- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
New construction - wifi switches.
Posted on 3/5/22 at 1:33 pm
Posted on 3/5/22 at 1:33 pm
So we just finished rough ins on a new construction and my electrician is a bit old school and doesn’t know much about wifi switches. I told him I would look into what we needed. I’m really just looking for something for the living room/kitchen, master wing of the house, and the outside lights so it probably won’t be the type of thing where every single switch is a wifi switch, if that makes any difference.
The only “smart” home tech we have planned for thus far is Russound home audio with wifi controller, liftmaster wifi garage lift, and Schlage connect locks.
What kinda of switches should I be looking at? Thanks in advance.
The only “smart” home tech we have planned for thus far is Russound home audio with wifi controller, liftmaster wifi garage lift, and Schlage connect locks.
What kinda of switches should I be looking at? Thanks in advance.
Posted on 3/5/22 at 4:25 pm to bluemoons
Lutron Caseta and just be done with it. Enjoy the rock solid stability
Posted on 3/5/22 at 4:32 pm to LSURep864
quote:
Lutron Caseta and just be done with it. Enjoy the rock solid stability
If using a lot of 3-way switches, Caseta doesn’t currently offer 3-way switching. You can set a “dummy” hardwired “dumb” switch that won’t work on one end, or you can mount one of their wireless remotes that has about a 10-year battery life, but there is not a hardwired 3-way option with them in the Caseta lineup.
They do offer it in their next “step up,” but they are fairly pricey (RadioRA2 or something like that, $75-100/switch instead of ~$50/switch for Caseta)
Just something to consider
I use Caseta. I may eventually integrate a second hub and tie them together with Homebridge for my 3-way switches.
Posted on 3/5/22 at 5:53 pm to Hopeful Doc
I've got a couple Caseta's set up with a dummy switch/pico remote set up.
Literally doesn't matter whatsoever compared to having a normal switch.
I'm a total idiot noob with no electrical experience and I figured it out with some youtube videos and voltage checker to make sure I didn't die.
Literally doesn't matter whatsoever compared to having a normal switch.
I'm a total idiot noob with no electrical experience and I figured it out with some youtube videos and voltage checker to make sure I didn't die.
Posted on 3/5/22 at 7:13 pm to LSURep864
quote:
Literally doesn't matter whatsoever compared to having a normal switch.
Unless:
1) someone who knows it’s wireless reprograms it just to frick with you a little
2) the battery dies 10-15 years from now and everyone forgot it was a remote and doesn’t work anymore.
Neither are likely scenarios.
This post was edited on 3/5/22 at 7:14 pm
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:56 pm to LSURep864
There's another thread from last week with this. Caseta is your answer. It looks pricey but they are very easy to install and I have never had 1 issue and have been using them for years.
Posted on 3/5/22 at 9:13 pm to LEASTBAY
I have a my whole house, Vrbo rental, and shop on smart switches and it’s awesome. I have the Kasa (tp link) switches and plugs. They work with google, have an app, no hub needed, and built in timers etc. not that expensive either. I’ve did them over time but I love them.
Posted on 3/6/22 at 8:03 am to Hopeful Doc
quote:
If using a lot of 3-way switches, Caseta doesn’t currently offer 3-way switching. You can set a “dummy” hardwired “dumb” switch that won’t work on one end, or you can mount one of their wireless remotes that has about a 10-year battery life, but there is not a hardwired 3-way option with them in the Caseta lineup.
That is unfortunate because we have several 3 way switches in important areas of the house. I don’t have a hub planned, but if I went with the Lutron switches, I could just get their hub? Or is there a better option?
Posted on 3/6/22 at 5:58 pm to bluemoons
I prefer the hub instead of connected countless more devices to my wifi. Why would you have the hub but no switches. I have 3 way switches and put the caseta on the most used one. You can put pico remotes in place of the other switches. I tend to use the app more to control the lights anyway so I dont miss not using the switches. If someone uses one of the other switches the lights just go to full power
This post was edited on 3/6/22 at 6:01 pm
Posted on 3/7/22 at 7:33 am to bluemoons
We just did a remodel and I put these all over my house. They've been outstanding, at a much better price point than the Lutron's. They offer true 3 way switches, as well as the ability to make virtual 3 way switches using the app.
Treatlife Dimmer Light Switch
3 way switches
Treatlife Dimmer Light Switch
3 way switches
This post was edited on 3/7/22 at 7:36 am
Posted on 3/7/22 at 9:22 am to Lonnie Utah
The other thing I'll add to this discussion. If you have ANY thought of adding smart switches of ANY variety, make sure you electrician puts in oversized switch boxes. When you start cramming multiple smart switches into a box with 3 way wiring and other junctions, things can start to get crowded....
Posted on 3/8/22 at 9:00 am to bluemoons
Lutron Caseta.
Avoid the direct to WiFi stuff because eventually you're going to have issues with devices connecting to WiFi. Never underestimate the number of devices that you're going to have connected to WiFi. Just assume you're going to max it out.
Avoid the direct to WiFi stuff because eventually you're going to have issues with devices connecting to WiFi. Never underestimate the number of devices that you're going to have connected to WiFi. Just assume you're going to max it out.
Posted on 3/8/22 at 9:05 am to MLU
Thanks all. After these responses, I think I'm going to go with Caseta. I've also been watching some videos on three way options with them. Every switch isn't going to be a Caseta from jump, but I've got enough basic electrical know-how to add them down the line.
Does anybody have any experience with their fan controls? My fans are on DC motors though so I don't even know if they would work.
Does anybody have any experience with their fan controls? My fans are on DC motors though so I don't even know if they would work.
Posted on 3/8/22 at 10:56 am to MLU
quote:
eventually you're going to have issues with devices connecting to WiFi.
I have a ton of these and haven't run into that (yet). I have about 60 switches/smart bulbs/smart plugs through our house. And that's not to mention smart assistants and other smart devices connected to the network. All in all, our network map shows about 75 connected devices. That's alot, but not anywhere near the 256 theoretical max.
Now, what I have run into is my phone connection to the 5 ghz network and not communicating with the 2.4 ghz devices. And this version of android gives no options on turning off 5ghz on my phone to make it work...
But you are correct, least in theory.
This post was edited on 3/8/22 at 11:42 am
Posted on 3/8/22 at 10:59 pm to bluemoons
quote:
Does anybody have any experience with their fan controls?
Incompatible with DC motors.
I have their fan controls - 4 in total and considering one additional one. I have two fans on one circuit outside. I’m going to add a plain on/off switch to them eventually. I want them on or off- I won’t tune them from low/med/high. Some people have had success with two fans. Some have not. I’m not going to play the guessing game.
I did bypass an Altura 68” fan remote and use it with my fan speed control. It’s a very slow moving fan. So much so that I’ve considered buying the pull chain version of it which comes with a less attractive blade and a 60” span and swapping them (gone as far as measuring the hole pattern in the store and know it would work but wife thinks I’m moderately crazy for caring so much about how fast a fan turns, and it moves decent air)
Also, I didn’t elaborate on the three way thing- been a little busy.
Caseta has a 75 device limit which includes Pico remotes if paired in the app. You CAN pair a pico without the app (and it won’t count against your device limit) and you can make a pico control as many switches as you want (I had a nonfunctioning speaker control knob next to a hallway near my bedroom. The living room is right next to it. I have 4 lamps in the room, all on Caseta controllers. So I paired All the lamps AND all the lights, so I can turn off everything from one switch on the way to bed.
RA2 select hub can be purchased from several places for modestly more money. It had a higher device limit If 75 won’t cut it (it was 50 until maybe a year ago. Sounds like a lot. If you use Picos in the app and lamps or motion sensors, it’s very easy to get to that limit fast.
Anyway, RA2 select hubs offer a different set of switches (maestro RF I believe) wired remote in a 3-way setting- you can still have the remote control things other than the circuit it’s physically tied to. You can still use a Pico (the same as the Caseta ones!), but you get “fancier” switches and remotes, including multi-scene ones. Probably overkill in a lot of situations. Probably awesome in others. Whereas you are probably going to buy the 4-button (no center button) $50 Caseta switch, you’ll spend ~$150 for the Maestro switches. The systems are totally incompatible except for the Pico remotes, so if you’re going ground up, it’s probably better to decide now if the added functionality is worth it. For most it probably isn’t. I have an irrational hatred of batteries and can’t go too long without getting focused on stupid things that I let bother me (like a switch I have that is now “broken” because it’s a 3-way tied to a Caseta and I don’t want to put a Pico on the wall and just feel like it needs to be done the “right” way so that when someone comes back and looks in 30 years they don’t think I was a total dumbass).
In the end, in the next 2 years, I’m going to add the RA2 select hub and tie my 3-ways to it. I’m approaching the Caseta limit anyway, and I like to tinker. Both integrate with HomeKit, so my “controller” won’t know they’re separate systems, even if they take two separate apps to set up and maintain.
Lutron then offers, if I’m not mistaken, an additional “smarter” RA system that is dealer-only and then either one or two consumer dealer-only options on top of that.
Lastly, if you want a pedestal for your Pico, buy the lutron one. It’s great. And it’s like $10. If you want one for two, also buy lutron. It’s like $20. But if you want the triple, they want $80 and can frick off. Someone on Etsy 3d prints an alternative for cheap. I haven’t bought these yet but plan on it soon. So take that recommendation with a grain of salt
Popular
Back to top
