The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ filled a real gap in the Caséta line when it launched: a paddle style smart dimmer that handles electronic low voltage loads. Alongside it, Lutron added Pico Paddle Remotes in five new colors. Together they let installers finish jobs with mixed load types on one platform and give clients more choice within the paddle aesthetic.
The Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ (model DVRF-5NE) brings smart control to low voltage applications like under cabinet, track, accent and strip lighting. It also handles nearly every other residential load type, including LED, MLV, incandescent and halogen.
Designed for Professional Installers
The headline feature is phase selectable dimming. Rather than stocking separate dimmers for separate load types, an installer picks forward or reverse phase to match the load, either with a button press on the control itself or in the Lutron app.
It ships pre-programmed to reverse phase for ELV, which is the more common case, and switches to forward phase for MLV in seconds. For anyone who has ever pulled a dimmer back out of the wall because the driver didn’t like the waveform, that’s the whole pitch.
Capacity is the other thing worth knowing. The Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ handles up to 250W of dimmable LED, 500W of ELV, incandescent or halogen, and 400VA of MLV. It also works with Lutron’s Hi-lume 1% 2-Wire LED drivers, though in forward phase only.
The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ matches the paddle aesthetic of the rest of the Caséta family, including the Diva Smart Dimmer, the Claro Smart Switch and the Pico Paddle Remote. It’s available in six gloss colors: white, ivory, light almond, black, brown and gray. Like the standard Diva, it has an on/off paddle with a captive slider and a soft glow lightbar that shows the current level and makes the control easy to find in a dark room.
Adam Mack, senior product manager at Lutron, said integrators had told the company a paddle style smart dimmer with ELV+ technology was “a must have” for Caséta, and that the new dimmer helps round out the family alongside the Diva Smart Dimmer and Pico Paddle Remote.
The dimmer pairs with a Pico Paddle Remote, which lets integrators add 3-way control to any residential light without cutting holes or pulling wire.
New Pico Paddle Remote Colors
Alongside the dimmer, Lutron released five new colors for the Pico Paddle Remote (model PJ2-P2B) on top of the original white: ivory, light almond, black, brown and gray.
The Pico Paddle controls Caséta switches and dimmers, Serena smart shades, ceiling fans and more. It doesn’t require a hub, app or Wi-Fi to work, communicating directly with the controls over Lutron’s Clear Connect RF. Use it as a handheld remote or mount it to almost any flat surface with the PICO-WBX-ADAPT bracket. For integrators, that means a second switch almost anywhere with no wire to pull.
Three details that don’t get mentioned enough:
- Ten year typical battery life, so it isn’t a callback waiting to happen.
- One Pico can control up to 10 Caséta dimmers and switches, which makes whole room control off a single remote realistic.
- Paired with a Diva smart dimmer specifically, one tap brings lights to the level set on the dimmer’s slider and a double tap goes to full brightness. That behavior is exclusive to the Diva pairing and needs current firmware on the dimmer.
It also works across the whole Caséta family, including the original Caséta dimmers and switches, the Diva and Claro aesthetics, lamp dimmers and the outdoor smart plug.
What to Confirm Before You Order
Two requirements catch people out on this dimmer, and both are worth checking before the truck rolls.
A neutral is required. The Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ needs a neutral connection at the box. Plenty of older homes don’t have one available in a switch box, and that’s a wiring change rather than a swap.
The hub is separate. The dimmer works as a standalone control out of the box, but app control, schedules, scenes and voice assistants all need a Lutron Smart Hub (L-BDG2-WH) or Smart Hub PRO (L-BDGPRO2-WH). Worth setting that expectation with a client before installation day.
A few other specs to check against the job:
- Box depth: a 1-gang wallbox with 3½” depth is recommended, 2¼” minimum.
- Multi-location: wire single pole or 3-way. For additional wired points of control, use a Claro Smart Accessory Switch (DVRF-AS). For wireless, use a Pico.
- Indoor only, rated 32°F to 104°F.
- Power failure memory: the dimmer returns to its previous level when power comes back.
Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ FAQs
What is the difference between the Diva Smart Dimmer and the Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+?
The standard Diva handles LED, incandescent and halogen. The ELV+ version adds electronic low voltage and magnetic low voltage, and lets you select forward or reverse phase to match the driver. If the job includes under cabinet, track or strip lighting on an ELV driver, the ELV+ is the one you want.
Does the Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ require a neutral wire?
Yes. A neutral connection at the box is required.
Do I need a hub?
Not for basic dimming. You do need a Lutron Smart Hub or Smart Hub PRO for app control, schedules, scenes and voice assistant integration.
How do I set forward or reverse phase?
Both. The dimmer arrives set to reverse phase for ELV loads, and you can switch it to forward phase with a button press on the control or through the Lutron app.
Does the Pico Paddle Remote need a hub or batteries changed often?
No hub, and battery life is typically ten years. It talks straight to the Caséta control over Clear Connect RF.
How many colors is it available in?
Six gloss colors for the Diva Smart Dimmer ELV+ and six for the Pico Paddle Remote: white, ivory, light almond, black, brown and gray.
Want to see more? Shop the full Lutron Caséta wireless lighting collection at PROLIGHTING, or call or chat with our team and we’ll confirm load type, phase setting and hub requirements before you order. Full specifications are on Lutron’s Caséta product site.
PROLIGHTING® is an Authorized Distributor of Lutron Electronics.
Updated September 2026
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