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ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 03-16-2009 6:36 PM by XavierItzmann. 25 replies.
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  • 06-01-2007 10:21 AM

    • Fil
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    Lutron

    Hi

    I'm thinking about getting a Lutron Grafikeye .

    Are they worth it?

    Are they easy to install?

    Thanks in advance for any help/feedback

    Fil

  • 06-01-2007 12:34 PM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    The Lutron Grafik Eye is a very good product and provided you buy the B&O version it will also work with the Beo4.

    They are certainly a good purchase, not cheap, but well made and have facilities well beyond most people's needs

    If you are installing the unit in a new build situation or a major refurbishment, then there will not be to much problems, however if you intend to install it in a room or rooms in place of existing lighting circuits it could provide you with some challenges. The following are some issues to consider:-

    1) The mounting box is 3" deep and requires its own 15 amp mains power breaker.

    2) If you are in countries like the UK where the neutral wire are not normally taken to the wall switches, it will require new wiring to be added. Both live and neutral must be taken back to the Lutron box.

    3) The units can be purchased to support up to 7 zones, with 4 zones being a typical case. So if you have multiple lights all on teh same circuit, this will have to be changed.

    I suggest you describe where you were proposing to use the lutron unit and how many lighting circuits will be used etc.

     

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-01-2007 12:53 PM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Fil,

    You may find it useful to read the "Installers Guide" for the Lutron Grafik Eye which you will find HERE

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-02-2007 4:46 AM In reply to

    • Fil
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    Re: Lutron

    Crikey!

    Thanks for you swift replies Keith and a link to the installers guide.

    I think a phonecall to the local rip off sparky is called for,at least then he can have a gander at the house and that rather complicated ( to me anyway) guide !

    Thanks again for your help Keith.

    Fil

  • 06-02-2007 6:10 AM In reply to

    • Doc
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    Re: Lutron

    What's the difference with the lc2 from B&O; dis-/advantage lutron?

     

    Marcel

     

  • 06-02-2007 7:24 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Other than the obvious fact that they both control lights the LC2 and the Grafik Eye from Lutron are very different products for different applications. However Lutron do make a product which does a similar job to the LC2 called Rania, a double version is shown below and is priced similar to the LC2. However, the Rania range do provide a remote control, but are not Beo4 compatible, you would need to use something like a Lintronics box if you wished to use a Lutron Rania with a Beo4. There is also a product called Dinalight which fits into a standard wall socket and is Beo4 compatable and costs about 50 Euros. In terms of how they work the LC2 and Dinalight are very similar, but look very different.

    Rania

    The Grafik Eye is a multi zone device which can control lighting up to 750 watts which is a lot of lighting. Units can be connected together to allow multi-room or even the whole house to be configured. The units do not have to be in the actual room in which they are used, you can have multi-function switches connected to the main unit via low vaoltage 4 wire cable (not mains vaoltage).

    They are not cheap, a 7 zone B&O compatible unit will be about £1,200 depending where you buy it.

    The LC2 was designed really for use on a cable to a lamp and whilst it can be fitted to the wall, it still is only a single way variable switch.

    I have one fitted to a wall as shown below

    LC2

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-02-2007 9:20 AM In reply to

    • Doc
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    Re: Lutron

    Thanks Keith!

    Do you work at Lutron?!.....Wink

  • 06-02-2007 9:36 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Rombeek,

    I do not work for Lutron, but over the years I have researched the product range in some depth. I also have two Grafik Eye 3000 installed which work well. When I buy a technical product like this, I go into them in some depth not only thinking of todays requirements, but what I may do in years to come.

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-02-2007 9:55 AM In reply to

    • Fil
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    • Joined on 04-17-2007
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    Re: Lutron

    Hi Keith and everyone interested in Lutron.

    I found this site..................prices look good to me

    Hope the link works!

    http://www.onidserv.com/?shop=lutronshop&link=lutron_google_ls&gclid=CPy7ioO3vYoCFRy4EAodFQvJQA

  • 06-03-2007 12:26 PM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Fil,

    Thanks for the link.

    For those people interested in Lutron products which work with B&O products should pick up a brochure from their dealer on the subject. Only a few dealers appear to keep these brochures which provides a very good overview. I have copied two pages from this brochure which you can download from HERE

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-03-2007 3:42 PM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Fil:

    Hi Keith and everyone interested in Lutron.

    I found this site..................prices look good to me

    Hope the link works!

    http://www.onidserv.com/?shop=lutronshop&link=lutron_google_ls&gclid=CPy7ioO3vYoCFRy4EAodFQvJQA

     

    Have just purchased a 4 channel B&O unit from these guys last week....  Will let you know how I get on when it arrives!
  • 06-03-2007 3:55 PM In reply to

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    Re: Lutron

    I there anything inline for a lamp like the LC2? Wall mounting isnt an option

    like this but Beo4 compatible? 

  • 06-04-2007 5:07 AM In reply to

    • JOV
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    Re: Lutron

    Hi,
    I have 3 B&O Grafik Eyes with 6 Zones each connected together in my one room loft. It's really cool because you don't need any wall mounted dimmers and switches etc. 18 zones would mean 18 single dimmers at the walls...
    Now I have 3 panels at central positions. And with the Beo4 I can control 10 Scenes with 18 single lamps (or 4 Scenes with the buttons at the Grafik Eyes).

    Note: This scenario makes sense (for a monetary reason) if you are planning a completely new wiring. You need less cables, less dimmers, less holes in you wall, etc.  

    But: The Grafik Eyes are very simple and limited in possible and useful functions (programming, etc.). If you are interested in details, let me know and I will try to explain my daily experience. 

    Kind Regards,
    Jens 

  • 06-04-2007 5:51 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Do they work exactly like an LC2... can you have the 9 light pictures, can you dim individual lamps/zones from the remote, can you memorise a new light picture from the remote?
    Filed under: ,
  • 06-04-2007 7:37 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    They do work like the LC2 in as much as you can store light settings, program the coloured keys and numbers etc.

    The LC2 is/was single zone switch whereas the Grafik Eye is a multi-zone switch which allows you to have various light levels on all the zones. Also the light power (watts) it can drive is much greater than the single zone LC2

    Also the Grafik Eye controller is in one central place and all lighting cables go to it.

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-04-2007 8:43 AM In reply to

    • 355f
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    Re: Lutron

    They are a far better engineered product than the LC2 ever was and more reliable as well.

     

    As well as the points listed already you can operate curtains and screens from it ( which I do) and you can program fade and and fade out times on every scene, control any type of load ect

  • 06-05-2007 4:27 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Where can I buy Dinalight dimmers, I have looked on Google with no success

    Stuart

     

  • 06-05-2007 7:42 AM In reply to

    • 355f
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    Re: Lutron

    Dont think you can get dynalight now.

     

    In any event the ones that I had buzzed very badly and the response from Beo 4 is rather poor, you have to point very accurately at the dynalight to make it work.

  • 06-05-2007 9:34 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    I purchased two Dynalights from Joel Electric for review, but concluded they were not a good replacement for the LC2

    The manufacturer is in Denmark and you can view further details HERE

    They sell via resellers and are often re-branded which is why you did not find many references via Google.

    The attractions were that they are fully compatible with Beo4 commands, their user manual reads just like the LC2 and even shows its use with the Beolink 1000. It also fits into a UK style wall switch box without to much problems, but does not have the power rating of the LC2

    The touch plate works exactly as you would expect, but the IR receiver has a limited angle of vision due to being between the two touch plates meaning you have to use the remote within 30 degs of the unit.

    Whilst they are still available from some resellers, they are no longer manufactured.

    If you want one, I would be happy to sell you one of my brand new ones, just send me a PM 

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-24-2007 3:46 AM In reply to

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    Re: Lutron

    Looking at this diagram The Grafik eye is wired to the lamp. Would that require a plug socket at lamp level for the lamp to plug into? and wouldn't that socket be confusing as it would be on the lighting ring and not the main socket ring and be problematic if someone unplugged the lamp and plugged in the vaccum?

     

    I'm wondering if I could replace 3 LC2's attached to 3 lamps and rewire the lighting ring for a Grafik eye 

  • 06-24-2007 3:58 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    The major problem people have installing a Grafik Eye into an existing room are two fold

    1. It is recommended that it be on its own mains breaker and not connected to the lighting ring because most home lighting rings tend to be limited to 6 amps.
    2. If you do use the lighting ring and if you are in the UK or a country which does not bring the neutral line to the switch or point where the Lutron will be fitted, then you will need a new cable run

    Generally speaking if you do have table lights controlled by a Lutron switch, proper lighting sockets would be fitted, so you could not plug in the vaccum.

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-24-2007 4:05 AM In reply to

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    Re: Lutron

    Keith Saunders:

    proper lighting sockets would be fitted, so you could not plug in the vaccum.

    Is this one? 

  • 06-24-2007 4:07 AM In reply to

    Re: Lutron

    Yes it is...

    Regards Keith....

  • 06-24-2007 5:10 AM In reply to

    • njbbeo
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    Re: Lutron

    Fil - regarding Luron with beo4

     

    Lutron grafikeye series for beo is intended for new build or renovation - as already sataed you can see the range at http://www.onidserv.com/lutronshop/group/701/


    if you have a 3 gang switch and you want  to upgrade to dimming via your beo4, then you could fit the grafikeye gbo-3103 unit - it would need some building works to make the back box fit.  this would work

     

    there is one other alternitive i have found, and that is from rako lighting see - www.rakolighting.com

    this works quite different to lutron - you fit a RF controlled dimmers to the light fittings, then get a beo ir interface i think it is a rav-ir-beo - this then allows you to control lights via the beo4

    this solution is more suited to existing wiring as it requires less work

     

    i hope this helps

    regards

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Filed under: ,
  • 06-24-2007 7:14 AM In reply to

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    Re: Lutron

    So does this work exactly like the LC2?

    Rako 

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