First, want to tell you how awesome this community is. I've been reading through a ton of threads and it feels really good to know there are so many of you that are happy to help us nubes out.
My question is around the use of Pico's. I know this has been beaten to death, sort of, so please bare with with me.
I own several Caséta dimmers and Pico's, which were previously used to control dumb LED lights through Wink.
I now own a Lutron Pro bridge and have moved over my Caséta's and Pico's, but I'm intrigued by how much you guys love the Pico's. I feel like I'm missing out on something incredible! One thing I'd like clarification on is to know more about the actual devices you are controlling with Pico's. I read about lights, fans, locks, garage doors, etc..., but would be curious to know more about the make/model of the devices.
For Pico's to control dumb light bulbs, you still need a smart switch, smart dimmer, or some sort of other smart module, correct?
The Pico's can't dim a light unless connected to a smart dimmer, correct? They cant make lights dim if they are connected to a standard on/off smart switch, correct?
What I have been a bit puzzled with is that some of you own Pico's but not Casétas. I'm just wondering why you would purchase a different brand's smart-dimmer? Is it because of cost, functionality, or something I haven't thought of yet?
Thanks guys!!! I just haven't had by "ah ha!" moment yet.
(by the way, I'm also using TP-Link Kasa (wifi) switches, Wemo (wifi) switches, and Hue bulbs and remotes.)
I use Picos to control night-stand/end-table/floor lamps with Sengled Smart Bulbs. It is really great to be able to smoothly dim these smart bulbs just like all of the other Caseta dimmers i have installed. Makes for a consistent user interface, which means a happy family.
I also am using a Hampton Bay Fan Controller, and use the Pico to control both the fan speed, as well as the fan lamp. Again, a consistent UI for family and guests alike.
Other uses include changing the mode of the house, or arming/disarming Hubitat Safety Monitor, etc...
While Pico remotes aren’t magic, they are great due to their versatility and the fact they can easily be wall-mounted, have table stands, and can simply be stuck to a surface. The 10 year battery life is nice as well.
You do need a smart switch to control dumb bulbs.
You would need a dimmer to dim dumb bulbs.
Picos can be just a button controller. You can use them to trigger automations, turn smart bulbs on and off or any one of a thousand things. You should install the button controller app and see what is available to you. You can also use the Rule Machine app to set up a button controller.
They are fairly classy buttons with a long battery life - I would suspect that's why some people use them. I switched all my lighting controls over to Lutron early this year but that's off topic to your question. I do use some Picos to control some Z-Wave switches (the GE outdoor ones) for outside lights. I also removed all the three-way switches and replaced them with Lutron in-wall Dimmers and Picos. The wires are still there, capped off.
Any ideas on what I could do with my WiFi switches (Kasa and Wemo)? I guess I could control them through Pico -> Hubitat -> IFTTT -> WiFi Switch. I used to use Stringify until Comcast killed them. As far as Hubitat goes though, integrating WiFi smart devices seems to require something like IFTTT, yah?
In General, would you guys recommend staying away from WiFi smart devices and instead standardizing on Z-Wave?
I do believe there is a Kasa community driver and I am using the community Wemo driver to bring those devices into HE. From there you can control them with the Pico remotes as button controllers. As for switches, you are free to choose Zwave or, since you have the Pro hub, you can also use the Lutron switches. I like Zwave, others like Lutron.
I have picos that do just about everything. Turn on/off lights, set modes, start scenes, and so on. They are probably the most flexible and useful device I have.
I have at least 1 in every room, a couple of rooms have 2.
They also make great in wall switches using the mounting kit. My front door has 2 actual switches and 2 picos to make it look like a 4 gang box but it's only 2.
