Can I use my Caseta dimmers with RadioRA2?

[psychobunny]

I have about 10 Caseta dimmers, nothing crazy and a ton of Pico remotes with the SmartBridge Pro. Getting bored with it and wouldn't mind getting into keypads and what not, but can't seem to find out if I can use Caseta dimmers with RadioRA2 or if they are different? Whenever I google it it tends to find just "what's the difference with Caseta and RadioRA2." If I have to buy all new dimmers then it's of course not worth it. Thanks!

[smart_home_guy]

I've just done this. (Moved from Caseta to RadioRA2). Fortunately I didn't have many devices so the sunk cost was small.

You have to start fresh. The Picos are the only hardware that carries over and can be reused. Keep in mind that to duplicate your Caseta setup with smartphone functionality you need both a main repeater and a connect bridge in the RA2 system.

Also, you need to get yourself trained (free online) in order to access the programming software.

[SparkyCoog]

Not currently but Caseta is a popular DIY system so I'm sure you can put them on ebay or something. Also remember that Ra2 is a dealer system so you'd have to hire someone else to program it or get certified for a level 1 and get access to it. If at any point you want a dealer to come finish the job, their level 2 software (inclusive) will take over and you will no longer have access anymore as I found out with a customer who started a job himself and had me finish.

You might want to look into the newly announced Ra2 Select.

[CaliforniaGuy]

You might want to look into the newly announced Ra2 Select.

But note that (as far as we know) Caseta dimmers ALSO won't work with RA2 Select!

I really don't get what Lutron's product strategy people were thinking with Caseta. It's now a complete dead-end system, as RA2 Select is better in any meaningful way. RA2 Select has more flexibility-- and more importantly-- has a real upgrade path to RR2 when homeowners outgrown a DIY system. The cost increase to RA2 Select is a no-brainer if the consumer actually understood how easy it is to get "stuck" in Caseta.

If you think about it, the whole Lutron offering now is actually *worse* than just leaving existing Caseta owners stranded with no upgrade path... unless Lutron stops selling Caseta, they're going to increasingly create more and more people who unknowingly try out Caseta DIY, expand their Caseta investment over time, and then be unable to justify ripping and replacing their whole Caseta investment. I hope they fix their messaging on Caseta (at least with a big warning as a mitigation) or fully pull it (in favor of RA2 Select) soon to prevent this whole situation from getting worse.

[SparkyCoog]

But note that (as far as we know) Caseta dimmers ALSO won't work with RA2 Select!

I really don't get what Lutron's product strategy people were thinking with Caseta. It's now a complete dead-end system, as RA2 Select is better in any meaningful way. RA2 Select has more flexibility-- and more importantly-- has a real upgrade path to RR2 when homeowners outgrown a DIY system. The cost increase to RA2 Select is a no-brainer if the consumer actually understood how easy it is to get "stuck" in Caseta.

If you think about it, the whole Lutron offering now is actually *worse* than just leaving existing Caseta owners stranded with no upgrade path... unless Lutron stops selling Caseta, they're going to increasingly create more and more people who unknowingly try out Caseta DIY, expand their Caseta investment over time, and then be unable to justify ripping and replacing their whole Caseta investment. I hope they fix their messaging on Caseta (at least with a big warning as a mitigation) or fully pull it (in favor of RA2 Select) soon to prevent this whole situation from getting worse.

According to the email I got back from Lutron, Caseta is in no way compatible with Ra2 Select. Supposedly Ra2 Select's dimmers are compatible so it provides them with some upgrade path but you're right about Caseta. It leaves a bunch of DIYers who picked Lutron over the Zwave crap out there out in the dark.

We have to remember that consumers are just now getting into automation so this is very well their first contact with it and so they're bound to make the wrong decision early on.

[rhett7660]

I don't know how you can say consumers made the wrong decision considering RA2 Select wasn't even a thought or a mention by Lutron when Caseta was announced. Correct me if I am wrong, but there was no mention, not talk, nothing from Lutron on RA2 Select. So I don't know how a consumer can make the wrong decision.

[psychobunny]

We went with a different vendor due to this and do not use Lutron. Please stop emailing me every single time someone replies to this post considering it is months old. I have already clicked unsubscribe three times now if I get any more I'm reporting this to the Canada anti-spam legislation as it's illegal to add someone to your mailing list that didn't give you written permission as well as to not remove them from it when they ask.

[rhett7660]

If you don't mind me asking, who did you end up going with?

[SparkyCoog]

I don't know how you can say consumers made the wrong decision considering RA2 Select wasn't even a thought or a mention by Lutron when Caseta was announced. Correct me if I am wrong, but there was no mention, not talk, nothing from Lutron on RA2 Select. So I don't know how a consumer can make the wrong decision.

I never said they made the wrong decision before Select came out, I meant going forward, it's still going to be confusing as hell with two DIY products that are 100% incompatible.

Cone to think of it, I guess one mistake they may have made is not hire a dealer for ra2 from the start ;) I warned people against caseta as soon as it came out because I knew sooner or later, people would outgrow it and it was a dead end, but noooo, I just wanted to make money.

[rhett7660]

I never said they made the wrong decision before Select came out, I meant going forward, it's still going to be confusing as hell with two DIY products that are 100% incompatible.

Cone to think of it, I guess one mistake they may have made is not hire a dealer for ra2 from the start ;) I warned people against caseta as soon as it came out because I knew sooner or later, people would outgrow it and it was a dead end, but noooo, I just wanted to make money.

Ahhh gotcha ok. Understood and I agree!! Especially since we are not seeing RA2 Select at your DIY stores! Eeek.