Can ra2 dimmers be paired with motion sensors manually without main repeater?

[SparkyCoog]

In other words, is a ra2 dimmer just like a maestro RF dimmer when it's standalone? I ask because someone MAY want a ra2 system in the future but for now they just need a pico and a motion sensor and the cost difference is not a whole lot so can they just use ra2 now as standalone and in the future if they want the whole system, just factory default it and program it?

[wkearney99]

Ra2 is not a 'maybe' kind of installation. You start with a main repeater and go from there.

The tragedy here is you can't take a working Caseta installation and upgrade it to Ra2. Which is decidedly stupid on Lutron's part. Take a situation where a customer loves the products, and wants to buy more (and do more) and Lutron is telling them they have to RIP IT ALL OUT AND THROW IT AWAY. Especially since the technology involved is EXACTLY the same for Caseta and Ra2.

[SparkyCoog]

Ra2 is not a 'maybe' kind of installation. You start with a main repeater and go from there.

The tragedy here is you can't take a working Caseta installation and upgrade it to Ra2. Which is decidedly stupid on Lutron's part. Take a situation where a customer loves the products, and wants to buy more (and do more) and Lutron is telling them they have to RIP IT ALL OUT AND THROW IT AWAY. Especially since the technology involved is EXACTLY the same for Caseta and Ra2.

Yes I agree that I wish there was an upgrade path between the two systems without ripping everything out and it seems that the marketing department decided to compete for the DIY market (Wink, smartthings, etc) and I guess they decided that those people are budget minded and DIYers and wouldn't want to let someone else program their systems and pay a premium price anyway. I doubt if there is much difference in the inner workings of Caseta and Ra2 other than software. I actually think they got that part right because most people who have caseta are very non-techie...Normal people if you will. The ones that will get in trouble are the ones who get 30-40 devices and run out of room and want to upgrade or salespeople who oversell Caseta. I always tell people that if they approach 20 devices, forget caseta and move up to avoid what you describe.

Regardless, my question is just about a standalone ra2 dimmer. I could have sworn I heard that it acts just like a clear connect device and would just be an expensive RF dimmer if not part of a system.

[gt3mike]

RA2 dimmers do work with Pico remotes without being enrolled in a system. I've done it myself. I don't know about motion sensors though.

[wkearney99]

I'll give this a try on a system later this morning. That is, I have a site with motion sensors paired to dimmers, but set up with a main repeater. I'll power off the repeater and try.

It's been ages since I suffered the agony of manual programming of Ra devices. I'm not THAT willing to help that I'd try that...

[wkearney99]

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

- - - Updated - - -

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

[gt3mike]

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

- - - Updated - - -

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

I think the OP was asking specifically about manual programming. It sounds like he is considering purchasing and installing RA2 dimmers in advance of purchasing a repeater and running the software to configure a system and activate devices.


I did this myself - in one room I installed a RA2 dimmer and manually paired it to two Pico remotes without activating them into a system. Worked just fine.


But I don't know about the occupancy/vacancy sensors. kind of doubt they would work together without being activated into a system.

- - - Updated - - -

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

- - - Updated - - -

Nope, no repeaters means no motion sensor control of the devices configured for it. Just tried it, took a room that has a sensor in the corner programmed for the lighting. Confirmed it works with the repeater (waited well past the occupancy/vacancy timeouts). Then powered off the repeater (two of them, actually, as it's an Inclusive setup with over 100 devices) and no sensor control of the lighting. What this means is you can't do something like program them and then remove the repeater from the site.

I've not done any manual programming of Ra2 devices, so I don't know what options exist there.

I think the OP was asking specifically about manual programming. It sounds like he is considering purchasing and installing RA2 dimmers in advance of purchasing a repeater and running the software to configure a system and activate devices.

I did this myself - in one room I installed a RA2 dimmer and manually paired it to two Pico remotes without activating them into a system. Worked just fine.

But I don't know about the occupancy/vacancy sensors. kind of doubt they would work together without being activated into a system.

[SDR-Mike]

RA2 dimmers will "dumb down" to a Maestro Wireless equivalent without the main repeater. You would be able to use a Pico, Occ/Vac sensor, or even the daylight sensor (until activated into a system where the DL sensor is NOT available). Same for Caseta if necessary.