New “Contemporary” Lightning

[drmark12pa]

Can you buy replacement plates in alternate colors for the KA auxillary or APD types where it's the basic toggle switch?

[Cyknight]

8 hours ago, drmark12pa said:

Can you buy replacement plates in alternate colors for the KA auxillary or APD types where it's the basic toggle switch?

You bet, though the AUX still wont' magically get back lighting (and the re-ordered plates will have the little dot for the LED).

[WisC4]

Has anyone received orders on these yet?

[anon2828]

I received a Contemporary Style APD in Snow White.  Thought these pictures may be useful for someone like me and South Africa C4 user that were trying to decide if it was worth the swap:

[anon2828]

This is what it looks like in a Decora wall plate:

I would say absolutely to NOT attempt to fit these in a Decora wall plate if you care at all about aesthetics (which one would think is the whole reason to purchase the Contemporary style).

While I do not have a Control4 Contemporary wall plate to test, it appears that the top bar and bottom light bar would be almost entirely hidden by the Control4 Contemporary wall plate as the opening for the paddle (or buttons in the case of a keypad) would be significantly smaller.

Thus, if you have a gang of switches that include a Decora style or sized switch along with Control4, you are SOL.

Also, if you care about your wall plates matching, for example with the wall plates used for your electrical outlets, you are also SOL.

Not really sure Control4 thought this whole thing through.  I am in a custom build and I did what I think is a very good job of minimizing switch placements and not having piano keyboards of switches (many are hidden in wiring closets) - most of my locations are just a single switch, or in some locations 2.   That said, I have several locations where I have a Big Ass Fan switch that is in a dual switch placement with the Control4 switch, and the fan smart switches are all Decora style.  I also have a few locations where I have just a dumb $2 Decora style rocker switch next to a Control4 APD (where for example I don't need control) and these would not work there either.

Why Control4 could not do this style, but also make it Decora size is beyond me.

I will also say that there is some small advantage to being able to "feel" the up and down part of the rocker switch on the old style.  Same can be said for Keypads - especially when you have 6 buttons.  I may still try the Contemporary where I am getting ready to engrave on keypads that are just on their own (and then require a new wall plate as well), but we'll see.  Definitely less excited than at first.

[LollerAgent]

47 minutes ago, anon2828 said:

This is what it looks like in a Decora wall plate:

I would say absolutely to NOT attempt to fit these in a Decora wall plate if you care at all about aesthetics (which one would think is the whole reason to purchase the Contemporary style).

Wow - that doesn't look good.  I have several multi-gang locations that have decora switches (Lutron RA2 and cheap dumb decora switches) and C4 keypads.  I can't believe they couldn't make this work with normal decora faceplates.  This is a pretty big fail in my opinion.

[eggzlot]

1 hour ago, LollerAgent said:

Wow - that doesn't look good.  I have several multi-gang locations that have decora switches (Lutron RA2 and cheap dumb decora switches) and C4 keypads.  I can't believe they couldn't make this work with normal decora faceplates.  This is a pretty big fail in my opinion.

though its a fail - it saves me money, so its kind of almost a win!

[ejn1]

5 hours ago, anon2828 said:

Thus, if you have a gang of switches that include a Decora style or sized switch along with Control4, you are SOL.

Also, if you care about your wall plates matching, for example with the wall plates used for your electrical outlets, you are also SOL.

Not really sure Control4 thought this whole thing through.  

This has been my concern all along . I wanted to find a way to make it work but looks like not fully thought through like you say.

[South Africa C4 user]

I am looking to order a colour change kit for one of my keypads in order to see how I like the new contemporary lighting (which I must say really looks cool in all the pictures ).  I am wanting to match it as best as possible to the plug points which we have (see picture below). Any views on what the best colour match would be? My guess (based on online pictures) would be an aluminium backplate with the new grey buttons?

[chopedogg88]

that would be my guess as well.

[South Africa C4 user]

14 minutes ago, chopedogg88 said:

that would be my guess as well.

Thanks!

[ILoveC4]

On 9/8/2021 at 12:19 PM, anon2828 said:

This is what it looks like in a Decora wall plate:

I would say absolutely to NOT attempt to fit these in a Decora wall plate if you care at all about aesthetics (which one would think is the whole reason to purchase the Contemporary style).

While I do not have a Control4 Contemporary wall plate to test, it appears that the top bar and bottom light bar would be almost entirely hidden by the Control4 Contemporary wall plate as the opening for the paddle (or buttons in the case of a keypad) would be significantly smaller.

Thus, if you have a gang of switches that include a Decora style or sized switch along with Control4, you are SOL.

Also, if you care about your wall plates matching, for example with the wall plates used for your electrical outlets, you are also SOL.

Not really sure Control4 thought this whole thing through.  I am in a custom build and I did what I think is a very good job of minimizing switch placements and not having piano keyboards of switches (many are hidden in wiring closets) - most of my locations are just a single switch, or in some locations 2.   That said, I have several locations where I have a Big Ass Fan switch that is in a dual switch placement with the Control4 switch, and the fan smart switches are all Decora style.  I also have a few locations where I have just a dumb $2 Decora style rocker switch next to a Control4 APD (where for example I don't need control) and these would not work there either.

Why Control4 could not do this style, but also make it Decora size is beyond me.

I will also say that there is some small advantage to being able to "feel" the up and down part of the rocker switch on the old style.  Same can be said for Keypads - especially when you have 6 buttons.  I may still try the Contemporary where I am getting ready to engrave on keypads that are just on their own (and then require a new wall plate as well), but we'll see.  Definitely less excited than at first.

I’d like to see if it on the wall. I’m guessing it doesn’t protrude that far. 

[anon2828]

8 minutes ago, ILoveC4 said:

I’d like to see if it on the wall. I’m guessing it doesn’t protrude that far. 

Look at the other pictures on Page 1 of this thread by RAV (Aug 4) shown in a Decora plate (the two all the way to the right and top middle). My mock up (of course not on wall) is pretty close.  There would maybe be 1/8" of play given the backplate that the wall plate snaps on to for a screw-less wall plate.

Trust me, I really wanted to like these, but I think unless you go all-in with the specific plates made for Contemporary by C4 (which must be pretty thick and stand off the wall quite a bit), you will be disappointed trying the Contemporary with a Decora style wall plate if you care at all about aesthetics (not to mention the filler piece at top and light bar at bottom are at a totally different plane).

I'd love to see pictures of these mounted on the wall with the C4 matching wall plate - I am betting that the thickness of the wall plate is significantly more than any standard Decora wall plate.  I'd bet it is much more like a Legrand Adorne style plate that stands off the wall quite a bit and you have to be into that look - here is a pic of Legrand Adorne plate for comparison:

 

[ILoveC4]

I have 100% C4 switches with engraved buttons switches (100%) and C4 switch plates covers. I LOVE the look of these new contemporary products. 

[chopedogg88]

correct they stick off the wall further than the traditional faceplates.  not so far that it looks strange though - similar to Lutron Palladiom keypads.

[brantlmcdonald]

On 8/3/2021 at 10:59 AM, mstafford388 said:

I would also add while not officially, they really are compatible with decora plates, they are just slightly smaller than a decora opening.

Does that mean a Contemporary wallplate opening is too small for a standard decora switch or receptacle? 

[anon2828]

1 hour ago, brantlmcdonald said:

Does that mean a Contemporary wallplate opening is too small for a standard decora switch or receptacle? 

I think that is correct.  I don't have one yet.

[LollerAgent]

1 hour ago, brantlmcdonald said:

Does that mean a Contemporary wallplate opening is too small for a standard decora switch or receptacle? 

Probably so.  I think I heard C4 is releasing combo decora/contemporary plates, but that sounds like a mess.  How many different combinations would they need to make to satisfy everyone?

[brantlmcdonald]

 

On 10/4/2021 at 9:19 PM, anon2828 said:

 I'd bet it is much more like a Legrand Adorne style plate that stands off the wall quite a bit and you have to be into that look - here is a pic of Legrand Adorne plate for comparison:

 

I replaced all of my wall switches with adorne... its not very noticeable how far off the wall they are due to the beveled edge of the wall plates; especially with the black backing. I also have the glass mirror white wallplates, and its probably even less noticeable with those vs. the matte finish plates. 

Im curious to see just how well received the new contemporary devices are. They definitely needed an update, and I'm sure part of the challenge was making buttons that were compatible with existing installations. 

[brantlmcdonald]

On 10/4/2021 at 12:39 PM, South Africa C4 user said:

I am looking to order a colour change kit for one of my keypads in order to see how I like the new contemporary lighting (which I must say really looks cool in all the pictures ).  I am wanting to match it as best as possible to the plug points which we have (see picture below). Any views on what the best colour match would be? My guess (based on online pictures) would be an aluminium backplate with the new grey buttons?

So do you use the standard decora style C4 switches or the square switches in South Africa ?

That receptacle in your pic is Legrand Arteor I think? 

I was told by my Legrand rep they are going to release a C4 driver for the Netatmo Zigbee devices, which is available in the Arteor line, as well as Living Light and Bticino. They just released the Netatmo stuff in the US, and it’s replacing the RFLC line that had a C4 driver. The RFLC line worked flawlessly with C4. 

[South Africa C4 user]

2 minutes ago, brantlmcdonald said:

So do you use the standard decora style C4 switches or the square switches in South Africa ?

That receptacle in your pic is Legrand Arteor I think? 

I was told by my Legrand rep they are going to release a C4 driver for the Netatmo Zigbee devices, which is available in the Arteor line, as well as Living Light and Bticino. They just released the Netatmo stuff in the US, and it’s replacing the RFLC line that had a C4 driver. The RFLC line worked flawlessly with C4. 

We use the standard decor style switches.  

Thanks for the info! That is useful.  Yes my plug point is Legrand (and I think is is the Arteor).

[WisC4]

Has everyone been waiting months to get these?  My dealer put an order in the first week of August for (4) contemporary faceplates and (4) contemporary customized keycaps of varying color combinations.  Need to get the samples to decide the right color combo to convert the house, about 225 sets of keycaps and faceplates.  

[JSTRONG]

4 hours ago, WisC4 said:

Has everyone been waiting months to get these?  My dealer put an order in the first week of August for (4) contemporary faceplates and (4) contemporary customized keycaps of varying color combinations.  Need to get the samples to decide the right color combo to covert the house, about 225 sets of keycaps and faceplates.  

Contemporary Faceplates have been taking me about 3-7 days to get. No way he ordered them in August and didn’t get them yet. 

[WisC4]

On 10/15/2021 at 4:33 PM, JSTRONG said:

Contemporary Faceplates have been taking me about 3-7 days to get. No way he ordered them in August and didn’t get them yet. 

Very odd.  Dealer did notify me that they arrived last week, but still no sign of them on my end.

[drmark12pa]

So I've ordered buttons for my new house in contemporary style and with that you receive color top and bottom bars as well as a clear bottom bar.  I use the old plates that screw on as were in the house and just buy colored plates to match the buttons that I've done colored.  I'm just wondering if the clear bottom bar is supposed to be used for the light bar and looks rather silly with a long thin clear gap look.  I'm assuming based on my reading here that you pretty much have to buy new plates from Control4 to make this look pretty but that doesn't address when you have 2,3, or 4 gang plates that you need.....