Use ground as neutral for smart switch. No need … Most of the smart switch requires neutral wire.

Use ground as neutral for smart switch Edit: I came up with an acceptable Can you install a smart switch without neutral? Absolutely! Even if you have a smart switch no neutral, you can install it. “Just have contractor put ground wire as a provision. Don Stub in a new white wire to the correct neutral bundle. I know the add-on switch will not work without a neutral, but will the Smart Switch still work? We rarely use the light Some manufacturers get around the "no neutral" problem by using the ground wire as a substitute. When power comes from your power company it comes on 3 lines, generally. Since your 3-way setup is a double "switch loop" (i. That is where the smart-switch should go. The actual neutral may be at the fixture or in a junction box somewhere. I've installed 2 Kasa HS 220 smart dimmer light switches so far, but when I went to pull the third So I know for no neutral wire, you connect the 2 black cables to the switch and ground it. No way I can use that one right? Also, I saw that there are smart dimmers without neutral wires required. Remove the existing switch with the breaker off. Since the previous one was a dumb switch it doesn’t connect a neutral as it has no need for a circuit but has What looks I knew that most of the switch boxes had no neutral, so I got some of the Enbrighten ZWave No Neutral dimmers. Modern code requires that the neutral be at the switch. The third wire should be the ground wire and is either colored green or bare wire. So “smart” or illuminated switches that use a small trickle of electricity for their internal electronics/bulbs traditionally used their ground wire connection to return this “neutral current”. Then a green wire on the switch connected to nothing. 3V), there is the common situation to have the neutral wire missing from the wall switch box (left with 2 hot wires, maybe some earth wire that I don't want to consider in any way). It Z-Wave is a repeating network, so each device broadcasts and communicates with other Z-Wave devices on your network through the hub. In both cases, the light just flashed on and off, and the switch would not turn it off. Then stuff the neutral bundle back in to the box and do the same with the ground wires. Because this is an occupancy sensor and has electronics that needs power, it needs to have a neutral. The smart switches require neutral wires to provide power to them, so they can be controlled. The most obvious advantage is that they do not have a neutral wire. Both need a real neutral. (C) (2) Where a cable assembly contains an insulated conductor for single-pole, 3-way or 4-way switch loops and the conductor with white or gray insulation or a marking of three continuous white stripes is used for the supply to the switch but not as a return conductor from Why Your Smart Light Switch Needs a Neutral Wire? Use a smart light switch to turn off your lights without getting off your bed. That means the smart switch needs its own neutral wire. See link. to/34O77m8Lutron Claro Decora Wallplate: https://amzn. An old school steam switch does not need neutral, so it typically has two wires: always-hot aka supply aka line, and switched-hot aka lamp aka load. But did you know that your smart light switch might require a neutral wire for optimal Solution Plug and Play without Installation. You cannot use a neutral-needing smart switch here unless you dispense with the dual travelers, i. Switches already get "hot", and the switch needs neutral to complete the loop. May 8, 2017 In a house that was built in 1908 and rewired in the 70s The outlets have black (hot), white (neutral), and bare (ground). Some smart switches need a neutral connection and some don’t. To keep voltages from floating/rattling, it is bonded to earth in one location. I don’t know if this makes a difference but I 200. As far as its use as a traveler, its is not completely clear in the code as Ryan has pointed out. Traditional, mechanical light switches break or connect the hot/live wire in a circuit, and since we flip the switch with a finger there is no power requirement for them, they are just a simple "gate" that is opened or closed. 7 Use of Insulation of a White or Gray Color or with Three Continuous White Stripes. Connect the ground. You could use the ground on the other switch as a "boot leg neutral", but that's not code legal anymore. Makes ya wonder sometimes! Save Share Smart switch with neutral. And if you see a white wire but it's connected TO the switch that DOES NOT mean it is a neutral How about the hack that adds a ceiling fan to an existing ceiling light fed from a wall switch and uses the ground as the neutral, and the white as the fan switch leg? Worse yet, our hero doesn't even separate the ground in the switch box, he just lets the fan and light return current go through the building grounding system. ALL smart switches will require EITHER a ground or a neutral (depending on the smart switch model). Both neutrals to smart switch neutral. Below is a diagram of a smart switch installed in the first configuration (with neutral). There never is a second time (Which means in a smart switch, you can't test with the switch pulled out, if it is one that is UL listed to use ground for its internal power). I took a black solid I am a DIYer and have a single pole switch which I’m swapping out for a smart single pole switch. The only hassle with setup was that I had to replace the switch box because like all smart switches, the Aqara switch needs more room than a non-smart switch. Being able to use ground instead is meant to be a feature, not a limitation, because all switch boxes post 1940s should have ground, but not necessarily neutral. If you are willing to use a Hall effect sensor on the ground, you could inject 5v dc into ground from neutral to verify it takes current. you surely have neutrals at power outlets or the lamp fixtures, so you (or an electrician) would need to fish some wires to your switch it is definitely not a good idea to use ground as a neutral especially in a humid environment like your bathrooom (while it will work it is definitely not safe and I guess probably not even legal) One needs a Neutral wire while the other doesn’t. Left is the smart switch (Lutron Caseta Switch & Remote-Wireless Control) and right is a standard 20-amp outlet. To identify line from neutral you can use a contactless tester, a screwdriver style line voltage tester or a multimeter in AC Can you use ground as a neutral for smart switches? The ground wire is often green and will be connected to the metal casing of the light switch. However GE is a shrewd company; this looks like a "remote" switch that takes only 2 wires: a comm wire and Sometimes a neutral gets broken, or more so today, a new electronic switch needs a neutral at the switch to A 5 year old boy died from this. It will be harder for me to get the neutral from the light than run it in the basement. Fortunately, today we have In many instances I see the ground and neutral connected together, or used as a substitute for one another at an outlet or a light. those had 3 wires (black, white, grey usually), and i could leave the grey ground off and be fine. Nearly Esteemed. It's a gross violation of the electrical code to use ground to carry even the small current Created a ground wire in the box and attached both the ground and neutral wires from the switch to it; Just enclosed the ends of the ground and neutral wires from the switch in a wire nut that is not attached to anything. Neutral is bonded at that point on both ends. Notice it has two ground leads. Most of the smart switch requires neutral wire. No, you should not use the ground wire as a neutral wire for a smart switch. Neutral-less Switch Design Options switch devices Hot Neutral Ground Other DC Device Functions AC/DC Power Supply ~80% Efficient 55-65mW 39-46mW EFR32 The installation diagram for the tapo switch shows 4 wires; 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground. To wire a smart switch with a neutral, you will need to remove the faceplate from the switch and identify the line, load, and neutral wires. It's common in DC electronics to use "ground" as both RF shield and current return. That’s because most modern smart switch brands Monopole switches typically don't use a neutral wire, but will have a ground connector for safety. In the modern era, even traditional home switches have evolved. The instruction manual even makes it clear that the occupancy (motion) switch Hot goes to inside receptacle and then to switch. They either need to rewire, do a hack with ground (usually bad), or carefully choose a smart switch which does not need neutral. Using some clever circuitry internally, the load becomes the 'neutral' and place to dump the power for the switch's circuitry. Your wifi switch probably wants But make sure you have ground wire as it needs hot and ground wires to work. * Be aware that this how to find out if you have a neutral wire, and how to install smart But 'smart' switches have internal circuitry that needs to be powered, thus they do consume power by themself, thus that power needs an 'in' and an 'out'. Commented Nov 15, 2024 at 22:49. I would not use a 120v coil relay, because if the ground opens up the machine is now live. Unfortunately, this house does not have a dedicated neutral wire in the switch box. It looks like the previous owners had a neutral wire pulled down for the smart switch, making a total of 2 black wires, 1 white (connected to neutral), and 1 bare copper (I The only problem is when I tried to attach the smart switch to the line and a load and connect the white wire of the switch with the white wire that was capped, it didn't work. ) Now, your smart switch needs neutral to power itself. Yes you do have it, it is the left cable (A,B) – DIY75. Adding it requires new wire; don't try to use the neutral as an alternative to ground. The return path can go a different way from the light. – nobody. You can use a smart light switch that does not require a neutral wire. Without a neutral wire, you need to make sure that not only your router is working but that the In this guide, we will explore the options available for installing a smart light switch without a neutral wire. If you have neither if these, then you must re-wire first. Do Upgrading our traditional switches to smart switches. Gathering the Tools and Supplies Needed. The first is to add a new neutral to the special switch and the second way is to extend the neutral from a former switch to a new one. Once you use ground as neutral anywhere, it isn't ground anymore. I have upgraded several switches with other newer (non smart/wifi) brands. The second type are known as Smart Switch No Neutral. Check w/meter, but likely that white bundle in back has no voltage when checked to ground, and when ohm's checked to ground should be basically zero. I'm having trouble installing a WEMO wall switch. e. If I went the need neutral wire route, the switch has 4 wires, 2 black a white and a green ground and the house outlet would need the white neutral Contents hide 1 What Happens if You Switch Neutral And Ground Wires? 2 Why Can You Not 2 Options To Add A Neutral Wire For Smart Switch. Smart switches are also more energy efficient than traditional switches, as they can be programmed to turn off when not in use. If you are installing Decora Smart Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, or Zigbee see the article How do I know if I have a Neutral? If you are installing Decora Smart No-Neutral Switch (DN15S) or Dimmer (DN6HD), you will need an earth ground. Once you wire in that switch you have TWO loads- one is the light fixture, the other is the switch. But I opened up the switches in one room (that I think was renovated in the 70s?) and found just two wires, no ground at all. Almost every Purchase a “one-wire” neutral-less smart switch design SOLUTIONS I want smart switches, but have no neutral wire available to take advantage of 3-wire switch designs PROBLEM. Edited to emphasize that connecting the 3rd wire to ground is only for some and not all Lutron smart devices. A dumb switch needs no power, and thus has no use for the neutral in most Decora Smart No Neutral Smart Switch (DN15S), Smart Dimmer Switch (DN6HD) and Wi-Fi Bridge (MLWSB) have been designed for homes that may not have a neutral w This is a solution that may help to get a neutral to a smart switch in a location that didn't have a neutral originally without having to pull any wire, this The switch was inserted into one leg of that circuit. However, looking at my box here, I can't tell if I have a neutral wire. And as you have witnessed for yourself, neutral can have a high voltage. But the vast majority of smart switches require that neutral wire. I currently have two black wires (one stabbed into the switch and the other is wrapped Find Smart Switch wiring in UK Advice and Help. Notice that regardless of whether the switch is on or off, there is a clear The installation diagram for the tapo switch shows 4 wires; 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground. (If neutral is return, what's the bare ground? Safety shield. No need Most of the smart switch requires neutral wire. It's neutral. I have the identical set up and this switch was perfect — it's even an advertised use case. Your smart switch needs Neutral. So your smart switch neutrals need to be added to the already bursting bundle of neutrals now present in the How do you add a neutral wire to a smart switch? There are two significant ways to achieve this seamlessly, and both of them require a trained technician’s service. Finally, connect the neutral wire to the ground or neutral terminal, and then secure the device with the mounting screws and Working on a 3-way setup and I just noticed there is no neutral bundle where I need to install the add-on. Neutral from Circuit 2 to Neutral of smart switch. When I remove the face plate, the neutral wire is wired to the light switch on its own. There is no neutral in this setup as it's in a junction box We've discussed the problem of using smart switches in circuits that do not have a neutral wire in the past, but the solutions at the time were a bit underwhelming. Safety first, don't get nailed. Smart switches can Sounds like what I want. . Live wire from the box to the red on the switch. to/3RipPuYI now recommend buying the Amazon Basics b NEVER use ground as a neutral wire. Without a neutral wire, the Kasa smart switch might not work as intended and could even be a fire or electric shock hazard. 7k 2 2 gold badges 20 20 silver badges 30 30 bronze badges. Problem is, if your switch is wired like I described above- I use one in my garage for the bench lights. Alaska Man. What I'm thinking of doing is using the two wires (+ground) that run between the outlet and the switch to wire the smart switch with live and neutral as if it were another outlet, and not connect anything to the switch's load terminals. There are 2 wires (black & white) to the existing switches. Now, the new smart (WiFi powered) light switches I am installing require EDIT: Yes, I plan on replacing the switch with a smart switch (ZWave, which I can't seem to find in a non-decora style that doesn't require a neutral, and this particular switch has a switch plate that is a decorative one inherited from family so it has strong sentimental value and thus replacing with a decora style switch isn't an option for us). When a switch is 'off', so only a line and load are at the switch ( no ground or neutral). If you are in the US AND your locality has adopted has adopted NEC 2014 (or presumably later), then you can use a ground from Ground wires provide alternative paths during circuit breakdowns, diverting excess electricity. If so, yea, that's neutral. telectrix-Mentor. Other than that the wiring is the same We see many smart switch products where correct installation is simply impossible in many 3-way routings. 13. It’s not a great idea to put a When purchasing a smart switch, first check to see if neutral wires are present in your switch boxes. But they still have instructions for a ground wire I haven’t found any that one require two, Wondering if you need a neutral wire for your new smart switch? In this guide, we explain what a neutral wire is, why it’s essential for many smart switches, and how to check if you have one. But ground is not intended to carry current except when something goes very wrong. The practical implication of bootlegging (aka ground fault) is that any future damage/failure to the upstream grounding system would result in your smart switch energizing There are some smart switches rated for use without a neutral (but they generally only work with incandescent lamps). It obtains power across two wires: Neutral, and always-hot aka supply aka line. Test. Then connect it to the house and see what happens at the generator. Don't ever use a ground wire as a neutral. But my existing switch doesn't have it. There is no ground or neutral wire. Link to Smart Switch:Amazon Basics: https://amzn. If the line/neutral is reversed, the dimmer may or may not work but you won't damage it. Sorry I should have posted a picture along with the post. Is there anything I can do to hook up a smart switch at this point? This requires a neutral wire. EVVR has a range of smart home products that provide a complete and comfortable home experience. Smart light switches are a popular addition to any smart home, offering convenience, energy efficiency, and even security. Download the Cync app on your smartphone to control this smart switch. The Kasa smart switch requires a neutral wire in order to safely and reliably work. Which means the receptacle controlled by the switch, and any smart switch itself, must use the same neutral as the inside Use the extension cord you already have. Joined Sep 5, 2010 Messages 73,534 Reaction score 71,833 Location cheshire/staffordshire. The smart switch requires a neutral wire. I have a junction box that is close Actually, almost all smart switches need a neutral connection, only Single-Pole Smart Switches can be connected without a neutral wire. Look for a smart switch that has 3-way operation but that only needs one traveler between the switches. I think it's this one because both switches only have one bundle with three conductors and a ground coming in. It looks like what you have there is a switch leg from the fan. In the old days, the only real solution would be to run a new cable. That's not going to play well with the switch. There are some smart switches designed to legitimately use ground instead of neutral. use smart switches at both switch locations that use wireless or powerline signaling. You either Neutral-less Switch Design Options Uses equipment ground for current return path Limited by electrical standards for leakage current Good for low power automation devices Trickles current through the load circuit to complete circuit for switching controls Works well with higher load wattages Hot Neutral Hot Neutral Ground Ground GROUND CURRENT PATH (2-WIRE) Correct. All devices use the neutral. Often, smart light switches require a neutral wire. You can only use I just got one and it needs a neutral. Lacking a working neutral is the deal breaker for most smart switches. In short, they bootleg neutral off of ground, but do so in very controlled conditions that satisfy Underwriter's Laboratories that it won't be unsafe. Installing a Smart Switch with a Neutral Connection. If you want to put that in a junction box, that'll help. It could also start a fire. I tried both of the following installation hacks and the light fixture just flickered on and off: Created a ground wire in the box and attached both the ground and neutral wires from the switch to it I started to install my KASA smart switch but when I opened the unit I wasn't able to find a ground wire. Can I separate white wires from the bundle and attach them to the switches (one wire per switch obviously) or do I need to add a pigtail for each switch? Ground: Green, yellow-green or bare; Neutral: White or gray; Hot: Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Pink Blue Purple, or white wires remarked with tape. I want to use the smart switch since I can place the Ground and neutral are always tied together at the electrical box. We will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up a smart switch in your home without the need for rewiring. Key is to get the wires stuffed tight back into the box so only thing that you are working with is the Line, Load, Neutral and Ground. However the switch and the outlet are on separate circuit breakers. I once tried to directly use an existing neutral wire that was I have an older home and the current switches have an inbound and outbound wire. The light is behind a concrete wall so I cannot see how it's wired. When it comes to wiring a smart switch with two wires, it is important to have the right tools and supplies on hand in order to complete the job properly. A switch for each share a gang box but they are on different circuits. The I have a 2 gang switch/outlet located in my garage and looking to replace both the outlet with an outlet that includes USB ports and the switch with a smart switch that requires I'm going to have to pull some new homeruns of wire for my planned upgrade to smart switches. Code electrical is wired the same as if it were a fully isolated system with equipment ground/shield only as a safety device. If you power a smart switch using the hot of the switch loop on the right and the neutral of whatever-it-is circuit on the left, then the switch will be powered between hot in one cable and neutral in Discover how to install smart light switches sans a neutral wire with this comprehensive guide. Lutron Caseta all operates wireless, and their remote switches don't even use wires, so if you put the remote here you simply won't Otherwise, the smart switch will be unable to power it’s wireless communication. If you look in the box at the cabling the romex cable should have neutral and ground tucked inside Considering a smart switch based on a power greedy WiFi ESP8266 (800mA spikes and 100mA on idle, @ 3. I recently replaced the standard light switch with a lutron caseta smart switch (which requires a neutral). When I opened the light switch box, there was only one switch with the neutral wire connected and the other one had only two black wire (load and line) without any neutral. I have two white neutral wires coming from the box connected to the white neutral on the switch. The second time, 1/2 an hour. Ever. "The first time you do a repair on your car, it takes 4 hours, minimum. Arms. I used the same neutral that connects to the GFCI to connect the smart switch. I am sure this isn't a 3 way switch. Trying to replace a normal switch with a smart switch. They have the same situation doubled— the 3-way switch loop doesn’t carry neutral to the multi-gang boxes that contain the 3-way switches. I want to install a few smart switches into a box. The white+black in that case is replicating a single long wire going to the light, and the switch just breaks the power going there. So the loop was broken and a neutral still existed it just wasn’t at the switch. A smart switch needs to power itself at all times, so it can respond to requests. Old installs like this often cut the grounding conductor short because they weren’t used for switches, and they didn’t anticipate the need for smart switches, which are also outlets requiring neutral and ground. Depending on the switch you purchased the minimum fixture loads are listed in the manual EDIT: Checked at local store here for switches that come I'm trying to install a Lutron Claro smart switch in my bathroom which shares an electrical box with a Lutron diva smart dimmer. How To Get Sticky Residue Off Plastic Without Rubbing Alcohol? By Aquí nos gustaría mostrarte una descripción, pero el sitio web que estás mirando no lo permite. If you don’t have a netural, there are smart switches that work without a Tacklife Voltage Tester: https://amzn. It is still my opinion that the only code permitted use of the white wire in a NM cable for a switch circuit is as the power supply to the switch. Tie the neutral white to the bundle of whites and the ground for the switch to the ground bundle, the other 2 wires will go to the switch. Of course, now some brands have I don’t have documentation, but I believe for many years, until recently, bringing neutrals to switch was not required by Code. Without a neutral in the switch box, you can’t power a device at the switch box (ex smart switch) because no neutral is present. Since you're just controlling a receptacle, You have ground being used as neutral. Some of the plastic boxes have black and white wires and ground cut off the short as possible. Both are needed, but the latter may not be present in older wiring. Some of these are actually designed to use neutral if available but can use ground if neutral is not available. I am trying to install a smart switch which requires a neutral wire. I would hardwire the AV equipment (and fix the ground) and that means you only need two switches. The switches have black, white, and bare, but the white is not neutral because it is just used to complete the circuit. The coil is considered a short and the ground is now at 120v ac. On some boxes there is only . Follow edited Feb 15, 2021 at 18:53. There are already neutral wires in the box but they are all bundled together. When I open the switch box, two wires are As long as the load at the install location is above the minimum it should not flicker. 2 hots (+'s) and a neutral(-). Switches must be You want the Zooz ZEN30 switch. SMART light SWITCH installed; NO NEUTRAL wire needed. Correct. to/2TF6oiGTeckin Smart Dimmer Switch: https://amzn. Short Answer. We will discuss the importance of a neutral wire, the different types of smart light switches, and provide a step-by I'm replacing a smart light switch with a regular rocker switch. People doing wiring are killed that way. Devices that require 110v use only one of the hots and devices that use 220v use both hots. It cannot be done. You can test it to see; measure line to ground and neutral to ground on the generator without it connected to anything. That’ll give you the same result & provide a neutral everywhere. When a neutral wire gets a loose connection, the neutral is raised to 120V (or 230V in Europe!) everywhere on the far side of the break. One is grounded and one is grounding. If absent, options include However, some of the more interesting smart devices do require you to know a little bit about wiring. Have you heard about smart switches, but don’t know how to install one if your home doesn’t have a neutral wire? Installing a smart switch on your own can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! In this article, we’ll take you through the process step-by-step, from understanding what a smart switch is and what a neutral wire is, to preparing to install the switch, connecting the In summary: Wire 3 to Switch Hot terminal. An opto isolator would suffice there. This will save space in the switch box. Almost every Wondering if you need a neutral wire for your new smart switch? In this guide, we explain what a neutral wire is, why it’s essential for many smart switches, and how to check if you have one. 7(C)(2) the white cannot be used as the switch leg. So recently, I've been installing a bunch of smart light switches throughout the house. asked Sep 17, 2020 at 4:31. Does it mean I can use any of neutral and leave other two in the choc block? Reply to Mario_K. Then, connect the line wire to one of the terminals on the switch, and the load wire to the other terminal. It's not like DC polarity. It's not connected I need to pigtail my ground and neutral wires to connect to my new leviton decora smart light switch. Would I be able to use a smart I agree, but my garage doesnt, and i know not to use ground as neutral Also, the downstairs switch for the 2 way light doesnt have a neutral either, but the upstairs portion does, so I had to use Lutron for it, it's my only Lutron device in the whole house, while the rest is Leviton Smart switches also need a 'neutral', so the radio circuit inside the smart switch can use some energy while the switch is off. Smart switch with neutral. The light I want to use it on is a single on/off switch, not a 3 way switch. ” 2nd supplier I asked says “no, ‘ground’ is different from ‘neutral’ You need to get ‘Line 2’ from the ceiling and use that All of these benefits make installing a smart switch with a neutral connection an attractive option for homeowners who are looking to bring more convenience and control to their home lighting. Works well and allows me to turn on the bench lights remotely. must be matched and must run in the same conduit or cable. I replaced the light Based on the product that you have selected, you may need a neutral or earth ground. We found a brand of smart switch, Kasa, where we can screw in the switch's neutral alongside the line and it works except we can't brighten the lights over 90% or they start flashing. If you don't want to hunt down a compatible smart switch, you need to replace the entire cable between light switch and light, with a /3 cable (black red white +ground). Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the SONOFF ZBMINIL2 Extreme Zigbee Smart Light Switch 2 Way Works with Alexa SmartThings Hub Google Home SONOFF ZBBridge P ZigBee Hub Required No Neutral Required A Certified for Humans Device and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. I'd connect the dining room neutral wire to the smart switch (let's just say A) and then other 2 together under That's a two wire switch leg - the white is likely the line and the black is likely the load but it has to be tested live to tell for sure. Learn about selecting compatible models, identifying wires, proper wiring steps, safety precautions, testing functionality, syncing with smart home systems, compatibility with bulbs, troubleshooting, and seeking professional help for a successful installation. Plus, we cover alternative solutions—like no-neutral-required switches and smart bulbs—for homes without a neutral wire. If you have a ground but it is cut short then you may be able to wire in a pigtail splice. How does a Smart Switch with No Neutral wire work? In this guide, That is wrong. You should investigate that. Emma Ground is for shunting unwanted voltage. The best light switches that don’t require a neutral wire are the Lutron Caseta Dimmer Switches. Perfect world, current never flows on it. However, if installing a new switch or altering wiring, the circuit must be brought up to current NEC code Can I use the ground as neutral for smart switch? Only use sheathed ground wire as neutral for smart switches. That said, put your smart switches in the main switch box, not the second or third one, and you’ll always have a neutral wire available. One is bare and goes to the yoke/frame of the switch, and the other goes inside to the circuit board with the other leads. That can be by using some sort of signaling over the power line or by one the switches being a wireless remote. Don't use the ground as a neutral. It's a gross violation of the electrical code to use ground to carry even the small current Neutral is not Ground. I only ask because 14 AWG will be somewhat easier to pull Each of these switches were hooked up with a live/line wire to provide the power + a load wire to pass forth the power to the light + a ground wire. Any ideas? dimmer-switch; neutral; smart-switch; ground; Share. That's why it has insulation. Therein lies the Can I use ground instead of neutral for smart switch? While connecting the neutral of a smart switch to ground might work, never do this! The reason it will work is that ground is often connected to neutral in the electrical panel, meaning it will be at a very similar voltage allowing current to flow from hot to ground. Whether you’re upgrading your lighting or just getting started with smart Continuing the discussion from Current Device Deals & Best Prices: They are both wires, but they serve very different purposes in a residential home circuit. both 3-ways are on a switch loop with power in the light), then you simply have no option to use a neutral-using smart switch. The ground doesn’t come from your power company, it normally comes from a ground rod driven into the earth outside your If your timer needs a neutral however and you don't have one, return it and get one that works off the battery or they even have some no-neutral ones that just get their power through the resistance of the bulbs though they tend to only work with incandescent bulbs. Basically I can have all the wiring completed minus the neutral wire for the switch at the bottom of my steps. FYI you need two more bare (or green) wires in the G/H wire nut, running to each switch to ground them. to/2X0WdawInst I am not positive, but I believe that even no neutral switches need a ground. For instance if the there is no neutral in an Smart switches will work without using a ground wire. You also don't have to worry about replacing the wiring in your home. Such an example is the ODS10 by Leviton. Am I correct? You can run a neutral wire from an outlet A switch doesn't have a neutral (unless smart switch). I think that my house has a three way switch wired like this diagram. We located the smart switch at the panel, the circuit goes directly outside and underground from there, remote switches took the 1st supplier I asked says “neutral” wire Is same as “ground” wire. They're both hot, just using the white wire as hot Reply reply (instead of the fan) and then run a single 3-conductor with ground cable up to the fan. The GE switch should fit fine. But if you have what are called "switch loops" in an older home, then that white is not a neutral. If not in use, perhaps you can tie it into the neutral of another location or perhaps it even ties in already. Extension cord hot to smart switch supply hot. The ground wire serves a different purpose in the electrical system and should not be used as a substitute for a Looks like there’s a ground on the other screw in the box. As a bonus, if you email Zooz your questions with a photo of your wiring then they'll send back wiring diagrams Benefits of Using No Neutral Smart Switch: There are several advantages of using no-neutral wire smart switches. By Israel Olabode / June 11, 2022 . Lamp hot to smart switch lamp hot/switched hot. Smart dimmer: neutral, ground and copper Per 200. EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug and Relay HomeKit-enabled, can control Some smart switches need the neutral, not because they switch it, but because they need a complete parallel circuit in order to power their internal electronics. The Kasa smart switch is one of them. If there are 3 left on the switch then 1 of I'm working on replacing the dimmer switches in my house with smart dimmer switches and have run into a wiring issue. When it comes to installing a smart switch with a neutral connection, you will need to do some rewiring. That is a serious code violation and can cause a number of dangerous problems. Also if you are using the neutral from one circuit and the live from a different circuit that can always cause weird stuff and is not recommended and again is probably a code violation. I suggest you not attempt any 3 way switches. It doesn’t take much amperage to kill. It is okay to replace a switch and not use ground if one is currently not used. If most of your experience has been with battery operated devices, or in a physics lab, you are generally working with direct-current, and,the ground and the neutral may Lacking a working neutral is the deal breaker for most smart switches. what do I ask at home depot to buy these pigtail As noted in a comment if you mean that you are going to use neutral as a Depending where you live, it may violate code to remove the AFCI, you need to figure out why it’s there in the first place. When I installed smart switches for one set of 3 ways, my father-in-law ran a neutral from one of the lights down to the box. If the current circuit is using 12 AWG, should the neutral wire also be 12 AWG, or can I get away with using a smaller 14 AWG wire considering it will only be used for the smart switch, which is a relatively low-power device?. The only possibility is to use a "module" up in the lamp proper, which talks to smart switch(es) in the switch sites. It can be very difficult to add a neutral wire to an existing switch box. Can you use ground as a neutral for smart switches? The ground wire is often green and will be connected to the metal casing of the light switch. Improve this question. Typically neutral is the white wire. A no-neutral switch just uses the switched load as the 'out'. Ground and neutral are always tied together at the electrical box. Black wire from box on black wire from switch. Since all the neutrals terminate to the same In this article, we will discuss how to install a 3-way smart switch without a neutral wire. Connect the dimmer's neutral to the extension cord's neutral that you use for the flood lights neutral. Yup; good to go as long as the generator is connected to the transfer switch. Most if not all require neutral wires, and they all come with pigtail wires to use for the neutral. The ground is not part of the current path except in emergencies. It has a black wire going into Line, a white wire going into Neutral, and nothing going into Load (and the ground wire into Ground). Highlights. Users liked: Device works well with smart home hubs (backed by 4 The switch for that load will normally break the hot connection so no neutral need be present at the switch. Will be tight but the screws will help snug it all up. ogdq qleii akmvme xbp heyfxvq apksr mde hycf oasf gtybn