Lutron Diva vs Caseta - What's the difference between these smart dimmers?

Рет қаралды 31,084

Күн бұрын

Exciting news from Lutron!
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The popular Caseta home lighting control system has been greatly expanded with new Diva smart dimmers, smart switches, and remote switches.
The modern Diva “look” has been brought into the Caseta smart home family along with major improvements to aesthetics and operation.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Do you prefer the OG Caseta or the new Diva look?
Are you currently using Lutron lighting or considering it?
What’s on your list for Lutron improvements?
Let me know in the comments below.
UPDATE: As of January 2023
The Diva and Claro smart family of controls is now available in six colors - white, black, gray, brown, ivory, and light almond. Also available now - the Claro smart accessory switch.
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PRODUCT LINKS WITH NO EXTRA COST TO YOU
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New Lutron Caseta with Diva Look
In-wall Diva starter kit www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Di...
In-wall Diva smart dimmer www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Di...
In-wall Claro smart switch www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Cl...
In-wall Diva dumb dimmer (matching look) geni.us/casetadivadumbdimmer
(See also below the Pro Bridge, Pico wireless remotes, Fan speed controller, Outdoor smart plug, and other Lutron Caseta accessories that mix-and-match with the new Lutron Caseta Diva products)
Existing "OG" Lutron Caseta look:
Starter Kits
In-wall starter kit geni.us/casetastarterkit
Plug-in lamp dimmer starter kit geni.us/difmcasetakit
Pro Bridge for more integrations
Caseta Smart Bridge Pro geni.us/casetabridgepro
Individual dimmer/switch/fan add-ons
Caseta in-wall dimmer & pico geni.us/difmluinwall
Caseta in-wall light or fan switch geni.us/casetalightorfanswitch
Caseta in-wall fan speed control geni.us/casetafanspeedcontrol
Caseta plug-in lamp dimmer geni.us/casetapluginlamp
Caseta outdoor smart plug geni.us/casetaoutdoorsmartplug
Pico Remotes
Pico 3-button wireless remote geni.us/lutronpicocaseta
Pico 2-button wireless remote geni.us/caseta2buttonpico
Pico shade wireless remote geni.us/picoshade
Pico single pedestal base geni.us/picopedestal
Pico dual pedestal base geni.us/casetapicodualbase
Pico triple pedestal base geni.us/casetapicotriplebase
Audio Pico for Sonos geni.us/picosonos
Motion sensor
Caseta motion sensor geni.us/casetamotionsensor
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QUESTION - Have a question about building, buying, expanding, or starting your next Smart Home Project? Post in the comments section of this video!
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📑 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Watch from the beginning or skip around
00:00 Intro
00:24 DoItForMe.Solutions
00:41 A Little History
01:16 Caseta Complaints
01:57 Pricing Professional Secret
02:30 Diva is Beautiful
02:50 Dumb Dimmers
03:35 Lutron Big Product. Line
03:59 Smart Diva
04:31 Finish and Colors
05:04 Mix and Match
05:28 Hidden Improvements
05:43 Diva Specifications
05:59 Models & Supported Loads
06:05 Model Variation Charts
06:35 Pico Remote Controls
06:57 ClearConnect Wireless
07:40 Multi-way Switches
08:17 Claro N-Way Switches
08:53 Fully Standalone Operation
09:17 Flexible Automations
09:59 Limits?
10:39 What Do I Think?

Пікірлер: 123

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

For more lighting control systems professional, smart home secrets, see the rest of this series - kzfaq.info/sun/PL7U3W83B4KgioxllaeS3sNOy-HM23o_5X Fugly or Beautiful? What do you think?

@kewltune4683 Жыл бұрын

Divas are beautiful! Seem to be more practical than Caseta models.

@DanKing79 Жыл бұрын

I like the new look a lot, I have two Caseta switches that I'm planning to use in more tucked away areas and get some Divas for high traffic areas

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@DanKing79 That's a great way to upgrade by re-using the OG Casetas.

@mikescheve429 11 ай бұрын

This video was fantastic describing the differences between Caseta original smart switch and the Diva. Thank you!!

@DoItForMeSolutions 11 ай бұрын

I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck with your own projects!

@kewltune4683 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the channel!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Are you currently using Lutron or considering any of their products?

@kewltune4683 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions Yes I do, I have (looking in my google sheet) 6x Fan Controls, 11x Dimmers, and 5 Switches tied to SmartBridge Pro along with 10 pico remotes and an occupancy sensor. All items i mentioned are Caseta models. This covered all wall switches/controllers/dimmers except 4 light switches, which I’m using 3 Aqara light switches ‘without Neutral’ and 1 double-rocker. =)

@PalmBeachFlorida24 4 ай бұрын

Great breakdown!!

@DoItForMeSolutions 4 ай бұрын

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback!

@levik12 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I totally agree with your recommendations and ratings regarding the Lutron Caseta system, since I have been using all of them in my 3,500 square foot house for the past 7 years. Thanks!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

How many do you have installed? Curious if you have used any Caseta wireless repeaters or perhaps the outdoor unit for landscape/outdoor lights?

@diedrichguenther401 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for mentioning the coverage issue, nobody else, even Lutron, mentions this!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. My goal is to go deeper with explanation of smart home products - both features and limitations. With Lutron, it is hard sometimes to not sound like an advertisement for them. But having tried lots of systems and products, both consumer and professional, I truly feel Lutron is unique in being so reliable. They don't have everything desired, but what they do provide is significantly better than much of what other companies offer - regardless of the price.

@m.j.r.technologyreveiws1075 Жыл бұрын

I really wish Lutron would upgrade the Caseta bridge software to allow the Pico remotes to be used as HomeKit or other platform smart scene buttons. I’m currently doing this with Homebridge, which unfortunately ads a potential failure point!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Completely agree. I've talked with them and they insist it would not provide the user experience they want for their customers. In the meantime, HomeBridge, Home assistant, Indigo Domotics, and other 3rd party hub and automation systems will continue to fill in.

@NajmanAlpha Жыл бұрын

I've wanted a pico paddle style remote for a while. I'm excited to learn that there will be a claro accessory switch coming soon even though it's hardwired.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Yes. It would be awesome if they would now also do a Pico with just a single Decora style paddle. Even without an LED indicator (which Pico's do not have because of battery life issues and protocol support), it would be great to have as an option.

@theunkownmr.562 Жыл бұрын

I love these new switches. I'm in the process of upgrading my whole home to these switches and they work fantastic.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

How many are you planning to install?

@theunkownmr.562 Жыл бұрын

@DoItForMe.Solutions I've done 18 so far. I have about another 10 to 12 more to go. I just wish Lutron made a Caseta switch that looks like the Claro that can take a full 15A load so I can replace the switch that turns on my soffit outlets in my back porch. You get 5A max for on the current Claro switches and that can get dangerous the more load you add to the outlets. I also just found out I need to purchase eight Caseta Auxiliary switches to complement the Diva switches I want to install for 3-way and 4-way switch operation. I don't want to do pico remotes and I want a hardwired setup.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Yes, I agree they should keep adding more flexible options to the product line.

@technologymusings2376 Жыл бұрын

The Diva Smart Dimmer provides the aesthetic I've been waiting for in Caseta! Also, being able to turn on the lights to a specific level rather than holding the dim-up button and waiting is a huge value add. I'm just wondering if Lutron will release a Pico remote with a similar aesthetic? They already have the pico with built in nightlight that lasts 3 years, so we know they could do a Diva style remote with little level-indicating LED.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

That would be nice.

@macmovieman1 Жыл бұрын

I picked up all 50 of my new blue Tron diva switches yesterday and excited to get them installed on Saturday. I decided to do all new lighting as well at the same time and then a few outlets. I wanted to update so they could have USB-C charging. Overall, I am very excited to get this installed and absolutely love the overall look and new features.

@macmovieman1 Жыл бұрын

It doesn’t seem that anyone has any idea whether or not these support matter or thread? If so, will this be a software update, or require the new fourth generation, whenever that comes out.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Lutron's wireless devices use ClearConnect or ClearConnectX. These are Lutron proprietary wireless hardware and protocols. Given Lutron's unique reliability, range, and performance I don't see them adopting Thread as an alternative wireless interface. Perhaps for a future new product line, but it doesn't really matter (sorry for the pun!), because ... The Lutron Hub (or bridge, processor, main repeater or whatever it is called for each Lutron product line) links the Lutron devices to standard home networks. Since the Lutron Hub already supports HomeKit, Amazon, Google, Samsung Smartthings and many 3rd party hubs already have official interfaces to Lutron, in the short-term, Matter support directly by Lutron, IMHO, would not really gain them anything. Lutron has been tight-lipped about their plans for Matter. One might expect they would either have software upgrades for some of their hubs and bridges, or possibly have newer models with Matter support, but nobody knows anything official yet.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

That's a large Caseta installation! Are you using Lutron Pico scene keypads or just individual controls and automations?

@macmovieman1 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions individual controls.

@DanKing79 Жыл бұрын

Great video! A solution I've been looking for is a combo dimmer + fan control. Our bedroom has a fan (Off/Low/Medium/High) with integrated lights on a dimmer. I'd love a smart solution that accommodated both controls in a single switch so I wouldn't have to extend the gang box (which would incur wife aggro). Our living room has a similar setup, with 2 fans controlled by a single switch and the lights are turned off/on by a pull chain. I doubt I can make that very smart, but I'd love to hear some suggestions!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

With those kinds of ceiling fans, I've had good experience using the Bond Bridge (bondhome.io). It isn't supported by HomeKit, but works with Home Assistant and HomeBridge. Also works with some higher-end home automation systems like Savant and Control 4.

@mra4107 9 ай бұрын

Great video! Does the Caseta Pico remote work with Somfy motors in Stobag awnings?

@DoItForMeSolutions 9 ай бұрын

No. Lutron has their own line of motorized shades so unlikely they will ever support Somfy. There are some 3rd party bridges that allow using Caseta Pico remotes to control any other device of your own choosing. More simply, the Bond Bridge (around $99) directly supports Somfy and they have their own wireless remotes now too. Worth looking into if you want more flexibility with existing Somfy-powered shades, blinds, or awnings.

@swiftaudi Жыл бұрын

Lutron caseta is bulletproof, thank you!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Agreed!

@andymok7945 Жыл бұрын

They are not fugly. They look fine. Not inexpensive, they are well built and long lasting. I have the hub so that I can control the lights with Home Assistant. No spying mics in my home.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

@andymok7945 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions True.

@parijatnaik1031 8 ай бұрын

I agree beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I for one, love the OG Caseta switches because of their minimalistic design which makes them stand apart from others, Lutron's whole perspective for Diva was to make the switches more traditional looking to match with other existing ones which make the Divas look like quite commonplace like all other smart switches. The OG's are more aligned with fluent/material design and I personally feel are the polar opposite of fugly 😄

@DoItForMeSolutions 8 ай бұрын

Ultimately, having a choice of Caseta styles is really welcome. In my consulting and working with smart home clients around the country, the single biggest complaint, and I hear it often, is how weird the Caseta dimmers look. The issue is they don't look like a standard wall switch or dimmer and mere mortals (I mean average consumers, grandparents, visitors, friends from the neighborhood) that are not techie or geek, actually are intimidated and confused by the physical design. I think tech folks and enthusiasts often overlook the importance of both overall aesthetics and functional design (products that look like what they are supposed to be) and products that blend in to the environment instead of sticking out as different or unusual. But thankfully, there are now more choices for Lutron lighting controls.

@parijatnaik1031 8 ай бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions totally agree!

@cristofoc8174 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I've had problems with the OG Caseta dimmers causing most LED bulbs to flicker or not turn on unless at over 50% brightness. This includes bulbs Lutron says are compatible with the dimmer and work with non-smart Lutron dimmers. I see the Diva dimmer has "LED+". Will that improve LED bulb compatibility?

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

LED+ is the evolution of dimming technology from Lutron that combines several specialized dimmers from Lutron into a single one-does-it-all. In the larger systems, Pro+ allows the use of a neutral wire and provides both automatic forward and reverse phase dimming, along with manual selection of the phase. I'm not sure all of these Pro+ features have been included in Diva. It won't make it any worse, but it may or may not work better with the LED lamps (bulbs) you are using now. Unfortunately, ultimately no matter what dimmer you are using, fixing flicker and inability to dim to low levels may require switching to a different LED lamp in some cases. Using a dimmer with a neutral wire is always better if that is possible. The power-stealing mechanism of non-neutral wire dimmers degrades the dimming capability of problematic LEDs (bulbs).

@jdemuro1 Жыл бұрын

You have probably already done this, but in case someone else hasn't realized, you can adjust the lower level trim on your dimmer to stop dimming the bulb/fixture at a value which does not flicker.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@jdemuro1 Unfortunately, flicker problems with many led lamps is much worse than just the low-end trim, but that is a good starting point to try and fix.

@chadmason8526 Жыл бұрын

I went with the Leviton Smart No-Neutral dimmer switch. When purchased it was the only No-Neutral dimmer switch that could remember that last setting when you turn it off and back on. Regular smart dimmers worked fine but for no neutral options only Leviton worked correctly. It's less than $65 with the kit that includes the hub and other matching switches are available in no neutral configs. It looks like the new Lutron Diva smart dimmer switch has a manual slider? So can you adjusts the brightness remotely or just turn it off and on? It appears to be less functional.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Leviton is also a reasonable choice for no-neutral smart dimmers. The second generation products are a good improvement in capability and stability over their 1st gen efforts. I deal with a lot of Wi-Fi problems for clients and the simplest solution is keeping smart home devices off Wi-Fi as much as possible. Much easier than a costly upgrade of all the Wi-Fi gear which doesn't always makes things better. Since Lutron doesn't use Wi-Fi, it can make a big difference in reliability in larger installations or homes with a lot of Wi-Fi use (streaming, work from home, Zoom sessions, etc. all fight for Wi-Fi). Not sure about all features of Leviton vs Caseta. The new Diva's do have both a manual slider for dimming control along with full smarts and automation. The less common, but more advanced Lutron RA2 and RA3 will turn on to the manually set dimming level when the switch is pressed on the wall.

@daveraysberg7478 4 ай бұрын

If you have the dimmer slider down to lets sat 1/3 brightness, can you still control the brightness to the full level? And if you do, does the slider stay at the same place, and just the LED indicator bar adjusts, or does the actual slider move on it's own to match the level?

@DoItForMeSolutions 4 ай бұрын

Good question. The physical slider is not motorized so it only moves when you are physically moving it.

@kappadappa 7 ай бұрын

Just getting into home automation and installed several Diva dimmers. I love them but there is one really annoying flaw: when you tell Google Assistant to "turn the light on" it goes to full brightness instead of remembering the last setting. A very annoying flaw that i wish i had known ahead of time. I might have gone with a different system.

@DoItForMeSolutions 7 ай бұрын

Don't blame Lutron! The limitation or bug (depending on your point of view) is with the voice assistants Google, Alexa, etc. When you say "Google, turn the light on" the actual command is "Google, turn the light on to 75%" so if you omit the percentage dimming, Google takes it upon itself to issue the command with a default of 100%. Apparently, the interface to any brand of lighting always sends a "set light on to xx%" instead of allowing a "set light on" command which then leaves it up to the light to decide what dimming level. In the case of Lutron, when it receives a "set light on" without a percentage, it can turn the light on to a pre-set dimming level or the last dimming level used, depending on configuration. Same for many other brands of lighting control solutions. The workaround I've used is to create scenes or macros and include the desired percentage. Such as creating a scene called "Reading light" and having it turn on a specific light and set it to 70% dimming. Then using that with a voice assistant you can can say "Reading light" or "turn on Reading light" or "Run Reading Light" (depending on what your voice assistant requires). Scenes can be created in most voice assistants themselves or in the underlying smart device and then exposed back to the voice assistant. YMMV which works for you so you'll have to experiment. An email or support request to Google and Amazon telling them how annoying this bug is also helps. The more complaints they get, maybe they will finally listen?

@kappadappa 7 ай бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions You say the limitation is with the assistants, but then you also say "when Lutron receives a 'set light on' without a percentage, it can turn the light on to a pre-set dimming level or the last dimming level used, depending on configuration." THAT'S exactly what I'd like Lutron to do, but there is no way to configure it to do so. Do you know of a way to configure that? The default should be returning to the last used level, but it only goes to full brightness. Even within the Lutron app there is no way to recall the last dimming position. It's either FULL ON or OFF or a slider to select brightness. The problem is most frustrating when I say, "Hey Google turn on the living room lights" and every light goes to it's previous dimming level except the Lutron connected one which blasts to full brightness. That's why I do blame Lutron. If every Assistant works the same way and other lighting brands can return to the last used dimming level, there is no reason for Lutron to have this flaw. If you do know a way to configure Lutron to use the last used dimming level instead of full brightness, I hope you'll share it! I can't find that setting anywhere.

@DoItForMeSolutions 5 ай бұрын

Changing the default in Lutron to use the last dimming level is available in Lutron lighting controls programming, but not in the Caseta system.

@compudude Жыл бұрын

So if I have OG Caseta switches, I can just swap in the new Diva ones and they'll work the same way, integrating with the same existing hub, etc? (obviously have to add the new switches to the system as usual)

@compudude Жыл бұрын

And can existing Pico remotes work with the new switch as a 3-way configuration?

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@compudude Yes!

@adalarce Жыл бұрын

Do you think HW is worth it over Ra3 on new builds?

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Really depends on what capabilities are needed and what you are willing to afford. Some of what HomeWorks adds includes an exquisite keypad and shade options, fully wired panelized lighting support, additional specialty modules, and the full range of Ketra fixtures for tunable white, RGB, and circadian cycles from Lutron's own controller/apps. Total system capacity is much larger with HomeWorks but it has to be wired in during construction - not a viable retro-fit choice.

@jayg2895 7 ай бұрын

We used a lot of control 4 light switches in our old house which costs $250 a pop and thats before programming. When we built our new house, I used the caseta and saved us a ton.

@DoItForMeSolutions 7 ай бұрын

Great choice. FYI, Lutron does work with all the major luxury legacy systems like Control 4, Crestron, & Savant so if you're stuck with one of those systems you don't have to buy their proprietary lighting controls and still use Lutron.

@jayg2895 7 ай бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions yep, we still installed control 4 in the new house but a lot less since we did not pay alot for the light switches this time.

@jayg2895 7 ай бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions my only gripe was we finished contruction in our new house before the smart diva or the claro came out. So we are stuck with the old caseta dimmers. We do not want to replace them as it will cost too much to reprogram to control 4

@DoItForMeSolutions 7 ай бұрын

Hmmm... My assumption is that Caseta Diva dimmers are field replaceable for OG Caseta and the backend Lutron Bridge, and therefore the Control 4 or any other integration, would never be aware of the change. In fact, I do not know of any actual software driver or configuration change that is even used with Diva versus OG Caseta for any of the luxury systems. You should check with your installer or if feeling inquisitive, try replacing one OG Caseta with a Diva and see if it still works.

@DoItForMeSolutions 7 ай бұрын

Well, "not even aware" might be too optimistic. You still need to delete the existing dimmer and add the replacement Diva, but that is the same situation as if swapping a broken dimmer for a new one. (Granted, that almost never happens with Lutron, so most people don't realize they might need a service call to do that with a large back-end control system that needs a programming update just to handle that situ.)

@ozmaile7938 5 ай бұрын

I have lived with one for near a year and actually prefer The casita ELV. it just weird..... the old Divas are great but never could get used to the DIVA smart dimmer ... The usual Reg Caseta is so so because of no presets ....But the ELV is pretty good although expensive

@DoItForMeSolutions 5 ай бұрын

Yes, it would be nice if we didn't have to choose between functionality and appearance.

@glockman9c Жыл бұрын

Sonos Pico is awesome, so is the elusive 4 button scene pico.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

My favorite is the Audio Pico used for Sonos. Most folks are unaware that it exists and works with Caseta,

@soundmapper 6 ай бұрын

Lutron makes this way more complicated than it needs to be.

@DoItForMeSolutions 6 ай бұрын

True! But in fairness, many manufacturers make their product lines very complex by choice. However, having worked on the industry/manufacturer side (not smart home, but other product line), there are some good reasons for the resulting complexity that helps consumers: Long-established companies (10 to 50 years) end up with a lot of products. If backward compatibility is preserved for existing customers, it adds a lot of complexity. Easy to cut back the product line and versions and abandon older products, but that leaves a lot of very unhappy customers. Some companies don't care! Technology moves forward. Incorporating newer tech is worthwhile for both manufacturers and customers. Example: When LED lighting became an option instead of standard incandescent bulbs, most dimmers didn't work and needed to be re-designed with new circuitry that can work with both older and newer types of bulbs/lamps. In an ideal world, there would be more simplicity in a lot of products, but that raises the cost of making the products and raises the prices for consumers. So, unfortunately, in reality, some complexity is going to happen because we consumers want everything to always be faster, better, and cheaper!

@Nathan-gi9mm Жыл бұрын

I wish the Lurton maestro dimmer was a smart dimmer. Still a huge improvement

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

The smart version of the Maestro dimmer is the Lutron RA2 Select and Lutron RA2 product line.

@danfitzpatrick4112 Жыл бұрын

I've been running Home Assistant for several years now and have used many, many brands. In my experience ... I have had much success with most brands, although there are more issues with overseas versions at times. All in all IMO Lutron has been and still is overpriced. I do however think that they are more reliable. My favorite technology is Zigby! It just works and also creates its own mesh that gets stronger as you add more devices. Cool, Right! 🙂

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Home Assistant is a great solution for advanced hobbyists and the tech-savvy. Supporting multiple wireless and other technologies gives a broader choice for mix and match of devices and solutions. But I still strongly believe that the simpler and more integrated one's solution, the more reliable it will be in the long run. Smart home systems are finally emerging from the realm of tech/geek aficionados into being usable by mere mortals. Remember when it took an IT consultant or specialist just to keep a PC running well? I don't think HA is ready for typical consumers now, if ever. I mention in the video that Lutron often gets criticized for being expensive. I do believe that "you get what you pay for" and with so many other lighting solutions, I often hear, "it's very inexpensive, but I do have to reboot it every few months/weeks/days". For me, that's simply not acceptable for a true mass-market consumer product. I have worked on client Lutron systems that have gone for 3 or 4 years without a single reboot. Very few other systems have that real-world record. The emerging Thread wireless transport is based on the same 802.15.4 radios that Zigbee uses but is based on a pure IP protocol stack. Zigbee still requires bridge/gatway level protocol translation. If Thread gets the bugs worked out and can prove the scalability to large installs, it will dwarf Zigbee over the long term. HA is releasing a USB stick and support for simultaneous dual protocol - Zigbee and Thread running at the same time on the same radio hardware. That will be a nice transitional solution for avid HA fans. FWIW, Lutron has its own proprietary mesh network using 802.15.4 radios they call ClearConnectX. They are slowly moving towards making it their preferred wireless solution over the older ClearConnect. Just don't tell them "it is really just a flavor of Zigbee". 😆

@nedmollison2154 11 ай бұрын

My friend told me these Divas are better for a 3-way install than the prior Caseta versions. Other than the fugly thing, why would that be the case?

@DoItForMeSolutions 11 ай бұрын

The new Caseta Diva products include the Claro Accessory switch, which provides a hardwired switch option for Caseta n-way wiring that isn't available for the OG Caseta. That's probably what he is referring to.

@James-xg5rh Жыл бұрын

Problem is the Pico remote is still the old design so you can’t really use this new design in 3-way setups or they’ll mismatch.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

We did get the "coming soon" Caseta Claro smart accessory switch. This is for 3-way/N-way lights with an in-wall wired switch that cosmetically matches the Diva. It is Lutron's answer to the complaint that Caseta only had the wireless Pico for 3-way/N-way setups when some people wanted a matching in-wall option. (This has existed for a long time in the mid-level and pro level products including RA2, RA2 Select, RA3, and HomeWorks.) It would definitely be welcome if Lutron would now create matching wireless Pico style products with the Caseta Diva and also the RA2 Maestro and RA3 Sunnata styles with Decora paddles to complete the aesthetic choices.

@glockman9c Жыл бұрын

Lutron is Lutron. Lutron is better than 99% of the competition. Ra used to be $300 per switch.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

No argument here 😂 HomeWorks dimmers are still around $300 ea last time I checked!

@DMCnME Жыл бұрын

I still haven’t found an LED bulb that works flawlessly with my OG Caseta dimmers. The compatibility tool lies to me. Replace them with incandescents, the problem goes away. Does the “LED+” classification change that?

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Smart devices like Lutron Caseta that don't use a neutral use clever design that essentially steals power from the lighting circuit by keeping a small amount of current flowing all the time instead of actually shutting off the circuit completely, as a dumb switch does. This allows just enough power to flow to keep the electronics inside the dimmer or switch working, but not enough power for the light to actually emit light. This worked great with incandescent lamps, which require a fair amount of power. With LEDs, that run on much lower power, it can be problematic with inexpensive or cheaply built LED lamps. Unlike an incandescent bulb which is essentially just a tungsten wire connected right to the AC current, all LED lamps have AC to DC converter circuitry and LED driver circuits hidden in the base (standard LED lamps) or in a separate external small box (custom LED fixtures and lights). This makes LED lamps more difficult to turn off visually while leaving a small amount of current flowing to keep the smart dimmer running. With low-priced or lower quality LED lamps, this results in flicker, an always visible very dim light even when turned "off", or sometimes it doesn't work at all. The only solutions I've seen working are to switch to a different brand, usually much more expensive, of LED Lamp (trial and error mostly). Or to use a dimmer/switch that requires or can utilize a neutral wire (more expensive smart dimmer and may require electrical re-wiring to bring a neutral wire to the junction box). This has been my understanding / experience. If an electrician wishes to jump in here with more explanation/clarification, I would be very grateful.

@DMCnME Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions Thanks for the great response. Wish these new Lutron dimmers would support a neutral wire. I low-key regret putting dimmers in at all. I figured that having the option would be a good thing… but they’ve created more problems than they solved.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

I briefly mentioned in the video the additional Lutron smart lighting product lines. The RA2 Select line sits in the middle between the consumer and professional lines. It uses the same software app as Caseta, so it is easy to DIY install, but it is more expensive. The biggest advantage is that it has the PRO+ circuitry which can be used with or without a neutral wire. It also has the Maestro Decora style which is a momentary press paddle. Futher up is the RA3 line which requires a neutral wire but offers the newest look with the Sunnata LED lightbar combined with a touch sensitive slider instead of a physical lever. But RA3 can only be professionally installed and is not offered in a DIY version at this time. DIY'ers usually don't consider these lines unless the budget is less of an issue and they want a higher-end solution that works as well, or better, than the Caseta line. Just mentioning it for completeness, as most of my clients typically use RA2 or RA3 so I have a lot of hands-on experience with these systems also.

@DMCnME Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions Thanks again. I don’t mind paying more if it’s justified. Maybe I’ll look at the RA2 line for the kitchen and move these to another part of the house, that’s less occupied.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@DMCnME Just to wrap up, Lutron product line names are confusing and their website can be a hot mess at times, so be sure and check for "RA2 Select". They also have "RA2" (I call it "RA2 full") which is a superset but can only be installed professionally and doesn't use the same smartphone app, but a legacy PC software configurator instead.

@michaelwerbick Жыл бұрын

Hey, I like the Caseta switches. - you can send me your old Caseta ones...I need 12. more! lol. Maybe I am a little different, but I like them

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

🤣, If I can get to 1000 subscribers, I’ll keep that in mind for a giveaway.

@weing 7 ай бұрын

A very informative and well explained video. It served to convince me to not convert to smart dimmers.

@DoItForMeSolutions 7 ай бұрын

What is the alternative you are considering?

@davidrinaldis2351 4 ай бұрын

Get off my butt and walk to the other side of the room to hit the switch !!@@DoItForMeSolutions

@renee3461 Жыл бұрын

Now I just want 1 that is on/off only + no neutral required, I don't need the dimmer for some things.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, there isn't a simple solution. If the attached load is a dimmable light, you can use a dimmer and just program your automation to always turn it on to full brightness. I'm not an electrician, but my understanding is that Lutron designed the switch-only model to be used to control non-light devices such as fans, small motors, or other non-dimmable lighting loads. For those devices, it is not possible to use the "power stealing" technique that is used by the smart dimmers to keep the light off while still drawing away a small amount of current to keep the microprocessor/computer circuitry in the smart dimmer itself "alive" so it can communicate with the Lutron hub and still function. If you don't need an in-wall device, you can use the Lutron plug-in lamp dimmer (two-prong receptacle) and program it to work as an on/off switch instead of a dimmer. There are limitations on the type of devices and current load that can be connected to this - Lutron has the info on their website. The instructions for converting the plug-in module to work only as a switch are on my website here: doitforme.solutions/blog/secret-settings-to-convert-a-lutron-dimmer-to-a-switch/

@mencken8 Жыл бұрын

Now Lutron just needs to make an effort to fix their absurd prices.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

What price would you like to see?

@mencken8 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions LOWER. I have a couple of Caseta switches, the hub, and a couple of the Pico remotes. That stuff was bought in a fire sale offer on eBay a couple years back, and I paid no attention to the regular price on Lutron. It may be smart, but it’s still a light switch. $45-50? Try half that, and I may get interested.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@mencken8 I Definitely would love to see lower prices. Candidly, so much smart home tech is built and works poorly; the last thing I worry about is the cost. Finding something reliable and solid, regardless of the price, is like looking for a needle in a haystack most of the time. When the price is the only drawback, like with most Lutron gear, I'm glad at least the option exists.

@joshualincicum 4 ай бұрын

I disagree about the Diva. I prefer the old style and continue to purchase those.

@DoItForMeSolutions 4 ай бұрын

Having the choice is nice. I'm glad they continue to sell both versions.

@estusflask982 Жыл бұрын

$300? That's just scamming rich people.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

You wouldn't believe some of the prices of luxury smart home tech. But candidly, there is a lot more to luxury system pricing than just the sum of the cost of the parts. Just like a Lamborghini gets you to the store the same as a Ford F-150, luxury is not simply price/performance. I'd also argue you can pack more groceries into the F-150 ! (😉)

@jaredgudnason4400 Жыл бұрын

zwave uses 900 mhz, not 2.4Ghz

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the correction. I had that in my notes somewhere. That 800 MHz is closer to some of the cellular phone bands, and because it is still higher freq band than the 433 MHz Lutron, range and distance are more limited which is why it is always used in a mesh configuration. It will be interesting to see what happens to Z-Wave now that Thread is really pushing to become the premiere low-power rf wireless link.

@jaredgudnason4400 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions I suspect zwave wont go anywhere for at least 5-10 years just given how fast things progress. Personally 90% of my smart stuff is zwave, and it's rock solid, reliable, and importantly low power consumption for battery devices. Maybe by the time Thread and Matter are main stream, the smart home industry as a whole will have evolved into something a little better / more standardization. Right now it's still so wild wild west. You have to be a tinker and accept things going wrong to really get into smart home stuff, outside of bespoke expensive solutions that, while stable, dont have the flexibility to evolve.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@jaredgudnason4400 I agree with the 5 to 10 year timeframe, but primarily because Z-Wave is deeply entrenched in the wireless security market. Just about all security systems that are retrofit and not hardwired rely on Z-wave for door, window, motion sensors, etc. That market is very slow moving and very much "ain't broke, don't fix it" approach. In the general hobbyist market, I hear a lot of anecdotal feedback on total Z-Wave meltdowns due to buggy firmware, non-standard device profiles, and software driver problems along with vendor consternation about single-source silicon. Popular brands like Inovelli are struggling because they can't get chips to make even their existing products and they are adding other wireless tech to try and stay viable. When Amazon chose Zigbee for incorporation into some Amazon Echo hubs, I think that was really foreshadowing the long-term "nail in the coffin" that Z-Wave missed an opportunity to became the default "go-to" wireless tech for any big players.

@dankelley9361 Жыл бұрын

Wow, for $70 I get a wall switch that looks like all the others out there! I don’t think so! Way over priced!

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Assuming that paying a bit more for quality and reliability in a network connected device is worth "something", I'm curious what price you think would make more sense? I don't see them matching rock-bottom, made offshore $10 or $12 basic smart switches, but it would be nice for Lutron Caseta to have a more appealing price for mainstream mass-market consumer appeal?

@AndrewDee Жыл бұрын

Everything right except for the design That old fashioned design from 80s looks really bad, come on

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

Which design do you like?

@Rollingstone2009 Жыл бұрын

lol. Affordable?

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

What price do you think it should be?

@Rollingstone2009 Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions I have the Lutron cassetta switches and I love them. But I would never call them affordable. When the difference between an ordinary switch and a smart switch is over 1,000%, we haven’t moved into the mainstream yet. You’re right the cheaper smart switches are not reliable - though I have a Meross switch that has never failed but it needs a neutral wire. The cheaper switches are generally not on par. But the prices have to lessen over time or it won’t become mainstream. Just like led bulbs - I bought those when they were still $15-20 for one bulb. But now they’ve replaced all other bulbs and the price is affordable. Nanoleaf have made good smart bulbs affordable though they are not as reliable as Phillips hue which are not affordable. And to be fair, affordable is subjective.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

I won't justify any individual company's pricing policies; it is, of course, their right to set a price and hope that consumers see the value and buy it. I think in Lutron's case, it is working since most people complain about the price but buy it anyway. A $50 basic Android smartphone and a $1200 flagship phone from Samsung or Apple both make the same phone calls. There is room in most markets for a range of products and services that aren't always priced simply as a multiplier of the raw materials cost. But I do think there is a huge difference between a dumb wall switch (really just a few pieces of metal opening and closing a wired circuit) and an electronic smart switch. I think they will never cost the same for a very long time, if ever.

@curtisbme Жыл бұрын

Caseta Dimmers are the worst ergonomically designed dimmer ever made. Made even worse as the morons made the remote, their 3 way option, look different for no reason. Diva is MUUUCH better but it is still extremely disappointing as the Sunnata is far better than the Diva. Keeping that locked up for their professional installers.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

I've always preferred other Lutron styles over the Caseta. Actually, the Sunnata (and the existing Maestro) lines are available for consumers. You do have to sit through a free online training course, but then you have full access to the software for installation and configuration. Prices, of course, are higher, but the dirty little secret is that electrical distributors, both regional and national, will gladly sell to consumers and no wholesale or electrician license is required.

@curtisbme Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions Sorry, to be more accurate, I meant "keeping Sunnata locked up to RadioRa 3" which effectively keeps it away from most consumers. Ergonomics, feel , and speed is stellar with the dumb Sunnata. Just wish they would give us a non radioRa smart version.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@curtisbme I totally get what you are saying. Two things to consider - the single biggest complaint I hear about Caseta is many folks complaining that $40 to $60 is way too much to pay for a dimmer. I just don't see consumers willing to buy Sunnata (or Maestro) at the much higher price points anyway. For the majority of clients I work with, those with a budget for more than Caseta are in the minority, and of those, very few want to do their own installs, so I can understand why Lutron has it set up this way. I am glad that all consumers now have the ability to use the newer Diva style and the pricing is only slightly higher than the OG Caseta models.

@curtisbme Жыл бұрын

@@DoItForMeSolutions I agree that general consumers are more price conscious but there is no reason to assume that Sunnata has any reason to be any more expensive that the existing line. Looking at some competitor product's lower price, these are all likely higher margin items for Lutron. Also, if they were that concerned about the price sensitivity, the certainly wouldn't have released the Diva at $70. I'd assume Sunatta is cheaper to make, and has lower failure rate, than the Diva as it doesn't have the extra moving parts. My guess is fully that they realized the Sunatta is more desirable, as it feels more high-end, and they need to keep their customer installers happy with things that aren't available at retail. Same reason they made things like the Grafik T only for the pro market.

@DoItForMeSolutions Жыл бұрын

@@curtisbme Having been on the vendor side in a related industry, I can observe that the decisions are much more complex and often the conspiracy theories about a company's product strategy is looking at things only from the consumer's desire to have everything close to free or as inexpensive as possible. There is value in aesthetics and BOM cost is only one part of the overall equation. Bottom line - No company has the perfect strategy that will please everyone, but I'm happier betting on Lutron that has shown they can not just survive, but thrive through multiple generations of technology and a profit to insure that. Orro had some cool tech, but now they have suspended operations. Many other interesting products have already disappeared, so business and market considerations do play an important role. Lutron is an old-line family owned company. Very conservative and much slower moving than the upstarts, but tortoise and the hare and all that.