How does the Lutron system work?

The Lutron system works by using a combination of smart dimmers, switches, keypads, sensors, and a central hub or processor that communicates using Lutron's proprietary Clear Connect RF wireless protocol rather than relying solely on WiFi, which ensures high reliability. In the most common DIY system, Lutron Caseta, each Caseta dimmer or switch contains a radio that talks to the Lutron Smart Bridge. The Smart Bridge plugs into your router via Ethernet and translates the RF signals to your home network and the internet, allowing you to control lights from the Lutron app, create schedules, scenes, and geofencing, and integrate with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Sonos, and Ring. When you press a Caseta dimmer, it directly controls the load wired to it and also sends an RF signal to the bridge, which can trigger other lights, shades, or scenes. Pico remotes are battery-powered wireless remotes that can be wall-mounted or handheld to control Caseta dimmers from anywhere without wiring. In larger professional systems like RadioRA 3 and HomeWorks QSX, the system works similarly but with a more powerful main repeater or processor that manages up to 200 devices, supports wired and wireless keypads with custom engraving, integrates Lutron Sivoia QS shades, occupancy sensors, and HVAC, and allows complex programming for whole-home scenes. Lutron dimmers use advanced dimming technology to smoothly dim LEDs without flicker.