However, that introduces the new problem of figuring out what to do with the existing switch ( here’s some ways to solve it). But, if you want easy installation and the option for colored lights, buying bulbs could be better. Most home automation experts recommend smart switches over smart bulbs. You don’t necessarily need to buy a smart switch. I’ve used the Shelly relays and they work really well. With one of these smart switches, the existing switch does not need to be changed and will continue to work. 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. There are several compact smart switches which can fit inside electrical boxes and light fixtures. Therefore, if there’s no neutral in your switch box, the light fixture will have one. In any installation, either the light switch or the light fixture MUST have a neutral wire.
#Smart switch no neutral required install#
Install a smart relay switch at the light fixture Between the three listed (Lutron, Inovelli, and C by GE) in this article, you should be able to find one that fits your needs. But manufacturers responded to demand, and now there’s a handful of good ones available. When smart switches first came out, it was hard to find a good “no neutral” switch. Buy a smart switch that works with no neutral If you want smart control of your lighting, and your home has switch boxes with no neutral, you have 4 options: 1. The third wire should be the ground wire and is usually colored green or bare wire.įour ways to fix the “no neutral” problem They will usually be colored one black and one white (potentially with black stripe or marked with black electrical tape).
Two of the wires will be the current carrying wires that power the light. You should be able to install any smart switch.Ī switch box with no neutral loop will usually only have three wires (see image below). 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. How do you know if you don’t have a neutral? The Shelly products are so versatile, reliable, and reasonably priced that I have no reason to try anything else. The truth is I haven’t tested any others because I have no need. Of course, Shelly is not the only brand that makes mini smart relays like this. And if the Shelly app isn’t good enough for you, you can go “full geek” and install custom firmware. You can set the relay to work with an existing toggle switch, momentary switch, or even 3-way switches. Additionally, the Shelly app is quite versatile.
You can choose to use them with cloud integrations or without (local control only). The Shelly products are WiFi so you won’t need another hub. Since the Shelly is installed with a neutral, you don’t need to worry about needing a bypass for small loads. Therefore, you install the Shelly 1 relay behind the light fixture where there is a neutral. If you don’t have a neutral at the switch, then you will have a neutral at the load (light fixture).
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