over engineering part of the solution :smiley: & having to cut the extension cable to fit through the hole!
Yeah - the pergola is white... so, had to go find white everything :bangbang:
Here is what I used and all of them have endured a ton of pollen, a couple of thunderstorms and being hosed down multiple times - have kept the electrical connections dry and rock solid.
The Caseta Weatherproof plug works as expected and instantaneously :+1: , responds to Hubitat, voice as well as the pico remote, as designed

  1. Caseta Weatherproof plug + Pico - Home Depot
  2. 50 foot Outdoor rated extension cable
  3. Waterproof housing for the plug and sockets - 'coz I'm OCD
  4. Waterproof electrical connector - 'coz of the earlier described hole drilling situation
  5. White LED string lights from Costco - remember the white Pergola :bangbang:
  6. A :poop: ton of outdoor rated zip ties for the LED string lights!
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I am somewhat confused.

You state that you are OCD about wanting to provide a waterproof housing for your plug and sockets. However, you fail to recognize that extension cords are designed for temporary use only. Once you drilled a hole in the pergola to pass the extension cord, you turned it into a permanent installation. It is a violation of the National Electrical Code to use extension cords for permanent installations. Thus, it is likely to be a violation of local codes as well.

If you want access to electricity in your pergola, it would be best to install permanent electrical wiring on a separate circuit. Also, since this is an outdoor application, the circuit would need GFCI protection.

Since this is a new installation, I suspect that an AFCI (Arc fault circuit interrupter) would be required as well. This is a new requirement in the latest update to the International Electrical Code and National Electrical Code. AFCI devices have been required in bedrooms since 1999. The latest update expands that to nearly every room in the house. It sounds like your pergola is enclosed to keep our insects, so it would probably be considered a sunroom, for which an AFCI is now required. Check with your local building inspector.

If you really are OCD about safety, do things according to code.

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It is connected to a GFCI outlet :+1: & the pergola is open

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Did you build the pergola and then decide to automate the lighting or did you decide you wanted to automate some outdoor lighting and then build the pergola so you could automate it? Asking for a friend.

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Well... the pergola was already there before the Lutron Outdoor plug came out. I have a couple of GE ZWave Outdoor plugs, which are rock solid. I wanted a reason to go get the Lutron and try it out...
When building the pergola - I knew I will automate and add lighting anyways :wink:

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For some the pictures of this beautiful installation seem to be missing... :smiley:

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Absolutely - will take them tonight & post them :slight_smile:

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image3024×4032 1.85 MB

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