UPB HLC Switches - 3 Way Question

[iJDUB]

OK, I'm buying UPB switches to compliment my Omni IIe setup.
 
If I want to control lights that are currently a 3 way setup (hallway lights).  Do I need just 1 UPB switch (35A00-1)?  Can I keep the other switches regular non UPB switches?  Or do I have to also get the 37A00-1 auxiliary switches too?
 
Also does it really matter if I get the LED/CFL dimmers or just regular dimmers should be able to dim dimmable LED lights?
 
Thanks!

 

[StarTrekDoors]

There are a couple of ways to do this actually.
 
First of all, the power at the remote needs to be on the same circuit as the power at the primary switch location.  You cannot split a three-way between breakers if using the auxiliary switch but you can using a second UPB switch.
 

• You should use the auxiliary switch and not a regular 3-way switch.   The aux switch method works well, provided you have power from the same breaker at both switch locations. The advantage here is cost over the alternative below as the aux switch is less expensive than a second UPB.

• Alternatively, you could use two UPB switches, one controlling the load (primary switch) and the remote switch could be another UPB switch using a broadcast scene to trigger events (the second is setup with no load).  The advantage here is that this method will work even if three-way wiring was never installed or where power is split between breakers.

• There is a third option to use the three-way wiring to provide remote power, but you lose some functionality (LED status change doesn't work), so I don't ever use this method, but it is an alternative to the alternative using an aux switch.

 
My preference is to use the aux switch solution wherever possible as it is the cleanest and least costly.
 
Some of the dimmers won't work with CFL/LED unless they say they will.  Generally an LED rated dimmer can also reduce power to even lower levels than standard dimmers.  Buy the right equipment - you'll be happy you did plus you get the advantages that having the right equipment offers.