Smart Things Can't Work Without a Neutral Line

In most homes, a neutral wire provides a constant trickle of electricity.without neutral line It's this small amount of power that allows smart switches to stay connected to home Wi-Fi and function properly. Without the neutral line, switches and lights turn off when turned off.

It's easy to check if your home has a neutral wire: simply turn off the circuit breaker for the switch you want to test, and then look inside the switch box.without neutral line You'll find two current-carrying wires: one black and one white (potentially with a stripe or marked with black electrical tape). If you don't see a white lead, your house is missing the neutral wire.

The reason a neutral wire is required is that the electric charge doesn't glide effortlessly through a light bulb.without neutral line The electric company forces charge in through the hot wire, and then it forces it out through the neutral wire. The neutral wire completes the circuit, connecting all of the parts together. Without the neutral wire, the switch and the bulb have no connection to the power line, and the switch can't maintain a constant flow of charge through its relays and wireless components.

If you're looking to upgrade your old light switches with smart ones, a neutral wire is a must.without neutral line That's because most smart light switches rely on the neutral wire to remain powered up, and this ensures the switch stays connected to the SmartThings app.

While most modern homes have neutral wires, things are less certain for older houses.without neutral line If your house was built before 1985, or if you've had major renovations done before that date, it's likely that the neutral wires were cut or abandoned and don't exist in your switch boxes.

It's also possible that your home has a neutral wire, but it's spliced in somewhere other than your light switch box.without neutral line If you have a 3-wire 240V circuit, for example, it's common to run the neutral through an outlet rather than a switch box. That way, you can connect a smart outlet to the same circuit and use it as an alternative to a traditional wall-mount light switch.

Whether or not you have a neutral, there are still ways to smarten up your home. For instance, you can buy a light fixture that is battery powered or draws its power from a USB power supply. If you're willing to do some demolition, you can also look for a dimmer that doesn't require a neutral wire and is compatible with your existing circuits.

If you're not comfortable tinkering with your circuits, consider hiring an electrician to perform a diagnostic on your system. They'll be able to determine if your home has a neutral wire, and they'll also make sure that the neutral in your switch box is sized appropriately for your wiring. If it's not, then they'll either re-splice the neutral into your light switch box or install an entirely new one at the fixture. In the meantime, you can also try using a plug-in smart switch that doesn't require a neutral wire.