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Lutron Unveils RadioRA 3 Wireless Lighting Control System
Lutron Electronics is certainly “wired in” to the needs of the custom electronics industry, and with the announcement of the release of RadioRA 3, you could say the company is “wirelessly plugged in” also. The unveiling of Radio RA3 continues the company’s pioneering legacy started by Radio RA (debuted in 1997) and Radio RA 2 (debuted in 2009. Among the new features of RadioRA 3 are a line of wall controls with both light bar design and IoT connectivity, an all-in-one processor powered by PoE, and simpler PC programming software and app-based editing features.
According to the company, RadioRA 3 will transform how installers and their customers experience home lighting control. Installers can now entice their customers with new, customizable controls that offer the smart home features homeowners want most, such as coming home to a well-lit house and transforming a room into a comfort zone with the touch of a button or a voice command.
“Lutron’s goal is to give pro installers the tools they need to grow their business. With RadioRA 3, we aim to set the new gold standard in connected home lighting control with Lutron system reliability, advanced technology and beautiful wall controls,” says Matt Swatsky, vice-president, Residential Mid-Market Business at Lutron. “It’s a product installers and dealers can count on to wow clients and help them say ’yes’ to connected lighting control and automated shading. Plus, RadioRA 3 allows professionals to efficiently design, program, and install a system so they can increase sales with more custom projects every year.”
Lutron’s RadioRA 3 system includes new SUNNATA RF keypads, dimmers, and switches that feature a light bar design and come in a wider range of contemporary colors to enhance any décor. A soft glow makes the controls easy to find in the dark, and the dimmer’s capacitive touch technology allows clients to set the lighting with a touch or swipe of the light bar.
In addition, IoT connectivity gives homeowners control of their lighting through the Lutron app, voice assistant, remote or wall control. The new SUNNATA RF dimmer features PRO LED+ technology for dimming of LED, halogen, incandescent, MLV and ELV lighting.
The new processor is powered by PoE so pros can simply place it centrally in the home, without the need for a nearby power outlet, allowing integrators to optimize the system’s RF network connectivity. It also allows clients to connect up to 200 devices featuring Lutron’s proprietary ClearConnect RF technology. The company says the product is easy to program via computer and through Lutron’s app, which can be used on the jobsite to commission a system, refine settings and incorporate real-time client feedback.
Also, Lutron says it’s simple to make system changes remotely post-install, meaning fewer truck rolls for service. RadioRA 3 offers backwards compatibility with most RadioRA 2 and RA2 Select devices, so existing customers can expand their systems with RadioRA 3 wall controls.
“The remote element to RadioRA 3 is really a game-changer,” says Neil Orchowski, senior product manager, high-end residential at Lutron. “The amount of labor and programming time saved by being able to not roll a truck but instead make changes remotely is tremendous.”
RadioRA 3 works with Control4, Creston, Elan, RTI, Savant, URC, and other major control systems, and now that Lutron’s LEAP API is natively embedded in the programming software of the top control systems, the company says installers can save valuable time when integrating RadioRA 3 to work in tandem with other systems. It also works with all the top brands homeowners ask for, including Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Ring, Sonos, and others.
“Lutron is introducing RadioRA 3 to help installers and dealers provide great experiences and solutions to their clients,” says Swatsky. “We’re proud to support these professionals through every project with products and solutions that help build their reputation and expand their business.”
RadioRA 3 available from January 2022 through electrical and audio/visual distributors and from Lutron direct dealers.
11.03.2022Back