Interesting RA2 Install in +$5mm house

How do you do RA2 installs?
I was in a high end home the other day and saw a very well thought out Ra2 installation. Clearly this was done in conjunction with new build wiring. However, the electrician placed all the master RA2 switches in the basement, in the main control room (which was 1,000 sq ft to give you an idea of the caliber of house). Each one was labeled and then all the switches throughout the house were simply remote switches. Maybe this is a common installation method, but was new for me.

This is similar to a HomeWorks install from the ground up. The only thing you would see in each room is a keypad to control scenes, even though there might be 10-20 switch legs for more complex lighting designs. It's fairly common when the customer doesn't want a large quantity of switches and dimmers on every wall.

I'll add a pet peeve of mine that limits the homeowners who only want keypads: All keypad buttons are TINY. Yes, I know you can do GRAFIK T, but it's still a small keypad when you're flying by on your way somewhere and just want to turn on lights in a room. Yes, I also know you can do occupancy sensors, but not everyone wants these sensors to flash the lights on in front of them automatically.

If you could have a double-tall button on a regular keypad, that would help a lot.

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Originally Posted by schalliol

I'll add a pet peeve of mine that limits the homeowners who only want keypads: All keypad buttons are TINY. Yes, I know you can do GRAFIK T, but it's still a small keypad when you're flying by on your way somewhere and just want to turn on lights in a room. Yes, I also know you can do occupancy sensors, but not everyone wants these sensors to flash the lights on in front of them automatically.

If you could have a double-tall button on a regular keypad, that would help a lot.

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I would love to see the Pallodium keypads come down to RA2. I believe as you do, especially as the Baby Boomers are now "aging in place". The larger button format is far easier for delicate fingers to use and old eyes to see.

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Originally Posted by schalliol

If you could have a double-tall button on a regular keypad, that would help a lot.

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That's a great idea!

I completely agree with the "small button" limitation with the current keypads. Not just for older eyes, but really anyone who's not used to the system, too. The small buttons make the keypad look less light a light switch - a big 2 or 3 button panel (with the same custom engraving) would be perfect. Yes, the Pico is one way to solve this, but a different keypad overlay would be a much more flexible solution.

Jeff

Those keypads would be great. All I can do for this is use engraved 4 button picos or not use engraving and do a 1 button pico, which isn't ideal.

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Originally Posted by schalliol

Those keypads would be great. All I can do for this is use engraved 4 button picos or not use engraving and do a 1 button pico, which isn't ideal.

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I like this idea so much I'm going to make a special effort at CEDIA to seek out a Lutron person at the booth that can take that idea and run with it!

Thinking about it some more, it would be almost trivial for them to do this. Just a new button overlay lacking contacts on the "even" buttons underneath. And a tweak to the software. But I don't see any reason they couldn't do that on the existing keypads...

Jeff

Thanks for doing that. I loved it when CEDIA was in Indy. Yes, given that the buttons are changeable, there's no reason they couldn't do a double or even full decora sized button. Now that I think about it, you could (with the right tools I don't have) even make your own and just fabricate a button kit that does this of any size you like and in the software just don't program ll of the buttons on the keypad.

Much better would be for them to do it. They'd sell a ton of button kits and many more keypads.

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Originally Posted by schalliol

Thanks for doing that. I loved it when CEDIA was in Indy.

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I grew up in the area and still have family there so Indy was a great place for CEDIA. But I prefer the short-ish drive to Dallas from here (Houston) I have again this year... :-)

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make your own and just fabricate a button kit that does this of any size you like and in the software just don't program ll of the buttons on the keypad.

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You're right - if you just left the buttons blank in the existing software no one would even notice...

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Much better would be for them to do it. They'd sell a ton of button kits and many more keypads.

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Engraving aside, this made me think - why can't RA2 trigger a scene on a switch press from any dimmer? I'd use that mode in a number of places where there's an obvious default scene but where a switch is more usable. Heck, in place of selling another keypad, they could make good money offering engraving on simple switches!