I recently undertook a smart home lighting project in an 11,000 sq ft high-end residence, and I’d love to share my experience and lessons learned. The home already had an RA2 Select system with smart Maestro switches on the main floor, but the upper and lower levels featured dumb Lutron Maestro switches. My goal was to replace all dumb switches with smart ones while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the main floor.
Initially, I considered using RA2 Maestros throughout, but the cost per switch was prohibitive. Instead, I opted for RA2 Maestros on the main floor and Caseta switches on the other floors. To manage this setup, I installed an additional Caseta PRO hub and a Hubitat hub. I also had to factory reset the existing RA2 hub, which was a bit of a hassle but necessary for a clean start.
One of the challenges was dealing with the existing electrical work. The previous electrician had wrapped every switch in electrical tape, which made accessing the wiring extremely frustrating. I couldn’t help but think, why do that? If you’re doing electrical work, please avoid this practice!
Programming was another hurdle. I programmed each switch into their respective hubs and created scenes for ALL ON and OFF. I found that scheduling the lights to turn on at sunset and off at sunrise using the Lutron hub was reliable, even during Hubitat outages. I also set up an all OFF schedule at 3 AM to catch any lights left on.
I noticed occasional command failures when sending commands to both hubs simultaneously. This was resolved by separating the hubs by a few feet to minimize interference. Additionally, I programmed the ALL ON/OFF picos with a one-second delay between hubs to prevent simultaneous broadcasts. This tweak worked wonders!
Alexa integration was seamless with the Lutron hub, though HomeKit users have access to both hubs. The Lutron app allows switching between hubs, which is handy. I also discovered that Alexa only recognizes one hub at a time, so the other is controlled via Hubitat.
Overall, this project was a great learning experience. It taught me the importance of proper installation practices and the benefits of using multiple hubs for scalability. If you’re considering a similar setup, I recommend thorough planning and testing to ensure smooth operation.
Key Takeaways
- Cost Efficiency: Mix and match switch types based on cost and aesthetic needs.
- Hub Management: Use multiple hubs for larger installations but be mindful of interference.
- Scheduling: Leverage built-in hub features for reliable automation.
- Installation Practices: Proper wiring access is crucial for future maintenance.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out! Happy smart home projects everyone! 