the definitive Grafik Eye master thread!! - Page 40

Guys I have a Lutron Grafik Eye GRX-3104 and would like to connect a wall plate to it.

It looks like some kind of socket is missing to connect the cables running to the wall plate. Can anyone advise where can I get such a socket?

Hello,

I'm just finishing up new theater and need some advice with a 3104 and a Harmony remote. The 3104 is on the the side wall, 12ft from the screen. I have the low voltage wiring ran to behind my screen where my Niles repeater system is. Is there a cheap way to 1) get a generic IR reciever so I can stick a flasher on it or 2) directly connect to the Niles box without essentially setting up two repeaters.

This may be all mute if the GE has a good IR reciever on the wall unit and will take a commands bouncing off the screen.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

Interested in finding out how people are running their GE's with LED lighting, particulary what LED drivers that work with the GE's.

Very interested in drivers that work on 220-240v 50Hz(being Austrailian based) , or is it possible to run their through iron core transformers down to 12v ????

LED lighting now appears to have matured in to a viable option these days.


Thanks.

I'm doing just that now. My GE QS wireless arrived from the UK a few days ago, and have been looking for an LED option. I grabbed a Bunnings Osram LED to test so will wire it up and see if it works. I also have read online here http://whrl.pl/RciPPQ about the coolmax globes which seem to work too.

I'm trying to find someone in Sydney who can assist me with the install, as it seems many electricians/lighting places have never heard of the GE.

Following up on using LED with the GE I've discovered a few things.

An LED rope light I purchased from the UK worked, but had the 'pop in/out' at 5%-10% power that plagues all LED's I've seen. I solved it by adding a halogen to the zone, so now it powers on/off gradually to 0% nice and smoothly, instead of off/on at %5 power. I need to explore if there is another way to do this, as I don't want to run a halogen along with the LED rope at the same time just to solve this problem.
I also tested some 10w LED downlights and they had the same pop in/out when turning on. A single light also flickered at low power, but once I used 3 lights the 25w minimum requirement was met, and they turned on at low power without the flicker, but I still couldn't solve the pop in/out, even with a halogen running on the zone as well. They may need to be returned and I may go for halogen only for that zone.

Anyone else have experience with GE's and LED?

I vaguely remember reading something about a minimum zone load of I think 40 watts, and this may be part of the issue you are experiencing. I'm sure someone in here will correct me if I am wrong about the 40w per zone minimum.


I'm actually looking for something LED to replace what I was sold as starbursts, which take a 20w bi-pin halogen. They are only about 12mm (half inch) reflector, and fit flush in the ceiling. Not sure of the angle of illumination, but appears to be quite narrow.
I've got around 30 of these dotted around my ceiling in a number of different zones.

Of course these won't be the only fittings I'll be replacing.

Thanks for replying, but I'm achieving the minimum with the extra 50w halogen, and it still doesn't work, so I don't think the minimum is the issue.

Check out post #1117 in this thread. I had a siimiliar question as well. Basically, that port takes what is called a, "Phoenix Connector". You connect a PELV (Class 2) cable to it for adding more wall stations.. etc.

Well I have been told from the supplier that Lutron offer a solution that artifically increases the load. A power booster, and an LED booster. Total cost for both is around $300US, so it's not something I'm keen on. I'll just use halogens instead I think.

Next thing to look at is how the GE controls the projector power and electric screen. Does anyone have information on setting this up please?

...I control a 60 ft LED ropelight directly with a GE3106 with absolutely no issues.

How are you doing so? Is The strip plugged into an outlet and the outlet to the GE?

...the LED rope light runs around the overhead soffit perimeter and is direct wired to one of the GE zones, connected above via a junction box. The zone is configured within the GE as incandescent, and operates smoothly without any sort of interface device.

I find this intriguing. So when you go from 100% to 0% there is a uniform fading the entire way, as in it doesn't get to around 5%-10% light output and then turn off when the GE clicks?

Hey guys,
Just some advice from those who have already been there if I may. I want to run a projector and screen as one zone. I'm looking at the wiring required for this. Do I just run a cat5e from both to the GE, and attach them to the 12v input? Or do they run into the zone?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

can someone tell me which inputs my electrician needs to use for the IR and wall station?

I have 2 pelv wires ran to the junction box, one for IR going to a gateway for irule and the other for walls stations.

Its the QSGRJ-6P

Have a GRX3104 and want to dim flexible LED strips with it. Do I need a dimmable LED driver or not? Anybody have experience with this?

I have a problem with my step lights. They will not turn off unless everything else is turned off. They will turn on if everything is turned off though. Any advise?


Edit

Someone brought to my attention that I may not have enough watts on that zone. The steplights add up to 12 watts. Is there anything I can do to correct the issue if that is whats causing it?

It appears this thread - though sticky, is getting kind of stale. Stale in that people post questions every few weeks but they only trickle in. Is that because the answers are already in the thread somewhere? But also stale in that links are broken in the beginning of the thread now and much of the information is a few years old. Could this mislead people into purchasing older control gear when they could be choosing from more recent controller product lines?

I'm wondering if it might be worth a post that links to other related and more current threads about some of the newer offerings.

I am still in the planning stages for my theater. And I am wondering if the Grafik Eye "original" - (i.e. the GRX-xxxx series) might be a little outdated at this point by some of Lutron's newer offerings?

How does one choose which line of controller to go with? I started reading this thread but then heard about the RadioRA, RadioRA 2, and the Grafik Eye QS series (like the QSG-6P120)

So many options! From the Lutron website:

Single Room Solutions
Whole Home Solutions

• Maestro Wireless
• Pico Wireless
• Spacer System
• Grafik Eye
• Grafik Eye QS
• Radio RA
• Radio RA 2
• HomeWorks QS
• Sivoia & Sivoia QS (control shades & possibly screens?)

Does anyone have some good guidelines on how to decide which line to go with? The Grafik Eye QS seems the only one that the Lutron website has direct links to from their solutions pages. Is there a reason to choose the original over the QS series at this point? When would you go with the RadioRa or HomeWorks over the Graphik Eye? Everything I have read about Sivoia on this thread just says it costs a mint. Anyone know the ballpark for putting in a screen controller and perhaps a set of shades in a theater room?

I've been reading about all this stuff, and it's awesome, but hard to make decisions with so many options. Should one just get a professional to help?

Depends on budget. The QS has wired IR and displays dim %. RadioRA units are controls only and require the actual RadioRA dimmers to work.

I think the majority of people are interested in the 31xx series because you can dim for about $50/zone if you shop smart on ebay. Spacer will be a close second, but it depends on the number of zones.

RadioRa may make sense if your wiring was such that you have multiple dimmers in different locations. Since most of us are wiring from scratch, the lighting runs are installed so we can use a central solution.

Speaking of the QS having wired IR. Do I just get an IR repeater system, take one of the emitters and just chop off the emitter and connect the two wires to the hardwired ports on the back of the unit? Does that work? I haven't found anything definitive in the posts about how to hook the IR repeater system to the back of the GE QS series.

Does the Grafik Eye QS Wireless have wired IR on the back too? (kind of an oxymoron)

I could get a Grafik Eye QS Wireless and add a RadioRA2 system to the house later and tie it in - according to the Lutron literature - giving me significant expandability.

I read the Graphik Eye QS essentially has the GRX-IRI of the old system included in it - i.e. if using the IR port on the back you can use the more complex IR commands that only the GRX-IRI could accept on the older GE system. Is that correct? I also heard the QS series has an ethernet module you can purchase for it, and put it on your Ethernet network for computer control - don't have to use RS232.

The QS still has 1% granularity on controlling zones too like the GE 350x series right?

How about the RA-GRX-4? They seem to be equivalent to the 3000(35xx?) series except for the RF capabilities for RadioRA and a fixed id number. Any experience with those?

Also, which universal scene enabled remote controls have you found to be better suited for controlling grafik eyes via IR? Especially considering they seem to have very narrow IR sensitivity angles.

I own a Monster AVL300(RF) and a Harmony Link(WiFi) with their respective flashers, but I'm considering something like an iRule for customization and flexibility.

Is there an economical way to add another IR box to a GRX-3104. I don't like the idea of putting an IR flasher on the GRX-3104 or modifying the cover as others have. Attaching a separate scene controller with IR is ok also. Any options still available?? I would do the RS232 interface, but its not that important ($$) but was hoping to find something like a GRX-IRI which seems more reasonable. Will this work with the GRX-3104. I'm guessing it just provides a remote location for the IR blaster and connects back to the GRX with 4 wires (1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc..?)? Seems simple enough, just wanted to ensure there were no gochas.

The GRX-IRI is a Grafik Eye accessory, so yes it is compatible.

You'll need the wire available on this site.

http://www.hankselectric.net/detail.aspx?ID=402

This wire is rated to be in the same box as high voltage wire.

I purchased what I thought was a 3106. Turns out they actually sold me a 3506. From reading the only difference is the 3506 can dim in increments of 1% compare to the 3106 that does 6-7% and can be controlle via PC.

Am I missing anything? Should I return or does the 3506 have same value as 3106?

Another question:

What is the difference between the 3XXX models and the 4XXXX models - is it just "newer" or any new/missing functionality? Can't find a good compare anywhere.

From the OP, the 4000 series is recommended for commercial use and professional install. I have been referred not to purchase those. Maybe someone can chime in with exact details but everything I've read said no go for home use.

PM me if you are looking for 3000 series.

I asked the above question well over a year ago. At the time, the answer was only a field tech could update the firmware. Things have changed. Now it is possible to use an application supplied by Lutron for the end user to udpate the firmware from old Grafik Eye QS controllers to firmware version 2.80. Note that version 2.80 isn't the latest, but it is new enough to support Lutron's Single Unit programming software. Lutron's tech support was kind enough to email me the firmware update utility.

I'm looking for a little help and/or confirmation. In my modest theater I have two zones. Zone 1 is the main lighting and is controlled by a Lutron Maestro so I can control the lights using a remote. The Zone 2 consists of three eyeball lights across the front of the room near the screen and is controlled by a regular Lutron dimmer. My desire is to control each zone by remote and independently. So I bought a GRX-3102. My problem is that the theater was a remodel and both dimmer switches I currently have are wired as (I think it’s called) a grounded switch. Essentially wired as the below pic shows.



My problem is my power source is run to a junction box in my ceiling near the back of the room, the branched off to the lights and dimmer switches. I do not have dedicated wires from the power source to my dimmer switch area.

My first question is I want to make sure it is NOT possible to hookup the Grafix-Eye using the wiring I have in place. I’m 99.8% sure I can’t use the hot, neutral and ground wire from the junction box that are currently at my dimmer switch and hook them into the hot, Zone 1, and ground and use the Grafix-Eye.

If that isn’t possible... My second option is to remove the power source running to the junction box, tap into an electrical outlet I have below my dimmer switches as a power source (outlet is not used for anything) for the GE, then use the current wires running to the lights as my Zones 1 and 2.

Any and all help will be appreciated. And hopefully my explanation of my wiring makes sense.

...deewan, you probably should avoid tapping the receptacle outlet for power, while that particular outlet is seldom used, it is connected to other receptacles elsewhere along the same circuit. You generally should keep lights isolated apart from receptacle circuits Tapping into the existing power lead in the ceiling should be fine, assuming it is an unswitched power lead. You need to run wiring from each of the two separate light locations. together with the power lead, each independently to the Grafik Eye. controller. The hot leads from all three locations connect as shown in your Grafik Eye installation diagram, directly into the backside of the controller, and the associated neutrals and grounds are each separately twist connected together and tape insulated, preferably somewhere located inside the junction box housing the controller.
Edited by Jedi - 11/28/12 at 10:30am

Thanks Jedi. I didn't even think about the other outlets that would be tied to the outlet I would be tapping into. The lights and outlets are currently on the same circuit, but I also see the concerns of it being tied to other outlets in the room. Thanks for your input!