Hey Dale,

Can you add a ceiling fan control, that would help me out a lot.

Referring back to Post 1:

By "it" I mean this thread is not actually official. I just wanted to start a place where this stuff would be discussed.

If you know me, you know one of the first things I want is a list of model numbers so I can see what does what. Your posts say whoopee and wow but don't give model numbers. New product information is whoopee and wow until actual units are shipped. You say they are being shipped. What are the model numbers and what do they do? Actuallyl, a link to the right page is enough.

I started this thread after having the same problem with the list of remotes, which is to say I could not find a list of remotes that could control lighting, until today when, upon loading the URC website's lighting page FOR THE THRID TIME, the box showing model numbers appeared.

I just reread your first post here. I don't see anything specific enough to help me use the product. And I did not see it on the URC website today.

Thanks for the help.

Wow Ernie...

It sounds like my reply offended you, and I didn't mean for it to do anything even remotely like that. I apologize if the words I chose came across in the wrong way. When I asked "what 'it'," I was confused as to the meaning of your sentence: "My first question is: just what products will it control?"

I didn't know if you realized that this was an entire product line, so I described my best guess as to what "it" was.

I had no idea you wanted a list of product numbers and in fact, I couldn't have provided them even if I'd understood that. I'm very removed from anything having to do with Sales, so I generally don't even get price sheets by the time dealers do. I just don't have much use for that information in product design. I know a good deal about the overall line, but I couldn't begin to give you the specifications on each product.

Anyway... my reply here is just to say sorry for the misunderstanding. I looks like I annoyed you, and I had absolutely no intention to do that.

Best regards,
Dale

Models...

Wall Dimmer: MRFA-600M-URC-XX
Wall Switch: MRFA-S6AM-URC-XX
Lamp Dimmer: MRFA-3LD-URC-XX

...Where "XX" is a two-digit color code, such as WH or BL.

How to configure them: I honestly have no idea yet! How DO you configure an ID on a switch?

To sync:
Determine type A or B switch.
Learn correct IR codes into remote.
Hold down switch until it enters the learn mode.
Press and hold lights button for power on the remote.
Make sure remote is configured for RF mode.
Expect perfect operation.

Brian

I just got my URC lighting switches and dimmers this week, from the CEDIA order. Awesome! Really excited about these, and will install this weekend.

Only thing I'm not sure about, is I also got a couple boxes that look just like the URC switch/dimmer boxes, but they're purple-ish red, and labeled "Lutron Maestro". Top flap has model # MA-R-WH. No URC printing on the box anywhere. It's not labeled as to what exactly the device is, inside the box. I think on my CEDIA order form I had asked for a couple of ACCESSORY dimmers as well--is that what these are?

(for those who are wondering, when you use one of the new URC lighting dimmers on a circuit that has multiple switch locations, one of the locations uses the RF dimmer, the others use accessory dimmers)

Probably - since they're not directly RF there's no need for a custom version. Although why they're not in custom boxes....

Just looking over the lamp dimmer details. It says do not use with CFLs. With the supposed phase out of incandescents in 2012, what are we going to do then?

Well, you can use switches instead of dimmers, of course... or you could use halogen bulbs instead of CFLs or incandescents. Also, there are a number of available "dimmable" CFLs which, while not truly dimmable, do offer several step-down stages and are usable in ordinary dimmable outlets.

Best regards,
Dale

I've been eagerly waiting for the chance to install these and finally got to put in 3 switches earlier today. After I figured out that the switches need the Neutral wire attached in order to work (line 3 in the fine print--which I should have known, as many Lutron devices are the same way), and after a quick peek at this thread and call to URC tech support to figure out how to program them, I was ready to be wowed.

Instead, big disappointment. I could barely get out of arm's length before the RF range started dropping off. At five feet and under, response was 100%. Beyond that, one switch or the other would fail to respond to the On/Off commands. Sometimes a double- or triple- or quad-tap corrected the problem; sometimes not. There wasn't a single bad switch, either; moving around the room changed which switch, or switches, would respond.

For the record, the room has 3 switches in a 4 gang box with another single-pole switch. All of the lights are incandescent. The box is plastic; there's a double layer of drywall over all walls, and then way too much faux finish on top of that. There's a MRF-350 basestation, RFX-250 antenna, and all the AV gear 20 feet away at the front of the room in a recessed rack. That part of the system works like a champ; I haven't seen ANY sign of RF interference.

I know these are intended to be a small-scale, limited range solution for wireless lighting control--but 5 feet? What are you guys getting range-wise?

Huh... I just installed the RF dimmer and accessory dimmer, as that light has two light switches. It working great so far by touch, and I'm about to go program the remote!

However, I went to install the two RF SWITCHES, and they're not working at all. Here's the info, for anyone that might be in the know and can help me troubleshoot:
- The two RF switches are replacing two standard rocker-type light switches.
- Each one controls its own circuit--one is for a ceiling fan, the other for two in-ceiling can lights.
- The switches are mounted next to each other in a double-gang box.
- Per the instructions, I bent and broke off the fins on the right side of one RF switch, and the left side of the other. They're installed in the wallbox with the removed fin sides next to each other, in the middle.
- Per the instructions, for each RF switch I've attached one of the black power wires to the BRASS screw. The other black wire to the BLACK screw. (note that this is what the instructions say in words, but then the picture for that section labels both screws as BRASS. There are not two brass screws on the RF switch--just one each of brass, silver, and black) The green wire is connected to the copper ground.
- As I mentioned, my dimmer works just fine. But after installation and resetting the breaker, NEITHER RF switch works. The single LED light on each RF switch is NOT on.
- I've pulled the URC/Lutron RF switches back out, and replaced with the old switches to verify the circuits are still valid. They work fine.
- Put the RF switches back in, confirmed all connections. Still don't work.
- Called URC. Since I'm in Alaska, the offices had closed for the day. (east coast time)
- Called Lutron. They don't even have these model numbers in their database yet, and don't show any RF switches they've manufactured at all. Can't help.

I'll call URC tomorrow morning while east coast is still at work, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anybody else knows what the problem is.

(Side note: While on the phone with Lutron, they did confirm that the Lutron box I mentioned above that URC shipped to me is an ACCESSORY dimmer)

It seems that the switches have been all but forgotten in favor of dimmers. For example, the online tutorial documents all the multiple light codes used to program a dimmer, but doesn't indicate what happens when you're working with a switch, which only has 1 LED.

As for the wiring instructions... the section that details how to hook them up is taken right from the dimmer sheet, and even refers to dimmers.

The problem is the diagrams don't show or even mention the neutral connection that the switch obviously has. And according to an earlier poster, you're going to have to hook up the neutral to make the switch work. Check note 3 on the last page of the instructions - it's the only place that mentions the neutral.

And yes, that first wiring diagram that shows two brass screws is interesting. :-)

Yes, does seem that we're in a bit of a "trial" period, working out the kinks with things. The online Control Room tutorial says when you press and hold the dimmer button for 8 seconds, the LED lights should cycle up and down, but mine just cycled top to bottom, over and over.

Yes, when I get the switches working, I wonder how to program. Perhaps the single LED just flashes rapidly?

And the tutorial is also off from what the MX-980 program does for lighting, and what the MX-980 editor software window looks like when you're putting in the address codes. It's taking me a while to figure out how to save individual addresses to each different lighting dimmer/switch, and I have to use the IR database to save general buttons for each light, then hit "custom" to enter another window to assign an address. But I think after that, you have to individually drag and drop each command to the remote for each dimmer/switch, it won't automatically populate like the IR database will.

No, no, no offense taken at all. I thought I was just straightforwardly answering your question. Now that I look at my first post, I see I used "it" six times...and me being so picky about words, too! I take great pains when discussing system setup and such to avoid ALL pronouns. I blew it there!! (wait -- I blew it? what it? huh?)

Yeah, I took your question wrong. But I'm sorry I answered in such a way that I seemed offensive. Probably just me being insensitive again.

I guessed we were talking about a product line, but I hadn't seen any model numbers. And was not at all clear about saying so.

Yeah, me too!

And you didn't.


This doesn't sound like they finished the product. Or it doesn't sound promising, take your pick.

From this I get that URC can control lighting products but doesn't have ready-made files, so we'll all have to make our own. Please tell me I misunderstood this.

Well, your interpretation isn't that far off, but the reality behind it is.

See, the lighting made it through the manufacturing and marketing pipeline faster than expected, so the editors hadn't all been updated with the lighting addresses needed to make them work straight out of the IR database. So until the editors are all updated and tested, we provided ready-made files that installers can use. However, the lighting codes are all added to our database now, and we're starting to propagate out the latest editors that have those files.

I've also just completed a set of lighting icons for MX-980, and once I have a moment to compile those into a gallery file, those will be available to installers too. Also, my docket includes lighting icons for MX-3000. MX-6000 icons are ready for shipping already.

Best regards,
Dale