# Home automation



## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I went to a customers house that was fully automated. I thought that was the cats meow. Never seen it in action till now. I want one. Where do I begin in locating a system and using the iPhone, iPad to control it? I'm open to suggestions, as I've not done one before.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

The cats meow will be bad to the bone and user friendly Lutron RA-2
Can do everything that home works can at a fraction of the cost less the dealer lock down process.


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## SEREMan2000 (Aug 29, 2011)

Home automation is fine and dandy until one of his modules blows out and has to replace it and have it reprogrammed. 
I always worry about that stuff. Like "what if they discontinue it how am I goon to replace it?"


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

RA-2 has a two rear warranty against burning up. Nice thing about them is that they are only switches and a main repeater and no modules. I have it in my own house and waited years before deciding on something that didn't have a panel with dimming modules. I used mine as a retrofit system so if one swictch did burn up, I can replace it with a standard switch or dimmer.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

Thanks 123. I'll contact my supplier on that one

I'm not sure about the 2 "rear" warranty tho.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

Well I looked at a bunch of info and I don't think Lutron RA2 is for me. So I'm now looking for other options. I don't need a wireless model.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

Well if wireless is not needed then your going to be spending allot more money on these possible systems: 
Lutron home works
Light touch
Vantage
Crestron

Other wireless systems:
Leviton visa rf
Insta-on
Iris


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Service Call said:


> Well I looked at a bunch of info and I don't think Lutron RA2 is for me. So I'm now looking for other options. I don't need a wireless model.


Can you share with us the reason you excluded the Lutron RA2?
I know very little about these systems but, I know they are becoming more and more interesting to consumers.


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## Hackster (Jun 15, 2013)

What do you want out of home automation? 

The only thing that I would personally want is for all of my blinds to open and close automatically depending on the sunrise and sunset. 
I can already change the temp of my thermostat from the iPhone.
I don't care to dim any lights from the iPhone or elsewhere.

I'm not sure if I would benefit from any other part of home automation.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

RA-2 has blind control and has for a while


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm just looking for an easy way to control misc. lighting, garage door, pool light. No electric blinds at the moment. Not sure if I want to control A/C or not.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

jrannis said:


> Can you share with us the reason you excluded the Lutron RA2?
> I know very little about these systems but, I know they are becoming more and more interesting to consumers.


I was on the AVS forum and didn't really like what they were saying about them. Seemed like a lot of hoops to jump through.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

Hackster said:


> What do you want out of home automation?
> 
> The only thing that I would personally want is for all of my blinds to open and close automatically depending on the sunrise and sunset.
> I can already change the temp of my thermostat from the iPhone.
> ...


What do you use to adjust the A/C with?


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

Everything you mentioned is easily done with RA-2
Without any wiring changed or added. Any other systems that are hardwired require more work. Sometimes when walls are open we pull loads to basement then clean looking key pads instead of say a four gang switch bank


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

For adjument of AC replace existing t-stats with RA-2 thermostats and your done


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

Try starting with this site: http://smarthome.com


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## Hackster (Jun 15, 2013)

Service Call said:


> What do you use to adjust the A/C with?


I just spent the money on the Nest thermostat because I heard a lot of good things about it.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

RA-2 thermostats are amazing and worth the money too. You can add a preset favorite temp to any of the RA-2 entry way keypads as well as time clock events. I have heard very good things about the apple nest, but the round old t-87 look of it made want to take a hammer to it. RA-2 t-stats make it look like s--t


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

What are the odds....leviton rep was at the supply house and gave me some info on their system the Visia RF plus an online training class. I'm going to check that out also. He mentioned their price is 2/3 of lutron and its not proprietary.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

Yes true price is much less on the visa RF.
However two supply house privately told me that there are major communication issues with and to stay away from it. He mentioned to me they don't push Lutron and that for the price nothing beats it at this time!


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

123, is this what you do? You seemed informed. Do you push for the lutron due to ease of install? Or the capability of expansion? Or that's the only product you've used (no dis respect intended )? With the leviton I don't need to have a "master" unit or repeaters.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

I have only done a few systems. We do some mid to high end residential. We do heavy industrial (what I prefer).
I have a small RA system in my own house so I have been down all the programming stages with it that my supply house did, mainly just a introduction. I have all the brochure crap, but due to the cost I have only done two other very small systems besides my house. I do like it for my own and figured I would get good at it playing with it whenever I want


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## Davethewave (Jan 6, 2012)

Lutron RA 2 is a great option for retrofit or small projects. Fundamental difference between RA 2 and the more expensive CPU based systems is the lack of conditional logic. Lutron could add some conditional logic to the RA system but does not want to step on HW installers. I have installed RA 2 system on an 8K sq. ft. residential remodel project. Ganged all the switches in closets around a circular staircase. No threeways in the whole house. Saved the level five plaster. All things considered ( demo, plaster,wire and labor) the Lutron system actually saved money.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

There is so many different systems out there it makes my head spin. The Honeywell Lynx with Z-wave devices is looking really appealing to me since we install Ademco alarm systems, and this would allow great integration with services we already provide. Anyone have any experience with Lynx and Z-Wave?


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

I would never want my security system smart phone accessible. Especially with all the board compute hackers out there. The worst they can do with mine is play with my lights and t-stats, lol


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## Bugz11B (May 12, 2013)

For homes there is only 3 brands !!OPINION!! worth having, Crestron, Vantage, and Lutron. Unless its a remodel I would stay away from the wireless ones, and in any case I wouldnt use any brand other then the 3 mentioned.


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## ohiosparky99 (Nov 12, 2009)

Erik.Schaeffer said:


> For homes there is only 3 brands !!OPINION!! worth having, Crestron, Vantage, and Lutron. Unless its a remodel I would stay away from the wireless ones, and in any case I wouldnt use any brand other then the 3 mentioned.


What about Savant? I think they took over litetouch, don't know much about the system but it looks pretty good


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

I heard that savant is really good stuff from a fellow electrician too


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## Bugz11B (May 12, 2013)

ohiosparky99 said:


> What about Savant? I think they took over litetouch, don't know much about the system but it looks pretty good


To be honest I have never heard of it. Thats not to say its bad however if money is not an issue the 3 I mentioned are the best of the best. (If you really need a answer on savant I can call a good friend of mine he is very well respected in the home automation industry)
**EDIT** If they are ANYTHING like litetouch id stay away from it


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

If you google savant on line, it's not to hard to be a dealer, kind of like control 4


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I can do wireless or a wired system. Access to everything is fairly easy


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I just thought a wired system might be less expensive


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## xaH (Jun 21, 2013)

Home automation is lame IMO. I prefer "dumb" automated stuff - programmable t-stats, wall timers, photocells, and so forth.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I just want to sit in my chair and turn things on and off.


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