Contemporary Lighting & Engraving

[DawnGordon]

I bought a couple of Contemporary color change kits to replace existing buttons and I really like them. The kits come with a clear sensor bar and a top actuator bar. My question is regarding Contemporary engraved buttons. These do not come with either a sensor bar or a top actuator bar. Do I need to buy these separately, or can I use the current ones with the Contemporary buttons?  The clear bottom sensor bar may not even be needed and they don't seem to be available.

[C4 User]

Glad to hear you like the contemporary design. I ordered but still waiting for a few contemporary change kits and plates to see if I want to change out the house. Im a user but if it’s anything like the tradition button designs, engraving only replaces the buttons themselves and not the lower and upper bars.

[Matt Lowe]

with the contemporary engravings it appears that they are shipping the actuator and light bars with the new engravings.

[Cyknight]

1 hour ago, Matt Lowe said:

with the contemporary engravings it appears that they are shipping the actuator and light bars with the new engravings.

This is what I've seen too - engraving options IF done via composer at least should come with a top and bottom bar matching the 'style' - contemporary or other.

I DO half remember that I did an order on the site some time ago (for something like 2 buttons that needed a changed engraving) that I think didn't came with them.

[WhyPhy]

Can you post some photos of the contemporary buttons and actuator/light bar?

[C4 User]

On 11/7/2021 at 9:14 AM, C4 User said:

Glad to hear you like the contemporary design. I ordered but still waiting for a few contemporary change kits and plates to see if I want to change out the house. Im a user but if it’s anything like the tradition button designs, engraving only replaces the buttons themselves and not the lower and upper bars.

So I received and installed a few of the contemporary kits. I really like the new look. The actuator and light sense bars hidden behind the face plate give it a much cleaner look - and unlike the decora buttons, the indicator lights appear to be very consistent. Once the wife and I decide on color, I will replace all my switch buttons and face plates. For those wondering like I was, when I first saw the new contemporary switches I did not understand what happened to the actuator/light sense bars. They now recess to the back of the buttons when installed and the face plate covers/hides them (but still allows light to hit the sensor).

[ejn1]

2 minutes ago, C4 User said:

So I received and installed a few of the contemporary kits. I really like the new look. The actuator and light sense bars hidden behind the face plate give it a much cleaner look - and unlike the decora buttons, the indicator lights appear to be very consistent. Once the wife and I decide on color, I will replace all my switch buttons and face plates. For those wondering like I was, when I first saw the new contemporary switches I did not understand what happened to the actuator/light sense bars. They now recess to the back of the buttons when installed and the face plate covers/hides them (but still allows light to hit the sensor).

What are you going to do with multi gang outlets (Eg 4+) which also may have non C4 decora switches present?

[C4 User]

9 minutes ago, ejn1 said:

What are you going to do with multi gang outlets (Eg 4+) which also may have non C4 decora switches present?

Not positive this answers your question, but all of my switches are C4. Long ago I decided to bite the bullet and not mix/max C4 and traditional in the house. I did try the C4 non-smart or traditional switch option, but they look weird so stopped using them. IMHO, I do think the contemporary design is all or nothing.

[Matt Lowe]

1 hour ago, ejn1 said:

What are you going to do with multi gang outlets (Eg 4+) which also may have non C4 decora switches present?

They are releasing contemporary essential and hopefully mechanical as well. This will give every budget options for the contemporary style

[ejn1]

31 minutes ago, Matt Lowe said:

They are releasing contemporary essential and hopefully mechanical as well. This will give every budget options for the contemporary style

The mechanical is the missing link in this.  Otherwise homes will have to go every switch automated or not

[ejn1]

2 hours ago, C4 User said:

Not positive this answers your question, but all of my switches are C4. Long ago I decided to bite the bullet and not mix/max C4 and traditional in the house. I did try the C4 non-smart or traditional switch option, but they look weird so stopped using them. IMHO, I do think the contemporary design is all or nothing.

Thanks ,  I have a few non C4 fan controllers and blanks so need to figure out how to blend it together .   Mechanical switches will help.

[Matt Lowe]

8 minutes ago, ejn1 said:

Thanks ,  I have a few non C4 fan controllers and blanks so need to figure out how to blend it together .   Mechanical switches will help.

Fans can go on switches no problem and keypads would be good for blanks.  Will give you more options for larger buttons. 

[WhyPhy]

 

23 hours ago, C4 User said:

I did not understand what happened to the actuator/light sense bars. They now recess to the back of the buttons when installed and the face plate covers/hides them (but still allows light to hit the sensor).

I’m assuming that the buttons are slightly taller and that they still work with non-C4 faceplates? It looks like the actuator / circuit disconnect bar is no longer accessible without removing the faceplate. 
 

[C4 User]

34 minutes ago, WhyPhy said:

 

I’m assuming that the buttons are slightly taller and that they still work with non-C4 faceplates? It looks like the actuator / circuit disconnect bar is no longer accessible without removing the faceplate. 
 

I can’t speak to which face plates the contemporary lighting works with. But yes you need to remove the face plate to access the actuator bar or light sensor. 

[DawnGordon]

I'm going to switch out all my lighting faceplates and buttons for the new Contemporary Lighting. Love it.

 

[ejn1]

what about folks who have faceplates also in the house for power outlets...  Some decora and some not maybe.   Do you change every one of those faceplates also to the control 4 faceplate? 

[WhyPhy]

21 minutes ago, ejn1 said:

what about folks who have faceplates also in the house for power outlets...  Some decora and some not maybe.   Do you change every one of those faceplates also to the control 4 faceplate? 

 

I have gloss white Eaton screwless decorator faceplates for all of my switches and outlets (all outlets are decorator form factor.) They look identical to the C4 Contemporary faceplates as far as I can tell. While I’d prefer matte white (Snow White), I hope I  don’t need  to change out faceplates to work with the Contemporary buttons. My guess is that they are compatible. 

[ejn1]

39 minutes ago, WhyPhy said:

 

I have gloss white Eaton screwless decorator faceplates for all of my switches and outlets (all outlets are decorator form factor.) They look identical to the C4 Contemporary faceplates as far as I can tell. While I’d prefer matte white (Snow White), I hope I  don’t need  to change out faceplates to work with the Contemporary buttons. My guess is that they are compatible. 

thanks...   But i guess you still have to be committed to change every single face plate at once,  C4 and also power outlets.

[WhyPhy]

33 minutes ago, ejn1 said:

thanks...   But i guess you still have to be committed to change every single face plate at once,  C4 and also power outlets.

IT all depends on how committed you are to everything matching perfectly. I’m probably going to go with matte white buttons but everything else will be gloss white. But most people wouldn’t even notice conventional outlets vs. decorator-style outlets. 

[Matt Lowe]

3 hours ago, WhyPhy said:

 

I’m assuming that the buttons are slightly taller and that they still work with non-C4 faceplates? It looks like the actuator / circuit disconnect bar is no longer accessible without removing the faceplate. 
 

The buttons are nearly identical in size vertically. They are thicker than before and the plate covers the actuator and light bar rather than letting it be exposed.

 

[Matt Lowe]

2 hours ago, C4 User said:

I can’t speak to which face plates the contemporary lighting works with. But yes you need to remove the face plate to access the actuator bar or light sensor. 

The contemporary will work with any faceplate but with traditional styles they will stick out and not look right. it is best to use them with contemporary faceplates.

[WhyPhy]

The 2-piece Eaton screwless faceplates are definitely thicker than traditional faceplates. Hopefully they will work similarly with the contemporary buttons.

[DawnGordon]

Does anyone know if the Contemporary faceplate will work with a 2-gang decora arrangement -- 1 side a contemporary rocker and a single decora outlet next to it?

 

[bobbay]

The Contemporary dimmers/switches are NOT decora. They are smaller. They will fit in a Decora faceplate, but there will be gaps around the device. C4 Contemporary faceplates will NOT work with standard decora outlets, switches etc. The opening is smaller than a Decora opening. There is or is going to be, a C4 faceplate that is 1 contemporary opening and 1 decora opening. 

[Matt Lowe]

It will look weird with them being different heights and thicknesses.  Wait for contemporary essential and mechanical or so traditional engravings.