If you open your switch box and you see two white wires joined with a wire nut (not connected to the switch), you can be fairly sure your switch has a neutral wire. You should be able to install any smart switch. A switch box with no neutral loop will usually only have three wires (see image below).
Full Answer
What to do if you dont have a neutral wire?
If you want to use smart switches and don't have a neutral wire in your switch box, you can hire an electrician to run a neutral wire between the light fixture and the switch. You can also have an electrician rewire the switch and light fixture, which is potentially more expensive.
How do you wire a switch without a neutral wire?
- First you want to turn off your breaker box to turn off power to the light switch. ...
- Next you want to remove the decorative face plate that covers your light switch.
- Pull the light switch out from the wall slowly to examine the wires.
- A white wire, or a group of white wires, is the tell-tale sign that a neutral wire is installed.
How do you wire a light switch without neutral?
You've got three main choices:
- Run a Neutral Wire Call in an electrician and get him to run a neutral wire running from the light fixture to the switch. ...
- Use Smart Switches That Don’t Need a Neutral Wire Some dimmable smart switches can be fitted with no neutral wire. What’s crucial here is the dimming functionality. ...
- Use Dimmable Smart Bulbs
How to connect WiFi wall switch?
- Click ‘Settings’ on the additional user smartphone.
- Press the ‘Wi-Fi’ icon.
- Link to the same router as the first smartphone.
- Now, connect to the Wion icon.
Can I use a smart switch without a neutral wire?
Yes, you can install a smart switch without a neutral wire. There are some smart light switches and dimmers that do not require a neutral wire. These are great for DIY installers looking for an effective smart lighting solution.
Do WIFI light switches need a neutral?
Every smart switch needs a neutral wire attached because they need to stay powered all the time. Without a neutral wire, there is a single circuit between the bulb, power source (or junction box), and light switch.
What happens if a switch does not have a neutral wire?
The neutral wire allows the completion of the circuit and the switch to have power even when it's turned to the off position when you want the lights off. Without this neutral wire in place, the circuit is broken any time the switch is now in the off position. It remains has power when the switch is in the On Mode.
Are there WIFI dimmer switches that don't need a neutral?
Aeotec Nano Dimmer is a feature-rich smart switch that can help you control your lights as well as fans. No neutral needed! It's also completely compatible with Z-wave Smart Home System, and it's also Z-wave plus certified so you can expect better response time & wireless range.
Can I use ground as neutral?
A ground is not a neutral period. The last thing you want is the chassis of your washer as a current carrying conductor. If your house has a bonded neutral and ground then it should be at only at one connector and that is your circuit breaker panel and nowhere else.
How do you add a neutral wire to a smart switch?
7:5311:13Adding A Neutral Wire To A Light Switch - How To - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFind that neutral wire which will be on the other side of wherever the load wire is and you couldMoreFind that neutral wire which will be on the other side of wherever the load wire is and you could run that wire back down into the light switch and now you have a neutral wire.
Why do some switches not have a neutral?
Switches don't get neutrals, they only want 2 wires: hot and switched-hot. Unless you're dealing with a smartswitch, those take neutrals but there is still a switched hot to account for. And red is a common switched-hot color, but it would never, ever, ever, ever be used for neutral. Ever.
Is neutral wire necessary?
In terms of a home's power flow, the neutral wire provides a return path for currents essential to most modern U.S. electrical codes. Combined with a power source and ground wire, you have the makeup of a contemporary light switch, but earlier switches operate without the neutral.
How do I install a wireless light switch without neutral?
1:076:36How To Wire A Smart Light Switch With No Neutral Wire - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat are holding the light switch on to the on to the junction box and you want to make sure theMoreThat are holding the light switch on to the on to the junction box and you want to make sure the power is off obviously before you do this you don't want to get shocked.
What happens if you don't have a neutral in your switch box?
So, if you don’t have a neutral at the switch, you can use one of these compact smart switches installed at the light fixture.
How to add neutral wire to a wall?
A neutral wire can be added by pulling an additional conducting wire between the fixture and the switch. This option is probably the most work and most unnecessary. It can be done, but pulling wires through finished walls can be a real pain, especially if you don’t have the proper tools.
What to do if you don't have a neutral?
If you want smart control of your lighting, and your home has switch boxes with no neutral, you have 4 options: 1. Buy a smart switch that works with no neutral. When smart switches first came out, it was hard to find a good “no neutral” switch.
How many wires are in a switch box?
A switch box with no neutral loop will usually only have three wires (see image below). Two of the wires will be the current carrying wires that power the light. They will usually be colored one black and one white (potentially with black stripe or marked with black electrical tape).
Is C by GE switch better than Lutron?
The C by GE switches are a great all around option. They are easier to setup than Inovelli and cost less than Lutron. They connect directly to your WiFi router so there’s no need for an additional hub. In addition, you have the option to install C by GE smart bulbs in your fixture to add color lighting to your system.
Is a Lutron switch expensive?
However, the Lutron switches will be the most expensive of the group. If you haven’t bought any Lutron products before, the best way to save a little money is to buy a starter kit bundle. Also, make sure you get the Lutron dimmer switch. The standard Lutron on/off switch will NOT work without a neutral.
Can a smart switch be neutral?
Smart switch with no neutral. Now let’s take a look at the second configuration (no neutral) with a smart switch installed. Again, regardless of whether the switch is on or off, there is a clear path from line to neutral that includes R1. However, in this case the light needs to be included in that path.
What is a switch with a neutral wire?
Here is a diagram of a standard switch with a neutral wire: Switch with a neutral wire. A smart switch can simply tie into the white neutral wires to complete the circuit and get a source of power to keep the radios in the switch working at all times.
Why won't my smart switch work?
The reason that some smart switches won’t work in this configuration is that the switch is breaking the circuit when it is off so power is not flowing through the switch . Smart switches require a source of power because they are always communicating with a hub. If the power is cut (because the switch is off) the smart switch will not be able ...
Can you use a neutral wire in a switch box?
If you want to use smart switches and don’t have a neutral wire in your switch box, you can hire an electrician to run a neutral wire between the light fixture and the switch. You can also have an electrician rewire the switch and light fixture, which is potentially more expensive. Either way, running a new wire inside the walls and ceilings ...
Do smart switches need a neutral wire?
One common problem for new smart home users is that they want to install some smart switches to control lighting, but their existing light switches don’t include a neutral wire. There are a few options for installing smart switches without a neutral wire, but first let’s check to see if you have a neutral wire.
Can a dimmable smart switch work with an incandescent light bulb?
However, it is very important that you confirm that your dimmable smart switch will work with the type of light bulbs you plan to use – many will only work with outdated incandescent bulbs.
Does a smart switch break a circuit?
The switch still breaks the circuit, but in this case the smart switch can tap into the neutral wire to keep power flowing through the switch – the electronics in the switch still break the circuit to the light, but the switch maintains a circuit so it is always receiving power.
Can you dim a smart switch without a neutral wire?
There are dimmable smart switches on the market that can be installed without a neutral wire. The key is the dimming feature, which turns the flow of power between the light and the switch down to a slight trickle. The flow of power is not enough to activate the light bulb, but it provides enough power to keep the switch communicating with your smart hub.
What happens if you don't have a neutral wire?
Without a neutral wire, there is a single circuit between the bulb, power source (or junction box), and light switch. If you switch off the lights, the electric current to the switch is broken because no power is passing through the bulb. That's why you typically need a neutral wire, which directly connects the power source to ...
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Can you rewire a house without a neutral wire?
If your house doesn't have neutral wires, your options are to rewire your home to add neutral wires, buy and add microcontrollers inside of the switches to smarten them up, or buy smart light switches that work without a neutral wire or microcontroller.
Do all light switches have neutral wires?
Best answer: Many homes were wired before the National Electric Code required every light switch junction box have a neutral wire. If you live in one of those homes, you'll be faced with some obstacles should you decide to install smart switches in your wall.
Why use neutral wire on smart switch?
The reason is the neutral wire allows smart switches to maintain a little bit of current to pass through so it can connect to your Wi-Fi network and be controlled remotely. The following are the steps we took and how to install a smart switch without a neutral wire. In our example, we used a Lutron Caseta Smart Switch.
What is neutral wire?
Simply, a neutral wire at the basic level is a wire return path for current in an electrical circuit. So, in essence, a voltage typically in a house is 120 volts, a neutral wire when there is no power going through the system is 0. The path back to 0 volts or the path back to a potential of 0 is neutral. Image by blog.smartthings.com.
How many wires do you need for a Lutron switch?
Lutron switch only requires you to connect three wires: line, load, and ground, no neutral wire is required. We will start first by installing the Lutrin Caseta ground wire with the other copper wire (use screw wire nuts).
What to do if your electrical wires are too short?
If the electrical wires are too short, be careful not to rip them out when pulling the old switch from the electric switch box. Next, check to see if you have a neutral wire in your electrical box. If you don’t see a neutral wire, you have two options. You can either hire an electrician to add neutral wire in your electric switch box ...
How to test a light switch without touching wires?
Without touching any wires, test each wire in the electrical box with a non-contact voltage tester. If the tester detects no voltage then pull out the old light switch. Typically, you will find the light switch is held in by small Philips head screws into the electric box.
What is the white wire on a light switch?
In a typical light switch, if you have new wiring or a home built after 1985, the white wire is usually going to be the neutral wire.
Can you go back to a smart switch?
Once you have a smart switch in your home it is impossible to go back. It is definitely a lifesaver, especially if you are on vacation, it can turn lights on and off when you are away. It has been nice to be able to schedule our smart switches to automatically come on at dawn and turn off right before bedtime.
What is neutral wire?
The neutral wire is the electricity's return path after it has entered a load, which is a fancy way of saying any device that uses power. An electrical circuit will always have two wires going to and from equipment needing to be powered.
Why do light switch boxes need neutral wires?
The reason is a direct result of the increasing popularity of "control devices" which are also known as smart switches.
Why is neutral wire important?
The neutral wire is as important as the hot wire, they function together as a pair to power things, and both are needed for the light to turn on. All electrical circuits have a return path. This is just a very simple one.
What happens when a switch is turned off?
Once turned off, there will be no current flow in the circuit, and nothing will be powered on. Same circuit as earlier. Notice the switch only. has access to the hot wire.
Why do we need a ground wire?
The ground wire exists to provide a way for the electricity to get back to "ground" safely. In the absence of a ground wire, an unknowing human who touches a faulted circuit could bridge the hot to ground through their body, leading to severe injury and even death.
Do smart switches work with ground?
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.
Do smart lights need neutral wire?
There is often a lot of confusion over the neutral wire within smart homes. This is because many devices, especially smart light switches, require a neutral wire to function correctly. However, when homeowners remove the light switch, there is no neutral wire in the box! What gives?