New house, zero automation now, what dimmers for future automation

Lutron is pretty tight with how Ra2 are distributed.  Amazon's not your best bet.

I seem to recall the problem with the Hue bulbs was complying with code requiring that when you turn on a switch you actually GET LIGHT.  Not have to do some dance to get a bulb to boot up it's firmware or something.  I get why some folks are interested in them but I have never liked Smart Bulbs.  But there's absolutely a gaping hole in product lines where it comes to wall control and color lighting.  
 
So with a whole twelve hours of experience (most of it spent asleep)... 
 
I can already tell I'll want the pro versions of the dimmers with the favorites button.  They really over-did the light in many rooms here (Florida, old folks, bad eyes I guess -- whereas while not young perhaps I am more of a vampire and bright light hurts), and being able to start up at about 50% would be nice.
 
One thing I can't figure out -- where is the geofencing option?   i'm running the android app and it works fine, but there's no option there for it that I can find anywhere.  And yes, I did give permission for location services (and just went into android settings and checked and it's on).  Not that I'm all that interested in it, but I was curious.
 
But... to some of the discussion before... I am realizing there are all sorts of places I do not need dimmers but may want smart switches.  I am forever leaving the light on the garage, as an example, and with a smarter hub could have it turn off.  Same with the attic light.  Both are invisible if their respective doors are shut.
 
Sigh... so many other things to do, but I guess soon I need to start playing with Home Assistant or Hubitat or similar.
 
@Linwood
 
because every room except the garage has the same exact type of LED downlighting and I wanted to see how well it worked
 
Do you have a picture of what type of dimmable LED downloading is configured?  I am really curious.
 
I googled pictures this morning. 

Reason is that I am wondering if these 120VAC or 120VAC to 12VDC lamps with dimmable power supplies.
 
Reason I ask is that I am testing one dimmable 120VAC to 12VDC power supply to LED lamps with a UPB switch and it works great compared to the 120VAC style LED lamps.
 
LLED-Downlights.jpg
 
 
 
I am forever leaving the light on the garage, as an example, and with a smarter hub could have it turn off.  Same with the attic light.
 
Here the automation for the garage lighting is using OP2 panel connected zones (GDO switches and main garage door entrance switch) for many years.
 
That and all of the lighting now is LED daylight; so bright that you cannot look at the illumination but it turns the garage in to daylight which I like.
 
No dimming in the garage.
 
For the attic lighting ran a wall switch (non automated) down a bit from the entrance of the attic / stairs.  It is an illuminated with power switch.  No dimming in the attic.
 
I did start with one lamp in the attic and installed conduit and lamp bases the entire length of the attic which helped me install 2nd floor cabling and a chandelier lift.

I have been testing a modified SonOff basic device with MQTT. This device has one temperature sensor on it, button for GDO open/close and 2 hardwired sensors to one garage door (open position and closed position). The device is using a WiFi dependency and works well. You can buy these for less than $10, JTAG and update the firmware for local LAN use only or Alexa/Google use.
 
@pete_c, you got me curious so I decided to pull one down (a bit timid because I didn't know how they came off).  Turns out they just do a slight twist and come down.  They are Sea Gull brand.  I took a shot from under and of the back.  I am not sure if this is what I would have chosen if building myself (I kind of like the flexibility of cans), but they are nicely minimalist and obviously easier to install (and probably quite a bit more energy efficient) than cans.  Their color is decent as well, at least to the eye, though to be fair I have not done any real decorating yet with photos or other things against which to judge color.
 
Since I bought the house complete I have no idea of their cost, but based on the builder I suspect they are fairly cheap.  
 
But you can dim them down to barely visible, and so far (one dimmer only, 4 lights) no flicker and nicely reproducible.
 
 
 
 

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Thank you Linwood.
 
Googled the Sea Gull lighting company and it appears that these are 120VAC direct connect LED lamps.  I cannot find any installation manuals on the web site.
 
The retro fit kit for conventional cans is pictured and it appears that the metal plate is the same one used for a flush mount to a light box.
 
Here in the hallways use ceiling lamp fixtures (2 bulbs) such that this style would look nicer and an easy retrofit over the light can (it would be flush sort of).
 
Had a look at the local big box stores here in the midwest and they do sell Sea Gull lighting.  But not the style above mentioned.  They have something similiar called Patriot LED lighting for retrofit cans at $8 each. Curious what the Seagull ones cost.

From your picture it looks just like a plate that would fit on the light box passing the 120VAC wires to the lamp that screws on similiar to say a smoke detector.
 
pete_c said:
From your picture it looks just like a plate that would fit on the light box passing the 120VAC wires to the lamp that screws on similiar to say a smoke detector.
 
Yes, it's just a round box with a special plate (presumably sold with the light) screwed on, which has the twist lock adapter.  The driver is obviously in each light.  One thing I need to look at is whether the light comes apart for cleaning, the ventilation will let dirt and bugs in I think (and a couple lights look a bit dirty already).   Maybe if not compressed air may clear them out, blow in one side, out the other.
 
Something to consider, LEDs fade over time, just like incandescents.  If you have a room that has more than one of those lights and you like them all to look the same, be prepared to replace them in sets.  If one dies, replace the others in the room at the same time, otherwise you'll have noticeable differences.

The fact they're using a non-standard mounting scheme tells me you'd do well to lay in some spares if you want to keep the look consistent.

This is another one of those 'dirtly little secrets' about LEDs folks aren't prepared for...  made worse by the explosion of all kinds of random ways to mount them.  At least with ceiling cans you don't risk losing the whole look of the room when a bulb dies.   
 
I have those same type of LEDs that fit in a junction box; used 8 4-in in my kitchen and they still work great 5 years later and are very bright. I bought them from HD and just did a search and there are many available now but I didnt see the product I purchased on the website or Id provide a link.
 
Just updated the Kitchen cans here to newer PAR XX LED Amazon bulbs.  I am not happy with the dimming with is just two levels...but the bulbs were cheap.  The old LED bulbs did dim fine and were around 5 years old and one went out last week.  So changed the entire set such that there was uniformity.  These are all in older style in ceiling cans. Went with White instead of Warm and wife likes these better in the kitchen when she is cooking. That and went with white for the under the kitchen cabinet lighting in the stove area and other counters.
 
Thinking that I like this style better and do see now all sorts of retrofit LED lamps for cans at the local big box stores (Home Depot, Lowes and Menards here).  What is nice is that they are all adjacent to each other which makes shopping easy.
 
The hallways today are using these style lamps with two LED bulbs per fixture. (contractor installed)

They do sell LED retrofit lamps for this style lamp. (flat circular multiple LEDs).
 
hallways.jpg
 
I would like to change these to the LED lamps above mentioned for a bit of a cleaner look in the hallways.
 
In one shower stall here went to an LED flush mount on the ceiling.  They utilize no space and connect to a box adjacent to the circular hole in the drywall.  Its been 2 years now and not fading at all.  Looks a lot like a can light.  This is a 12VDC lamp with wires going to a box with a 12VDC to 120 VAC transformer.
 
Thank you Linwood.

Here for automation today using the Leviton OmniPro 2 panel, Homeseer, HA and Smartthings Smart hub these days and UPB, X10, Zigbee, ZWave and now WiFi and MQTT. Audio is Russound zoned audio (primarily MS SAPI). BUT tinkering with Alexa and Squeezebox players and Google now and turning these into distributed audio for media or VR stuff now..just added a Amazon DOT and mixing audio on the Russound. House speaks using 4 SAPI fonts and now Alexa.

....Cell phones are typically off in the house and continue to utilize touchscreens these days...(Homeseer and Omnitouch).


 
 
Meant to add earlier that a lot of DIYers on AVSForum purchase their RadioRa2 equipment from Spiwrx (www.hankselectric.net). His website doesn’t have everything listed so if you have an AVS account, PM there with the list of items you want to buy.

I now purchase the 6ND for general dimmer switch and the 10ND for heavier lighting loads like a bunch of lights in a kitchen. The 8ANS is the primary switch I buy. 2ANF for normal fans. RD-RD is the remote dimmer and RD-RS is the remote switch for 3-ways. Hope that helps.
 
@dgage, thanks.  Yeah, very little listed, but I can join and ask.
 
....
 
Anyone know how to get to the geofence option in Android application? 
 
There are many available tracking widgets or apps for your Android phone.
 
Relating to Homeseer(paid) and Home Assistant (free) and thinking Smartthings hub there are a few geofencing applications. 
 
Thinking maybe too with CQC (paid), OpenHab (free), Home Genie (free), Domoticz (free)...check out their forums.

Reading now and easy to get are applications today that you can just insert a telephone number (not even an IMEI number) and track geo location said number anywhere in the world.
 
I wish geo-fencing worked.  But by the time you layer enough of the pieces together it gets pretty gnarly to configure well enough to be reliable.

Because simple ones screw up on little things like your phone going dead, thus no longer being 'visible on site' so the system goes into away mode.  Or you're only leaving for a short while, and don't need the house to go into a full away mode.  It's kinda hard to genuinely establish suitable away modes.
 
pete_c said:
There are many available tracking widgets or apps for your Android phone.
 
 
I was speaking specifically of the official Lutron Caseta application, which reportedly has it, but I cannot find it in there.
 
It was more curiosity than because I could think of a useful use case that wasn't plagued by all sorts of exceptions.
 
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