RA2 integration tips and tricks?

[BGP]

Hi all, I am new to HE and just today got the Lutron integration going with my existing RA2 inclusive system. I did the integration report from the Windows app to get all the ID's.

I did stumble around for a bit figuring out how to tie HE dimmers and switches to Lutron hybrid keypads like the RRD-H6BRL, so hopefully this helps anyone who happens across it. The order in which the devices are output from RA2 Inclusive is odd; it is not ordered by ID. The output file (at least in 12.8) goes main repeater / keypads (including hybrid) / garage receivers, then rooms, then finally different ID's associated with the load-controlling portion of the hybrid keypads. I had stopped at rooms figuring that was the end of the devices, but couldn't get HE switches and dimmers to work with those device ID's, just button press operations, which of course don't reflect current state or have any of the other features (dimming, ramp rate, etc). Everything came together when I noticed the proper ID's to use down at the bottom.

Next minor annoyance is the RA2 integration report doesn't differentiate between switches and dimmers, so you have to go back to the actual RA2 software and add those notes into your csv/spreadsheet so you don't forget.

In any case, this is incredibly exciting being able to control all of this from HE, and having events from either system influence the other. I've begun adding z-wave switches to parts of the house that I simply couldn't bring myself to pay the Lutron tax to have in the original RA2 build; basement, pantry, laundry, etc.

I currently have no Lutron motions, nor zigbee/z-wave. Was curious if there's a compelling reason to keep that on the Lutron side if I otherwise have an easy path to the HE hub? And if not, preference on zig vs z-wave or just go with the sensor that best meets my goals for coverage, reset time, battery life, etc?

I'd love to hear anything that people have done with a RA2-HE integration that really improved home functionality as there are probably tons of cool things that I could do that I don't even know to ask about doing.

Also curious if anyone knows the purpose of the virtual LED locations on the main repeater; there's 100 of them.

[bill.d]

Welcome!

Motion sensors: Lutron sensors are very good but pretty large. Smaller ones that are more discrete are the NYCE Zigbee sensors. If you want light level measurement then the Hue sensors are good and they're a little cheaper. I'd stay away from any Z-Wave sensor that is not based on the 700 series Z-Wave chipset (I don't think there are any out there yet).

Re: the "virtual LED locations". Are you asking about the "phantom buttons" or the LEDs that go along with them? The main repeater phantom buttons are Lutron-programmed scenes that can be "pushed" by Hubitat - your main repeater is like a giant keypad with 100 buttons. For example, you can have one of your keypad buttons set light levels that are different based on time of day by "pushing" a different phantom button for the different times. You should also use those buttons to set any scene that includes more than a few Lutron devices for best performance (speed and no popcorning). If you are talking about the associated LEDs, they are also like keypad LEDs. They light up virtually depending on how the button is programmed (scene, toggle, path of light). You can use that light status in a Rule Manager instance.

I try to keep most things simple. Add non-Lutron lights to keypads. Have motion sensors turn on lights only when it's dark. Change the intensity of lights based on time of day. About the fanciest I get is to turn the TV off when pushing the "goodnight" button.

[BGP]

Awesome, thanks! That makes sense on the phantom led's; I have scenes on the phantom buttons but they also map to real buttons on the hybrid keypads, whose led's I go by in real life. I hadn't thought about how to detect the state of a scene from in HE using those led's; makes complete sense now.