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Thread: Controlling switched outlets.....

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by schalliol View Post
    I've used these Receptacles and Plugs for Dimming Use before with good success. The downside is you have to re-wire the lamps.

    My recommendation is to get two of the plug-in lamp dimmers and replace the old school switch with a Pico to turn all lamps on and off with individual control at the bedside. You could have options to hide the plug-in module(s) and have Picos at the bedside that do any config of one/both on off/dim
    I like the Pico idea, so essentially I could have one Pico at the door entrance and even one at each side of the bed if I wanted control of both lamps. I didn't know that was possible, can all three Pico's be programmed to control both lamp modules?

  2. #12
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    Yes, you can set all three Picos to control the lamp modules. You might like to be able to independently control each unit, which you would have if you used the tabletop dimmer.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by rapamatic View Post
    Another option would be to put a keypad where the switch was.
    Exactly what I did in my master bedroom with the switched receptacles / light switch. Wired permanently hot, replaced switch with a keypad and use lamp dimming modules.

    For those considering using dimmers on switched receptacles. What happens (and it probably will sooner or later) to your dimmer when an inductive load gets plugged in (like a vacuum cleaner).

  4. #14
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    You can also cut in 8ANS next to the plug, above it, or change the single box to a 2 gang and put the 8ANS in the same box. Switch half the plug(1/2 hot) and hot the other 1/2. We do it all the time where a lamp dimmer is not visually acceptable. Just had a house with 4 two gang location being controlled from Home Control. Switch/plug are behind cabinets.

  5. #15
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    Another question regarding the keypads mentioned: would a RRD?W5BRLIR work in order to allow the IR control from the URC remote? Seems like it would work perfect in conjunction with the lamp dimmers.

  6. #16
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    So just to circle back to this: assuming a neutral is available, the 8ANS can be used to control a non-dimmable outlet, correct?

    Thanks

  7. #17
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    Yup. Just don't exceed 8 amps. If you need full 16 amps, use the softswitch, but you need Inclusive.

    You didn't ask, but you can use the receptacle for dimming of you want to be able to dim with a 6CL or 6D (you have to re-wire the lamp).

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by schalliol View Post
    (you have to re-wire the lamp).
    The upside being the plug you'd attach will still allow the lamp to be plugged into a regular outlet. So if the lamp needed to be moved elsewhere it'd still work just fine in a regular outlet.

    Lots of people skip around code restrictions against dimming outlets. You're not supposed to set up a plain outlet as dimmable. Because powering devices not expecting to have dimmer control on their AC supply could introduce risk of damage (to the devices AND the dimmer) and potentially cause a fire.

    It's a shame Lutron hasn't gotten around to making an on-wall dimmer for RA2 (like the one already available for Caseta). It'd be a much more convenient solution than using the in-line or tabletop dimmers, in quite a few situations.

  9. #19
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    Choice is nice, but wow, those on wall dimmers are ugly. I think that's why they haven't made a RR2 version.

    I've re-wired using the full and half duplex recepticals for dimming use a number of times over the years, and it's not too bad but I agree not something most individuals would do. I suppose you could make a cabLe that converts to an Edison so you wouldn't have to destroy the original cable, but you'd need to put some locking system on the outside of the cable there such that it couldn't be removed easily and a toaster plugged in. That might meet the NEC, but not sure. The last I checked the code, it wasn't specific to any particular plugs. I think it would be safer than what Lutron is doing with Caseta on wall, because you could easily plug anything into those.

    I'd like a switchable outlet that expects a 120V wire incoming. You could do a dimmer in it with a plug for dimming too I guess. In my own home, I have a number of RR2 lamp dimmers that aren't controlled locally at the same time as I have a switched outlet that's in the wrong spot in the room. With these in wall switches, you'd just skip all the switched outlet runs, so it would be cheaper.

  10. #20
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    Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I didn't say I wanted the Caseta plastics, those are indeed hideous. It's almost as if they deliberately made them ugly because someone in HWQS or RA2 whined about it potentially cannibalizing their sales. That, they accomplished. I'm kidding, no.... serious, no... just sad.

    I suppose some folks would want the full range of Lutron colors, but I'd be fine with just -SW and -MN.

    I like on-wall for a number of situations where you might need to rearrange things. Like phone chargers or holiday lighting. Or two lamps on endtables alongside a couch with an outlet behind it. Or just an outlet needed for some other intermittent uses. Yeah, it breaks the notion of a fixed-in place automated network of devices, but so do the in-line gizmos.

    I confess, I've had to lash together nonsense with table dimmers and extension cords, talk about ugly. But at least those can be crammed under the couch, until someone blindly runs the vacuum over them... On wall would be a welcome solution. Meanwhile, cheap Picos and pedestals are a win for this!

    I'm guessing there's some "issues" with how wall outlets would be used. They'd certainly force the issue by making a dual purpose controllable in-wall dimmer if they made it use the special socket! How about one line, one controlled? Trouble is, which side should which? In the old days of ungrounded, un-polarized outlets it didn't matter. No doubt whichever got chosen, someone would complain. Two independently switchable (note, not dimmable) outlets in a single gang would be awesome.

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