Despite technological advances in every area, most homes are still limited to just two pieces of automation: garage-door opener and remote control. And while it's unfathomable to think of manually cranking a car's windows or locking its doors, people remain content to walk around their homes turning lights on and off — just like Thomas Edison did.
Lutron's AuroRa is a complete system that should help introduce the concept of lighting control to the masses. With five in-wall dimmers, a master control, a wireless controller, and a central antenna, it installs in about an hour, with no programming at all. But will this do-it-yourself lighting system work, or will it leave you in the dark?
Setup
First, a warning: Unlike hooking up your A/V components, installing light switches means working with live electrical wires, and caution must be taken. Always be sure you've cut power to the circuit you're working on at the breaker panel.
The AuroRa system is available in three options. Reviewed here is the Entry package ($600), which does basic lighting control. The Security package ($700) offers some additional contact closure inputs, allowing it to turn on and flash your lights when triggered by your security system. The Switcher/Dimmer package ($650, pictured above) replaces two of the dimmers with switches for use with fluorescent lights. (The AuroRa dimmers, like most others, don't like fluorescent bulbs and will tend to make them strobe.) Each of the three options comes with a well-written manual that leads you through installing the dimmers in virtually any application, including single-pole (single switch), three-way (two switches controlling the same light, as in halls), and four-way (three switches, as with multi-entrance porches). You would use only one Aurora dimmer for each of those situations.
The first step is determining which rooms you want to control and then replacing the existing "dumb" switches with the AuroRa dimmers — labeled from 1 to 5, corresponding to the buttons on the tabletop master control. It doesn't really matter where you install each dimmer; however, Lutron suggests installing dimmer 1 in the most-used location, dimmer 5 in the least. (With the Security package, dimmer 1 should always be installed on an exterior light, which will flash when the security system is tripped.) While the dimmers fit traditional switch-style wall plates, Lutron includes inserts to make them compatible with Decora plates as well.
Labels are provided for the buttons on the master control. Once it and the antenna are powered up (each must be plugged into a standard wall outlet), the installation is complete. The antenna needs to be located within 30 feet of all dimmers and the master control, but it could easily be placed out of sight in a closet or cabinet. "Programming" is required only if two systems are bridged together or if you decide to add more wireless controllers (the system supports up to 10). Even those tasks are remarkably simple, requiring two button presses and about 10 seconds.
Performance
AuroRa dimmers are so simple to use that they require virtually no instruction. Each has a single button and a slider. The slider is used to manually set the dimming level to any position between off and full bright. When the lights are off, pressing the button brings them to the level set by the slider, while double tapping the button brings the room lighting immediately to 100%. Holding the button for 2 seconds fades the room lights off gradually over 10 seconds.
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The Short Form |
| Price $600 (as tested) / lutron.com / 888-588-7661 |
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Snapshot
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| A programming-free, install-it-yourself system that lets you sample lighting control for a price that won't shock you. |
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Plus
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| •Simple to install •Easy-to-follow instructions •No programming |
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Minus
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| •Limited expandability •Only one "scene." |
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Key Features
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| •Entry system includes 5 AuroRa dimmers, 1 master control, 1 wireless controller, and 1 central antenna •Available in white, ivory, almond, or light almond •Dimmer loads from 50 to 600 watts •Up to 9 wireless controllers can be added ($50 each) •Expandable to 10 dimmers with second AuroRa package |
Of course, even if it included a boatload of dimmers for $600, the Entry system would be staggeringly overpriced if dimming were all it did. The magic comes from being able to turn lights on and off from different places in your home — and this is where the tabletop master control and the wireless controller come in.
Pressing one of the five room buttons on the master control produces the same result as touching the button on the dimmer: A single press brings lights to the level set by the dimmer, and two presses produce full bright. A red LED on the master control illuminates whenever that room's lights are on — and the LED activates whether the lights are turned on via the control or at the dimmer itself.
The master control's All On and All Off buttons did exactly that, and my five dimmers responded with no noticeable delay. It was a treat to sit on the couch with the remote and power down lights for movie viewing without having to get up. Further, Lutron's radio-frequency system is about as close to bulletproof as I've ever seen; the dimmers always responded to remote commands. Even so, some users will be comforted to know that if anything does happen to the master control, the wireless controller, or the antenna, the dimmers can still function independently.
The wireless controller has an uncanny resemblance to a garage-door opener and, though limited in its control, can be used inside the house or from a vehicle in the driveway to activate lights. In addition to All On and All Off buttons, it features one marked Favorite that turns on all lights to their current dimmer settings. Of course, if anyone adjusts a dimmer in the house, your Favorite scene is gone; but if you can set the dimmers and leave them be, that should do the trick. In bridged systems, the All On, All Off, and Favorite buttons affect all 10 dimmers.
Bottom Line
For small homes or apartments, Lutron's AuroRa is a perfect starter system. At the same time, once you experience lighting control and understand the lifestyle concept, you may find that the AuroRa's limitations — no programmable lighting scenes and a maximum of 10 dimmers and two master controls — will make it a natural gateway to one of Lutron's more advanced systems, such as RadioRA. As with a garage-door opener or an A/V remote, once you've enjoyed the convenience of lighting control, going without will seem like you're living in the Dark Ages.
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