Smart Light Switch Neutral Wire - Do You Need One?
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- čas přidán 16. 10. 2019
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We teach you how to determine if you have a neutral wire and what smart light switches you can use with a neutral wire and smart light switches that work without a neutral. Most smart light switches but not all require a neutral wire in order to operate.
Neutral wires are typically white and most homes built after 1985 have a neutral wire in the switch box. Some homes before then can have them but it just depends on how your house was built. The video shows you how to check for a neutral wire and how you can install a smart light switch even if you don't have a neutral wire available.
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Remote Control Light Switch Guide: www.onehoursmarthome.com/blog...
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Thank you for this video. Easy to understand and literally answered all the questions I had trying to figure out how to wire the neutral wire!
Thank you for taking the time to make the video. I followed your instructions and was able to get the fan and light combo to have to separate switches, no more pulling on the switch cords.
Thank you man for the clear and no bs info and instructions. You saved me some cash from hiring a contractor. My new smart ceiling fan is huming along great! Thanks again!
Great video, having all three switches to show vs talking about them is above and beyond. Any DYI homeowner should be able to match, connect without issue. Thank You!
This was very helpful, I have a smart switch that requires a neutral wire. My current box has the neutral wires tied together with a marette as shown and I wasn't sure about whether I needed to tap into the neutral. Thanks for this well explained instruction.
Thank you!!
I was able to connect a sensor that came with four wires, I was about to return them. Thanks to your video, my father can now walk around the house without bumping into the walls.
I like the video, it was well done. But you never answered the original question. Do you need a neutral wire? Or can the switches be used without one? Can you hook up a smart switch that has a neutral wire in a switch leg box that has no neutral because the neutral is being used as one of the switch legs in the box?
I very worried right now. I just installed a Kasa smart switch which requires a neutral wire. The switch is working now but idk if the neutral wire or ground wire possibly came out as I was jamming the switch in. It dims my old antique light but when I use the app to dim the lamp it makes a buzzing sound. I don’t hear a buzzing when using the switch without the light plugged in though. Could be unrelated but is there any way I can know if the neutral wire and ground wire are still connected without taking the switch back out?
Do you have a video where you connect two switches controlling two different devices from one circuit
Thanks a lot for the info
best tutorial explaining everything needed
Thanks for the support!
Helpful video. I have Gosund and they required a neutral wire. Works almost the same
4:41 it's unINSULATED wire not unSHIELDED wire! 6:01 🔌
Shielding is when you have a foil-like layer around a data cable (which you can't see because it's beneath the outer insulating layer), to protect the signal from interference. You occasionally see shielding with certain expensive Ethernet cables but there are no shielded wires here! i.imgur.com/ZaqErCx.png
thanks for the video .... just what I needed
Glad to hear it!
Hi! Thanks for the great video. I've installed a bathroom fan with light and Bluetooth speaker, all in one. Of course, the switch requires a neutral wire. I ran the 12/3 romex and created a junction box in the attic since they had previously ran the power and everything else to the old fan! Now everything works including the switch but the fan and light aren't working. The company says it requires a dedicated (isolated neutral) and power but I can't quite understand how to do that. Surely they don't mean a dedicated circuit? Any help is appreciated!
This was really helpful!
Glad we could help!
very helpful thanks!
Easy installation and works well
I have a no neutral line for a plug that my basement lights work off of. I wanted to add standard lights with a smart switch. So I worked in reverse, Wired starting from the new lights going back to my light switch. so I have the load coming from the old wire going thru the switch creating what I thought be a neutral wire system. But I tried an HS200 (TPLink) but my lights do not turn on. The switch is showing flashing symbols, but no action. Is there something I can do or do I have to scrap the idea?
Nice Ad for Smart switches and your website. Nice setup with a light bulb and everything. Then all that happens is the removal of the face plate. No Smart switch was installed, let alone a finished working demo.
thanks for the video very helpful I appreciate it
Great video!!! Helped me netter understand my switch choices
This felt like Foodwishes , but for electricity.
Also great video thanks a lot!
Thank you too!
How can I add a neutral wire in my old house can you put the 2 wires on the one ground wire will it work thanks
Thank you so much I a the last switch and I was going crazy trying to figure out what I was going to do with this neutral wire
Glad I could help
It would be helpful to do a video for adding a neutral wire instead of recommending the high cost Lutron switch which requires a hub as well. There are tons of other smart switches including the ones you've shown that need a neutral. I don't have neutral. Where's the video showing how to add one? Nobody seems to want to explain this. I need to add a neutral wire.
You would need to pull new wire in the wall. Not a small job
I'm wanting to install a Meross smart switch on my gass fireplace. There is no real current on the switch contacts. Will the switch get operating current from the neutral wire? The switch requires some current to connect to my WiFi, but just completes the circuit of milliamps to open the gass valve.
Good job
I have 3 neutrals. One from mains, one to light and one connected to other switch. Do i connect all 3 neutrals to the neutral on the lights switch? I've tried it like this but the switch doesn't power on. So Im wondering if i need to only connect one of the neutrals. Or is the neutral from the mains maybe not connected at the mains? 🤷♂️ i don't want to fiddle with the db board at all. Just looking for opinions
Great how to video!
I could connect a luthon cassette to light switch for my kitchen lamp I have a 1936 house with older style cable -cloth outer sheathing two conductors with no ground black(hot) white(neutral) what would be my other option thanks
We need to help James get a power screwdriver!
So what if i dont have a neutral wire, and i want to connect a smart switch that "requires a neutral wire" PLEASE HELP! 😢
Hey , Thank's I just had to change the 2 BLK wires on mine because these mobile homes are just weird wiring !! But thank you😁
Good vid, thanx... I didn't want to go with a product that requires a bridge personally. Think I'd rather run new wires with a neutral, but that's a lot of work. Wondering about just going to Smart light bulbs instead.
Can I install the caseta light switch without a neutral wire and no ground wire either?
Holly crap, all this time I've thought I didn't have a neutral wire because it wasn't connected to the switches I've replaced. Never paying attention to those two wires connected together shoved behind as being the neutral I would connect to. Until I just saw them in your video. This opens up so many options for me. Fortunately, I love my no-neutral Casita system but now need to add a Caseta ELV which does need a neutral. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching and the comment! Glad to help, smart switches are a great upgrade.
I have 2 smart switches in a double box in my kitchen. Both lights come on when the main lights are turned on but when just the island is on the other lights don't turn on. I've had several electricians try to fix it with no luck. Any idea why this would happen?
question im trying to hook a amazon smart light switch up to my room but when i did it after it was working but thge light wasnt work it looks like my room and the living room are connected together with my light switch how do i seperate my from the living room how do i know that i did it correctly the new switch came on but not inj the correct way tahnks if u understand and can help please let me knpow asap and explain in details and which wires go to which color i having two black wires and white wires and one red wire coming out my room light switch wall im trying to match that up to the smart light switch which is red / white / green black coming from the new smart light switch so thank u very very very much im trying to learn how to do stufff like this i love it but the person that was great at this in my life was my brother but he died 4 years ago he was a electrician he was teching me but anyways thatnks alot and let me know happy hoildays to u and your family keeep up the great work thanks very very very much tty sooon
do you have a video on how to wire a whole bedroom
Thanks you for taking time to do this video. I just installed a smart switch and it was working until I found your video, super helpful and was able to fix it in about 2 minutes. Its working like a charm. BIG THANKS.
Great to hear!
good vedio
Well done. 😀👍🏻
Thanks peater
Thanks for this video! I am trying to locate a smart switch that I can use to turn the hot water on and off. Currently, the plumber has connected one of the signal wires from the thermostat to a standard light switch to make or break the connection for turning it on and off. I would imagine that I can replace that switch with an off-the-shelf light smart switch and connect the power to a relay to connect/disconnect the signal wire, but are there any switches made for controlling thermostat wires for hot water that function the same way that the typical smart light switches work, either by pressing to toggle on and off, or using an app from everywhere?
Hi James, again, I really appreciated your insight on not only this video but some others that have helped me in implementing smart home features! I am hoping that based your depth of experience and insight on smart homes, that you can at least point me in the right direction regarding my question above about controlling my hot water tank.
Thanks again!
I had to subscribe. You made that smart switch easy to understand. I need the app though. DUH.
Should houses before 85 have the ground copper wire?
He is a great instructor and explained everything well in depth. Love it
Glad it was helpful!
is there such a thing as a no neutral smart dimmer switch that doesn't require a hub?
🤗thank you for vid
When you have no neutral on a single pole luvion dimmer why does it allow voltage to pass when the load circuit is open? I removed some cabinet lights and not the existing switch doesnt have lights or functionality but it lets power through? I added a new one of these switches in a different location also with nothing connected to it yet and its doing exactly the same thing. Does it need to have a closed circuit for it to show functionality and also light up the dimmer lights? Im so confused. When there was no neutral my head almost exploded😂
i have a problem. My line only has 3 wires 1 black(guessing its hot wire), 1 white(guessing its neutral)But this white wire was connected to my switch so im also thinking its not a neutral wire cuz its connected where Load wire supposed to go, then Ground wire. But as u can see smart lights need 2 black wire and white wire. What do i do?
I have one of those old load out that only has one neutral and one line but no ground or load wire. How can I still use a smart switch that has neutral, ground, load and line setup? I really like to place one in but hate to call a electrical specialist during virus right now.
I was just looking at instructions for the Lutron Caseta switch, and they say to just cap the green wire on the switch if there is no grounding connection in your box.
Does anyone know is there some solution for the following scenario.
I have 16 led lights 25W each with dimmers already installed into the walls, I want to use those dimmers capabilities and integrate that into some device which will give me control over the lights through smart phone and one main switch for all lights. At the moment one switch in the wall controls 4 of them.
I live in uk just unsure because my wires are blue brown and yellow/green.
what if you have a neutral wire and you already bought 7 lutron caseta switches lol can you just cap the neutral off and do away with it all together?
I have an old house and am just learning that there are non-neutral switches out there. I am insanely confused by how the switch would be powered if there was only a single hot switched by the old switch? Namely, let's say my box has no ground, literally just: house hot ----> switch ----> light. Separately, the light has a neutral wired in it's fixture.
Without a ground or neutral *just* hot into the switch, load wire to the light... how is the switch powered?
Question for One Hour or anyone who can answer for me. Don't older homes built around the late 1970s also have a Neutral Wire that runs back to the breaker box? I see the white neutral wire in my home, but it is not accessible in every light switch junction box. I know I can purchase a No Neutral Wire, No Hub light switch which I will do. But, I am just curious about neutral wires that run back to the breaker panel. Thanks for your answers.
Thanks, my home dosen´t have neutral, it was very helpful!
Glad we could help.
In my home two of the bedrooms have a light switch that only connects to an outlet Not a ceiling light. Would this product still work? If not what other options would I have?
Yes, it will still work as a switch controlling the outlet. But you need to leave the lamp plugged into the outlet with the lamp set to the "on" position to complete the circuit and allow the smart light switch to be powered. You will then be able to remotely control the light with the light switch or your phone or voice.
I LIKE HOW HE GLOSSED OVER TURN THE POWER OFF
I'm in the UK. We have 3 wires standard (legacy = 2, with no earth): Live, Neutral and Earth. Earth is required because we use 240v and it can more easily kill, thus - the Earth is required to ground the switch. That leaves Live and Neutral purely for the appliance (light-bulb etc.). So what is this extra 'neutral'? It sounds like it is also constantly live, just like the 'Live'. Is this extra 'neutral' just a lower amp, permanent live 'loop' - through every, single switch? If so - I 'get' that, it's a little like a relay, however - a relay needs it's own small amp live and neutral pair, as well as it's 'switchable' higher amp live / neutral pair. Confused.
What do I do with a Switch Loop Circuit???
Hello, I bought the moesgo smart switch.. only has 3 connections (L, N and L1) but does not have a ground.. where do you connect the ground? Or is it ok to just not hook it up anywhere. Thanks
If there is no screw or wire attached to the switch unit for ground then the switch unit is grounded when you screw the switch unit to the wall box. Just make sure your wall box is grounded. If it's a metal box look for a green or bare copper wire screwed to the box. If it is a plastic blue box, you will need to pigtail the ground wire that is in the wall box to the screw that attaches the switch unit to the plastic wall box. Also, if the metal box is not grounded then you will need to pigtail a ground wire to the wall box or to the attachment screw of the switch unit that screws to the wall box.
The white wire is neutral, right? I opened it up and there it is and my house was built in 1979.
Hello thanks for the video... I was installing a smart switch but its not working
I have 2 black wires 1 red and 2 whites... there's only 3 holes in the switch... i don't know where to put them, can you help me?
Red wire goes to the odd coloured terminal on the switch (common/traveller)
Black wires go to the other colour terminal (2 terminals same colour)
@@montgomerybojangles8644 thank you
I only got a black and a white wire in my wall.
Just two wires. Can I still use a smart switch?
Thx much.
Yes, you can. These light switches: amzn.to/2zrIocj will work. I've installed dozens of them with just 2 wires that is similar to your wiring.
What if the light fixtures are run before the light switch? For example my setup is breaker panel > light fixtures > light switch at the end and only have neutral, hot and ground.
My recommendation is to use the Lutron Caseta switches: amzn.to/3k57gZK because they don't require a neutral and are non directional so even if your hot and load are reversed they will still work. Most likely your "Neutral" is actually a "load wire" but it's just not indicated as such. Depending on the local codes when a "neutral" is used as something other than a true neutral it should be marked with a strip of electrical tape in the junction box.
Can you explain all the wires?
Whatvis the difference between load and neutral, where do they come from?
This video explains your question: czcams.com/video/Q4OkmhTVaJ4/video.html
My house is old and all the wires are black except for one white one so I have 3 black 1 white and I don’t know what connects to which black wire. 2 black are connected to one screw on the bottom and the third black is connected to the top one
Nice if we zoom into the box to see wire
what do i do if there is no ground wire in my switch boxes?
Thank you, now I have a Bluetooth speaker bathroom fan!
i see another video where the some dude connects the neutral wire with the ground will that work?
Do not do this, it's against code!
No, you can't do that it's a shock and fire hazard. The ground should never be used as a neutral.
It would seem logical to do so since both neutral and ground wires are connected to the bus bar in the breaker box anyway, but it is dangerous and not recommended.
1. It's dangerous, 2. Your electrifying the ground. Which can ruin electronics or shock you. While they are connected at the bus, they then go to zero a the ground. When you electrify the ground in the circut you are electrifying everything downstream from the switch to the panel.
That should work to power the switch, but it is unsafe and would be against all building codes.
If you do have a neutral wire and you want to install the casetta, what do you do with the neutral wires in your gang box? Do we just leave them as is then? And will they always be two white wires pigtailed together
If you do have a neutral connection available in the switch box, that will allow you to use the Casetta or pretty much any other smart switch. With a "no-neutral" smart switch like this Casetta, you would just ignore the neutral wires in the box.
If you do have a hot wire and a neutral wire in your switch box, you may be better off using a different smart switch. Other comments here say that this Casetta smart switch is more expensive, and also requires the purchase and installation of a separate wireless hub to communicate with the switch.
This video was very helpful, thanks for taking the time to do it.
Glad it was helpful!
My new 2020 trailer home doesn't have neutral wire can't believe also have the most cheapest light switches
what do you do if you do not have a ground wire in your light switch box?
Just connect the ground wire to the metal box should be a screw at the back of the box. If not just screw it to something metal should be good 👍
In response to your comment, when using a switch loop the white wire in the romex is not designated as neutral. It is power carried away from the fixture to the switching device. I can assure you that myself and employees are licensed electricians. We work within the code and inspections. Many municipalities do not adopt the most recent codes. In fact, until last year the city we lived in was working off of NEC 2008. Therefore, it is not correct to say that every home built after 1995 would have a neutral present in the box. My intent was not to be argumentative, but simply to share what I run into every day working as a licensed electrical contractor.
What is my option for adding a neutral wire? You never did say.
This video teaches you how to add a neutral wire: czcams.com/video/LaqPDBbMgLM/video.html
Thanks for bringing that up, I thought I missed it among the many times he said to connect the green to green, load to load, hot to hot...
Look at the innoveli no neutral switches. They are fairly new and I'm trying them out
I have seen smart switches that require no neutral and no hub, they use a capacitor in parallel with the light bulb... How effective is this ?
What light switch are you referring to? Let me know and I'll try and give you an answer.
Where did you buy those covered copper wires from?
You can get them on Amazon: amzn.to/3mx2pSv or most hardware stores have them. But I've seen more competitive prices on Amazon.
Most wires today that are installed like the one u have is a white wire that has a black, white, and green wire; you have an extra black (load or hot) so in my case I have 3 wires black white and green how would I use the Levinton that has 4+1 wire?
You only need the hot, load, neutral and ground. You dont need to connect the extra wire unless you have a 3 way switch.
If you use lutron caseta you only need to connect ground, hot and load.
@@OneHourSmartHome so let me understand the green wire will go with the green, the white will go with the white, and my black wire will go with the red wire and what about the black wire from the Lutron dimmer what will that connect to?
My home only has 3 wires. Being and older house i had to add the neutral, and i have a "live" red wire and earth green wire. This should work fine for me
Warning: If you have an older house the wall box may be too small to fit a 3 times larger switch and the extra connector caps. Then you have to put the old switch back or tear up your wall for a new box.
You can at worst put in a reno box, forget what they are called but no mudding required, just maybe some cutting a bigger hole
Question, I have no neutral wires in my home as it was built in the early 70's. The smart switches require a neutral wire to power the wifi chip in the switch. Couldn't I simply split the hot wire before it goes into the switch and use the new hot as a neutral to power the wifi portion of the switch? I am aware that there are no neutral switches on the market but they are 3 times as expensive and im broke so Im looking for a simple hack to bypass this without having to rewire the house or return all the switches and go back to the originals.
Same question here...did you found an answer?
I'm not sure what you mean by splitting the hot wire, but switches that need a neutral will need both a neutral AND a hot wire coming into the switch box.
My smart switch came with a capacitor do I need that?
Suggest doing some editing. Can cut out much of the 1.5 minutes of unscrewing the switch from the box at the beginning :)
Is there an option for a house that doesn’t have neutral wire that does not need a hub?
No
When I wired up the dimmer switch, i was like why the F am I getting 30V DC?? I was like damn thing is broken... So I said, well before I return it, let me watch a video for a refresher course on switches... soon as I saw 2:30 ... i was like you wired it backwards... I saw load and line, so I wired it load to load and line to line... Thanks for the refresher
So I just connected 2 dimmer wifi light switches side by side. I have only 1 bunch of common neutral wires so I connected both switch neutrals together to the bunch. I am finding that at times the switches are turning eachother on. Is this because the neutrals are connected and what would you suggest if this is a problem. Thanks in advance.
Hi! I have the same problem! I’m about to install two dimmer switches side by side and I don’t know which neutral wires to use for each switch. How did you solve it?
@@torigb8047 I actually found when I changed my LED bulbs to a different brand that they no longer turned on when the other did. I put both neutrals on the same line, it's the only option.
I'm trying to install a fiet smart dimmer but the original light switch only has 3 wires black, white and the ground but this smart switch requires the red one which will be the load, how to i go about making this work?
This video shows you how to install the feit electric switch: czcams.com/video/3BRgEe0mNqg/video.html however it does require a neutral wire. This video shows an option to add a neutral wire: czcams.com/video/LaqPDBbMgLM/video.html However the easiest installation would be to select a smart switch that does not require a neutral wire. The Lutron Caseta switches: amzn.to/3q7HkyW don't require a neutral wire which would make them easier to install and would not require additional wiring. This video shows you how to install a lutron caseta switch: czcams.com/video/-YgqqmYzQww/video.html
If your switch has a neutral wire do you need to have it hooked up to work?
What if I don’t have neutral wire but the smart switch brings it?
GE sells a smart switch "3 wire" - hot, load, ground - that does not require a hub or a neutral. Costs a bit more - around $45.
My sister bought that switch but HAS a neutral wire in the box. Will it still work?
@@illinigrad I THINK if you have a neutral wire going into a box with a normal (single pole) switch, you will find the neutral is basically just connected with a wire nut to an outgoing neutral. Essentially the neutral is just being passed through the box. The hot wire coming into the box is attached to the switch and the outgoing hot is attached to the other screw on the switch. So the switch turns the outgoing hot on and off. If that's how your box is wired, you would not have to do anything with the neutral wire. It is just being passed through. Though this GE switch it isn't necessary and you would probably be better served by a smart switch that has a neutral connection. The GE non-neutral switch has its quirks and is less likely to work with your bulbs or fixtures without an adapter. I'm no expert so please check with other sources.
@@Bestportlandrentals Thanks for the Info! The box has no wire nuts in it. A white, red, black, and bare that all go directly into the current switch. I think I will get a different smart switch for my sister and put this one somewhere else in the house. Again, thanks for the advice.
Bet the one that doesn't need a neutral wire is simply using the ground instead. They are both the same because they connect together in the breaker box. The switch draws ma so why not use the ground wire if a neutral isn't available? Is there anything in the electrical code about this?
is there a workaround if your switch requires neutral but your box doesn't have one?
Same question. Why I watched the video to find out. Does the smart device not work ? Can one just splice one wire into two to go on the neutral wire? (Black vs hot vs neutral)
@@BobBob-ss3nr if you have access to a neutral on the same circuit you can splice into it but only a neutral, not a ground or other wire, in my case, there is no neutral wire in the box at all.
great video! I have one question my light switch only has 2 wires is there any smart switch compatible with it?
Yes this: amzn.to/3a0r4IG
Does anybody know where I can get a smart light switch with no neutral and a remote control that is not my phone?
Yes, this kit will work: amzn.to/3KIwz1G You don't need to set it up on your phone you can just wire it and connect the remote provided in the kit and it will work to control the smart light switch. The smart light switch also does not require a neutral wire. If you do want to have the option of controlling from your phone or with the provided remote this is the kit you would want: amzn.to/3MTJnVV
What happens if you want to use the Lutron smart switch, but your home has a neutral wire? What do you do with the wire? Maybe a stupid question, but I am ignorant when it comes to electrical. Thank you!
Just leave the neutral wire as it is. You dont need to do anything with it just leave the existing neutral wire in place.
Put a wire nut on it to protect it from shorting
Put a wire nut on it to protect it from shorting
If you have a neutral wire in the wallbox is better to find a dimmer with neutral, Lutron has the best. The dimmer perform better and you can low the load capacity, also sometimes depending on the quality of the led bulb you might need a minimum load adapter connected in parallel to the load, to help the led to perform better. Would be great to talk about this, is a very common issue and is very simple to solve.
** remember if you are using dimmers and led’s, buy dimmable Bulbs...
Thanks you guys!
I have two a yellow and black which is N And which one is L
I have the levitton dimmer and the wifi does not work. I have bx cable, hot and neutral. Calling them does not help.