Upgrading from Mode, iLight, Vantage or Rako to Lutron or Crestron
Replacing an Old, Unreliable Lighting System with a Modern One
Lutron and Crestron’s lighting platforms are flexible enough that we can confidently upgrade almost any older lighting control system — Mode, iLight, Vantage, Rako and similar — to a modern, efficient and genuinely reliable equivalent. We have completed a number of these projects, replacing an unreliable legacy system with something the household can actually depend on day to day.
Our Wimbledon case study is a particularly good example of just how bad things can get. The clients had lived with an old, unreliable lighting system for ten years, and had gradually given up on it entirely — reverting to table lamps and side lamps because the system itself couldn’t be trusted. When we first visited, pressing a single light switch produced genuinely unpredictable results: it might switch on a couple of lights, switch every light in the house off, or even switch off lights in an entirely different room. This is an extreme example, but a great many households are still living with a ten-year-old (or older) lighting control system that has neither the reliability nor the flexibility of a current Lutron or Crestron installation.
Lighting Controls
Our replacement systems use the traditional lighting keypad for everyday scene recall, alongside full app and touchpanel integration — a client can stand in the room, adjust each circuit to exactly the level they want, and save the result permanently to any keypad button for instant recall afterward. A holiday or “away” mode replays the household’s recent lighting activity automatically while everyone is out, making the property look genuinely occupied rather than running off a single predictable timer. Scheduling can bring exterior lights on at a fixed time or in response to actual sunset and sunrise, switching off again automatically. The digital dimmers themselves are considerably more efficient than older lighting systems — dimming a light genuinely saves meaningful energy, on top of making the home look its best at every level.
For clients whose existing system has reached this point, the right upgrade path depends on what’s actually salvageable — sometimes the existing wiring infrastructure can be reused with new Lutron or Crestron dimming modules behind the wall, keeping disruption to a minimum. For the full detail on how we approach this kind of upgrade with Lutron specifically, see our guide: Upgrading a Legacy Lutron System →. For systems where the original installer is no longer trading or simply never configured things properly, see: Inherited a Bad Crestron or Lutron Installation? Here’s How We Fix It →
We can retrofit a Lutron or Crestron lighting control system into any type of property. Get in touch for a free survey and to discuss the options.
Frequently Asked Questions — Upgrading an Old Lighting System
Can you upgrade an old Mode, iLight, Vantage or Rako system to Lutron or Crestron?
Yes. We have completed a number of these upgrades, replacing unreliable legacy lighting systems with modern Lutron or Crestron installations, often reusing existing wiring infrastructure where it’s still suitable.
How do I know if my lighting system needs replacing rather than just fixing?
Genuinely unpredictable behaviour — switches that affect the wrong lights, scenes that no longer work reliably, a system the household has stopped trusting — usually points to a system that’s reached the end of its useful life rather than one with a single fixable fault. A survey will confirm which applies to your specific installation.
Does upgrading a lighting system always mean rewiring the whole house?
Not necessarily. In many cases the existing wiring infrastructure can be reused with new dimming modules, keeping disruption to a minimum. Where rewiring genuinely isn’t practical, Lutron RadioRA 3 offers a fully wireless alternative.
