Even if you have a smart switch no neutral, you can install it. That’s because most modern smart switch brands don’t require a neutral wire. Older homes typically don’t have a visible neutral wire in the wall socket. If you think you may not have a neutral wire, simply purchase a smart switch that doesn’t need one.

Can you wire a smart switch without neutral?

Yes, you can install a smart switch without a neutral wire. There are some smart light switches and dimmers that do not require a neutral wire. These are great for DIY installers looking for an effective smart lighting solution.

Can I use ground as neutral for smart switch?





While connecting the neutral of a smart switch to ground might work, never do this! The reason it will work is that ground is often connected to neutral in the electrical panel, meaning it will be at a very similar voltage allowing current to flow from hot to ground.

What happens if there is no neutral wire?

Without the neutral wire, all sorts of instabilities occur in the system like unstable voltages, unexpected currents and even dangers of electric shock.

Will a light switch work without a neutral wire?

The neutral wire allows the completion of the circuit and the switch to have power even when it’s turned to the off position when you want the lights off. Without this neutral wire in place, the circuit is broken any time the switch is now in the off position.

Can I connect neutral to ground?

No, the neutral and ground should never be wired together. This is wrong, and potentially dangerous. When you plug in something in the outlet, the neutral will be live, as it closes the circuit. If the ground is wired to the neutral, the ground of the applicance will also be live.

Can I pull a neutral wire from anywhere?





No, you can’t steal a neutral wire from another circuit. Each neutral wire is the return for the corresponding hot. If you “steal” a neutral from another circuit you run the risk of overloading that neutral wire (overheat, fire risk).

How do you fake a neutral wire?


Quote from Youtube video: It's as simple as just pulling another wire down back through the conduit. And into the light switch.

Why is my smart switch tripping the breaker?

The AFCI will trip with a detected ground fault if you have the smart switch connected to the hot from one circuit and the neutral from a different circuit. Your use of the switch should be just fine, so your breaker tripping indicates that something is not right.

What happens if I don’t ground a switch?

So there you have it, your home may opt for screws, cables, or grounded boxes, but your switches should all have a ground outlet to ensure your safety is secured. Without it, you put your body at risk of completing a circuit holding lethal electrical charges.

How do I install Leviton smart switch without neutral?



Smart WiFi Light Switch HACK – NO NEUTRAL WIRE, NO … ยท

How do I install Leviton smart switch without neutral?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: That are holding the light switch on to the on to the junction box and you want to make sure the power is off obviously before you do this you don't want to get shocked.

How do you add a neutral wire to a smart switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Find that neutral wire which will be on the other side of wherever the load wire is and you could run that wire back down into the light switch and now you have a neutral wire.

Can you connect neutral to hot?



If the hot wire comes into contact with both the neutral and the ground, then it will flow through both wires back to the source but as the ground has less resistance more current will flow through it.

Do new homes have neutral wire?

US houses built in the 1980s usually have a neutral switchbox. The national electrical code requires a neutral at most switch boxes.

How do I know if I need a neutral wire?

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). If you see a white wire coming out of the gang box, you likely have a neutral wire. If your switch box doesn’t have a neutral wire, you have two options.

How much does it cost to pull a neutral wire?

between $100 to $160



Pre-Reno: Electrical fees to pull the neutral wire (without hacking) range between $100 to $160.

Is the neutral wire the same as ground?

While a ground wire and neutral wire are connected, they serve different functions in the overall electrical scheme. The neutral wire is part of the normal flow of current, while the ground wire is a safety measure in case the hot wire comes in contact with the metal casing of an appliance or other shock hazard.

Can I use earth instead of neutral?

No. It is never safe to use the earth wire as a neutral.

Can ground and neutral be on same bar?

The answer is never. Grounds and neutrals should only be connected at the last point of disconnect. This would be at main panels only.

What happens if you switch neutral and ground?



If you swap the two, then you have normal circuit current flowing on the ground wire and potential ground fault current flowing on the neutral wire. The latter is not as serious as the former. Contrary to popular belief, the neutral wire is not “safe” as it has current flowing on it under normal circuit operation.

Where do you bond ground and neutral?

Neutral wires are usually connected at a neutral bus within panelboards or switchboards, and are “bonded” to earth ground at either the electrical service entrance, or at transformers within the system.

What do you do with a neutral wire in a light switch?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: This neutral wire to this neutral wire in the switch box so we could use pretty much any smart light switch.