RadioRa 2 - First Day Impressions

[wkearney99]

We're putting RA2 in our new house.  My one question is how to get decent outside spot light motion control.  I'd like to put the spots up high under the eaves, but those would be crappy locations for typical motion sensors.  So I'm looking to find a reliable way to detect outside motion AND integrate it with a RA2 system.  
 
My main goal is to be able to be able to enable/disable the motion sense activation from with the regular RA2 environment.  I plan on having three motion sensing zones.  Might this be a candidate for one of the switch input devices?
 
I want to have a RA2 keypad button for each zone to enable/disable the motion sensor.  So I can manually tell the system to ignore the sensor's input and use the lights manually.

 

[lleo]

How are you using your occupancy/vacancy sensors?

 
I have them installed in hallway, laundry room, bathrooms, kid's rooms, even master bed. Some are 'always on' i.e. programmed to turn on the load on motion, and turn it off when there is none. My older child does not like the auto on, so for her, use vacancy only mode. I use the timeclock function to switch some sensors off at 8PM at night, other to vacancy mode only, and use again the timeclock to switch them back in the morning. There are different times for weekend days. The master bath has two sensors that turn the load on at different dimming levels at different times.
Overall, quite versatile, although no conditional logical. The low-light function works also well, so whenever there is sufficient light during the day, loads do not turn on.
I have the Elk Radiora2 module connected and enrolled, just never had the time to play with the lighting integration for alarm and conditional logic.
Now if I could find a dealer who would sell me some roller and roman shades..., I have 34 windows and 20 devices left...

 

[lleo]

Primarily came from this post but that was over a year ago so they might have fixed it.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1327173/radiora2-occupancy-sensor-doesnt-work-as-promised-holy-anti-green-technology

 
I remember this post, and have experienced something to this extent. I think there is a bug in the program, which causes to activate the sensors on 'always on' mode after downloading a program, with no low-light function or off function.
I tinkered one night with the system after the time the sensors are typically turned off by the timeclock, and then went to bed to be woken up by my wife in the middle of the night with all lights bright on in the MB... Turned the lights off, but they came back on at the slightest movement before could fall asleep again... so had to pull the sensor and place it under a pillow. By the morning, as one cycle has passed, all worked as expected. Since then, I always change things in the morning, to allow for proper functioning by the evening.
I read somewhere that powercycling the repeaters may help with this, but I am just plain lazy to trek to the basement to do that.
I have upgraded to version 6 recently, but have not given a try to see if the behavior is same

 

[lleo]

We're putting RA2 in our new house.  My one question is how to get decent outside spot light motion control.  I'd like to put the spots up high under the eaves, but those would be crappy locations for typical motion sensors.  So I'm looking to find a reliable way to detect outside motion AND integrate it with a RA2 system.

 
I believe, the RA2 sensors are not rated for outdoors, although some have reported using them successfully in garages and other, slightly protected locations, like unheated pool house or such. I have landscape lights and door lights integrated in RA2 with switches inside, but not the floods. You would have to use some third-party, exterior rated motion sensors and a hardware or software processor to work with RA2 to get the desired functionality
 

My main goal is to be able to be able to enable/disable the motion sense activation from with the regular RA2 environment.  I plan on having three motion sensing zones.  Might this be a candidate for one of the switch input devices?
 
I want to have a RA2 keypad button for each zone to enable/disable the motion sensor.  So I can manually tell the system to ignore the sensor's input and use the lights manually.

 
I think this is not possible. Other than the timeclock, you cannot change the motion sensors. I have seen description of systems where low-voltage wire from VCRX NO/NC dry contacts went to a dumb Lutron switch which in turn activated/deactivated the desired function, but I never tried it or looked into it more in detail.

 

[dgage]

Good question on the outdoor floods as I have pondered it but hadn't really focused on it. Right now I have the following as I got tired of cheap motion lights so bought a highly regarded motion sensor that has a long distance sensor and a sensor underneath so it is great when we are under it, near it, or far.  And the LED flood is BRIGHT and lights up an entire side of a three car driveway and the other corner light does the other half.  Pretty bright in my driveway at night...a security system in itself.
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W3YI26/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QPHK5E/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
But I would really like to know if it were tripped, maybe not to integrate with RadioRa 2 but eventually with a security system.
 
David

 

[Neurorad]

I was looking at the Optex long distance outdoor sensor a couple weeks ago, online.  I think I could integrate that with RA2, but not sure how though.  It says it can be mounted as high as 10' - which doesn't seem that high to me.
 
http://www.optexamerica.com/security-products/hx-40dam

 

[Neurorad]

Optex offers a layout service to installers.  I might have to consider that.

 

[dgage]

I bought an Optex 402R outdoor motion sensor with voice recording just to play with. I could see myself easily hooking that up to a security system but not sure how it would happen with the RadioRa 2. Just remember that the Optex sensors are rather large, at least the 402s are.

David

 

[Neurorad]

The RA2 VCRX device has dry contacts, IIRC, for integration.
 
Thanks for the tip on the large size, difficult to tell from online pics.

 

[dgage]

The VCRX has a single input so you'd know that you had motion somewhere around your house but not the actual quadrant or side. 
 
To each his own and I'd love to be shown a different way but I say let RadioRa 2 be for lighting and bring in a security system for the security aspects.  With a security system you'd be able to hook up a motion sensor to specific input contacts and know exactly where the breach occurred and if you had additional capabilities/software you could tune to a particular camera.  And of course, you could use a security system to fire a Radiora 2 event as well since the commands are so straight forward (search for Lutron Integration Protocol). 
 
David

 

[picta]

I am using X10 flood lights, believe it or not, they are the best flood lights for home automation. I have 12, each can be individually turned on/off to provide outside light, and also sends X10 signal when the motion sensor is tripped. At a price of $49 you cannot beat the combo. HAI OP2 has a separate jack for X10 module, so I don't even have to tie up a serial port to integrate the floods with my system.

 

[electron]

Those floodlights are one of the worst products X10 ever released, I am surprised you are that happy with them.  I ended up installing regular floodlights, and control them with a relay (while integrating the motion sensor with my automation via a relay).

 

[picta]

I forgot to mention that I use Leviton model 6417, not the ones made by X10. They have been installed for over four years now and work very well. What was wrong with the ones you had?

 

[sashaz]

Jusst out of interest what is the price for this lutron system and is it coming out in Europe?

 

[dgage]

No clue about Europe but there are some Lutron RRD- (RadioRa 2 designation) switches listed on Amazon.  And pay attention to the prices as a couple are crazy at $900+ for a hybrid keypad, which is ridiculous.