Smart switch without neutral how to#
Smart switch without neutral install#

However, to use its voice control capabilities with Alexa or Google Assistant (hereвЂ™s why I went Alexa over Google Assistant) youвЂ™ll need to set up a separate Lutron bridge connected to your router like you might for Philips Hue lights.Д«efore you buy any smart switches, be sure to read the fine print. The Lutron Caseta Wireless In-Wall Dimmer is another switch option for homes built in the pre-neutral wire era. Cync (formerly C by GE) developed a 3-wire switch last year that works without the neutral wire, making it a good choice for anyone looking to limit the necessary electrical work for raising their homeвЂ™s IQ. In addition to their neutral wire-needing smart switches, some brands have tried to offer more inclusive options to older homes.

A neutral wire also provides individual dimming functionality for the controllerвЂ™s switches. The Brilliant smart home controller, for example, demands constant power to fulfill its role as a wall-mounted display to manage your collection of connected devices. Several of the best smart switches still need a neutral wire to complete a given circuit and stay powered 24/7. But now you can find a fair selection of models that let you smarten up your space sans-neutral wire. A few years ago, there werenвЂ™t many companies addressing the wiring discrepancies of older homes. The non-demolition option is to use any of the best smart light bulbs or use smart switches that work without a neutral wire. Since we opened ours up for the renovation, it wouldnвЂ™t have been an issue to run a neutral wire for the devices I wanted. Our electrician claimed itвЂ™s not difficult work, but theyвЂ™ll need to get behind your walls.

Smart switch without neutral install#

First, you can have an electrician install one. If your switch box doesnвЂ™t have a neutral wire, you have two options. If that happened before 1980, itвЂ™s most likely that you donвЂ™t have the neutral wiring necessary for smart switches. If that happened after 1990, itвЂ™s most likely you have neutral wires running throughout your home. The easiest way to determine whether you have neutral wires in your switches is to know when your house was built, or the last time it underwent a major renovation.

Smart switch without neutral how to#

Neutral wire: How to tell if you have it, what to do if you donвЂ™t But if youвЂ™re interested in any smart home devices that draw power directly from your electrical network (a.k.a not an outlet,) youвЂ™ll need to know if a) you have it and b) if the devices you want require it. (Image credit: Future)ДЄccording to my Wiring 101 crash course - courtesy of a day spent shadowing said electrician - a lack of neutral wire in our switches wouldnвЂ™t have been the end of the world. Main power (black) secondary power (red) ground (green) and neutral (white). I've got the power: Here's a look behind our walls. Or if you donвЂ™t know whether you have one, like me. So when it comes to designing a smart home, a neutral wire can cause headaches if you donвЂ™t have one at your switch location. Combined with a power source and ground wire, you have the makeup of a contemporary light switch, but earlier switches operate without the neutral.

In terms of a homeвЂ™s power flow, the neutral wire provides a return path for currents essential to most modern U.S. DIY smart home: Why IвЂ™m skipping smart kitchen appliances.DIY smart home: Why I bought a wine fridge and you should, too.While I knew of electrical compatibility issues with older houses, I hadnвЂ™t considered whether mine had the proper wiring in place before ordering new smart switches. The folks from Brilliant Smart Home System wanted to know whether their aptly named smart control panel would work in my home. My spiral down the rabbit hole of rewiring my DIY smart home started with a seemingly simple question: вЂњDoes your house have a neutral wire?вЂќ