- #Kasa smart switch wiring how to#
- #Kasa smart switch wiring install#
- #Kasa smart switch wiring code#
#Kasa smart switch wiring code#
Be sure to check out my guides to the best smart home devices (and best cheap smart home devices ), too.Ĥfreedomssake said:Is it now a building code that all new homes and businesses have a neutral wire?Speaking as a former electrician who has worked on everything from homes, to large commercial projects, and even to a nuclear power plant, I can tell you that you do have a neutral wire. In the meantime, e-mail me at or leave a comment below with anything you’d like to see me cover, whether it’s a how-to or buying decision you’re struggling to make. The Brilliant team did me a solid by double-checking my home’s compatibility, but consider this a lesson learned.Įnjoy solving these DIY smart home puzzles with me? Stay tuned for the next installment of this series. If you’re taking the DIY route like I am, review the installation instructions that are available from the retailers or product site ahead of time. However, to use its voice control capabilities with Alexa or Google Assistant (here’s why I went Alexa over Google Assistant) you’ll need to set up a separate Lutron bridge connected to your router like you might for Philips Hue lights.īefore 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 home’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 controller’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 weren’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 wouldn’t have been an issue to run a neutral wire for the devices I wanted. Our electrician claimed it’s not difficult work, but they’ll need to get behind your walls.
#Kasa smart switch wiring install#
First, you can have an electrician install one. If your switch box doesn’t have a neutral wire, you have two options. If you see a white wire coming out of the gang box, you likely have a neutral wire.
#Kasa smart switch wiring how to#
To check if you have a neutral wire, you can pop open a switch box in your home, if you know how to do so safely (you can also have an electrician come do it). A New York Times article from 1985 titled “Home Improvement” is very telling of the changes as they related to new building code norms. Not just an era of questionable hairstyles and John Hughes movies, the 80s were a transitional period for electrical standards. Things get less certain if your home was built in the 1980s. If that happened before 1980, it’s most likely that you don’t have the neutral wiring necessary for smart switches. If that happened after 1990, it’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. Neutral wire: How to tell if you have it, what to do if you don’t But if you’re interested in any smart home devices that draw power directly from your electrical network (a.k.a not an outlet,) you’ll need to know if a) you have it and b) if the devices you want require it.
(Image credit: Future)Īccording to my Wiring 101 crash course - courtesy of a day spent shadowing said electrician - a lack of neutral wire in our switches wouldn’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.
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