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Caseta wireless Dimmer paired with a normal 2 button pico?
Hi, I've been trying to research the Caseta system for the past couple of days and it's been a bit hard to find specific answers to how my lights are wired in my home.
I have a 3 way switch for the kitchen, a Dimmer switch and a regular toggle/on-off switch on the other end.
The Dimmer is RARELY used as it just used to adjust the brightness of the kitchen lights and after it's set, the regular toggle switch is used to turn on and off the kitchen lights from then on. It's usually set to lower brightness when it's just me and the wife, but is adjusted brighter for when we're having company and such, but again it's turned on and off with the regular toggle switch.
I was planning on replacing the dimmer switch with a in wall caseta dimmer, and replacing the main toggle switch with a Pico remote but the 2 button pico (non dimmer version, unlike what the kits usually come with)
Would this be possible? Or can a in wall Dimmer only work a with a Pico dimmer remote?
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There are instructions in the "Advanced Installation Guide" for using a Caseta dimmer with a mechanical toggle switch. You won't need the Pico at all. You will have on/off control from the toggle and full control from the dimmer.
https://www.casetawireless.com/documents/0301710a_caseta%20advanced%20inst.pdf
PS: I haven't tried pairing a 2 button Pico with a dimmer, however, the on/off function of the 2 button is the same as the 3 button R/L. It's just a question of will the software let you do it?
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Pairing the 2 button Pico with a dimmer shouldn't be an issue, but why? Give them the dimming function for the same price. Unless that is all you have on site and no easy solution for getting a 3BRL Pico quickly, no sense crippling the function of a dimmer.
Pairing a dimmer with the mechanical toggle only works for the Pro dimmer- PD-10NXD-WH.
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I just tested your idea at my place. Yes, you can assign a 2 Button Pico (PJ2-2B-GWH-L01) to a Dimmer. It acts as expected, on and off only.
I am a big fan of the Caseta Pro switches that use conventional switches as a slave in a 3 way setup. Mostly because I've hit the 50 device limit. You may not like it as much because it sounds like you have your current dimmer set below 100%. If you did a Caseta Pro (PD-10NXD-WH) + a Single Pole Switch, there would be no "memory" brightness. It would go to full bright every time.
If you use a PD5-NE-WH Caseta Dimmer plus a regular Pico (PJ2-3BL-WH), both would have the round Memory button that you could set to less than 100%.
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Originally Posted by
Gator Bite
I just tested your idea at my place. Yes, you can assign a 2 Button Pico (PJ2-2B-GWH-L01) to a Dimmer. It acts as expected, on and off only.
I am a big fan of the Caseta Pro switches that use conventional switches as a slave in a 3 way setup. Mostly because I've hit the 50 device limit. You may not like it as much because it sounds like you have your current dimmer set below 100%. If you did a Caseta Pro (PD-10NXD-WH) + a Single Pole Switch, there would be no "memory" brightness. It would go to full bright every time.
If you use a PD5-NE-WH Caseta Dimmer plus a regular Pico (PJ2-3BL-WH), both would have the round Memory button that you could set to less than 100%.
Hi Gator Bite!
Thanks for testing out what I was trying to do, lucky you had the items needed to try it out.
Question though I was reading what you mentioned about using the pro dimmer with a single pole switch, why would it cause it to go to full brightness from the single pole switch? I know you mentioned it doesn't have the memory brightness.
My current Rocker style dimmer switch (Rocker plus side buttons for dim settings and a very small slide button for on and off at the bottom of it) is set to around 60 ish brightness for the kitchen, and i have a normal non dimmer rocker style button for main access (this button is use the most since its IN the kitchen, the dimmer switch is located in the dining room). So we set it to 60 percent brightness since there are alot of lights in the kitchen it controls and we don't need full brightness. After we set it to the 60 percent brightness we like, we just use the rocker in the kitchen and it keeps that setting. These are just normal switches from what I can tell, is there a reason these switches can keep the setting and a Wireless lutron dimmer and a single pool can't do the same thing?
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Originally Posted by
sol1d
Hi Gator Bite!
Thanks for testing out what I was trying to do, lucky you had the items needed to try it out.
Question though I was reading what you mentioned about using the pro dimmer with a single pole switch, why would it cause it to go to full brightness from the single pole switch? I know you mentioned it doesn't have the memory brightness.
My current Rocker style dimmer switch (Rocker plus side buttons for dim settings and a very small slide button for on and off at the bottom of it) is set to around 60 ish brightness for the kitchen, and i have a normal non dimmer rocker style button for main access (this button is use the most since its IN the kitchen, the dimmer switch is located in the dining room). So we set it to 60 percent brightness since there are alot of lights in the kitchen it controls and we don't need full brightness. After we set it to the 60 percent brightness we like, we just use the rocker in the kitchen and it keeps that setting. These are just normal switches from what I can tell, is there a reason these switches can keep the setting and a Wireless lutron dimmer and a single pool can't do the same thing?
That's just not the way the Caseta's work. When the traveler wire is used to activate the switch (single pole, three way, or even three and four way, any number of switches can be added) the switch goes to full bright. It's just the way they work.
I know exactly what you are describing. You are describing the way the Maestro switches work. You set a brightness, and that's the brightness they default to (unless you double tap them, then they go full bright). To get this functionality, you really need to move up to the RA2 Select with Maestro RF Dimmers. Or... You can use the Caseta switch I recommended with a Pico, program the "favorite" button to 60% and then use the favorite button on both the switch and the Pico in the other location.