So finally in my house(2018 built) I found my first instance of a switch, where there is no neutral wire. All other places in the house, I had neutral wire in the switch box. This is the 3 way switch of stairs. I need to install an enbrighten zigbee switch(43076) there.
What will happen if I install this switch without neutral wire? What issues might I get?
I doubt it'll work at all w/out a neutral.
What about the switch at the other end of the 3-way - does that have a neutral you can use?
It will not. Even the add on switches need a neutral.
As @hydro311 mentioned if you have a neutral at the other locations of the 3 way, you could just put a switch there and use a something like a Zooz Zen34 at the other switch locations.
There are also switches that do not require a Neutral, but they are dimmer switches and you may need to add a additional load to the lights for it to work.
Another option if you have or are thinking of getting a Lutron Pro Bridge would be to use a Pico remote at that location. I have done this on several occasions and it works great!
Found neutral wire on the other side of the stairs. Connected my switch there and it seems to be turning the lights on and off fine getting there... But when I go to the other side of the stairs.. that other (dumb) switch is able to turn the light off... But not on... What might I have done wrong?
Is it possible that the switch turns off power to the other switches?
Before i changed to the smart switch, the both the switches of my stairway were able to turn on/off the lights individually...but now that I have replaced one of them with the zigbee switch...only this new switch is able to turn the light on and off...the other side of the switch is able to turn off, but no longer turning light on.
I suspect this is because a 3-way switch was replaced with a 2-way switch. Can you figure out the wiring? That would help identify the cause.
I think this is what is happening! Just noticed that if the dumb side of the switch is turned off... It turns mains power off to the smart switch! Anyway to fix this.. without buying another smart switch?
You need to map out your cabling to ensure that you set it up in a way to always provide power to the smart switch. You should probably replace the dumb switch. If you’re not sure how to do it, the best approach is to get an electrician to help…
The Enbrighten switches require an Aux switch for 3+ way installations. You cannot use a dumb switch with their smart switch unlike Zooz which can.
Typically wiring changes are required to make smart switches work. I suspect you have both line and load coming into the same box as your smart switch and then a simple 14-3 (red, black, and white) going to your other switch. In this situation line is often “sent” to the other switch because of how 3 way switches work.
I helped a ton of folks in the ST community over the past many years with 3 way wiring so happy to help but first you must get an Aux switch unless you prefer a Zooz that will allow a dumb switch as the Aux.
I likely have unused GE/Jasco Aux switches. @ritchierich should confirm this, but I’m 99% sure that they make a common AUX switch for their Zigbee and Zwave switches.
I’ll look for them tomorrow. If I find them, you can the two I should have for the cost of shipping.
Correct Aux switches work with all of their devices. I have some I purchased in 2015 still in use with newer switches too.
Are these the type of switch I might need for my other side? If I put this, should this hopefully prevent the switch powering off my other side smart switch(which has neutral). Note that the side I installed my smart switch has neutral, but the other side, does not have neutral. The problem side, though, has 3 wires - I think they are line, load and traveler.
46199 GE Enbrighten Add-On Switch for 3 Way,4 Way QuickFit and SimpleWire - Aartech Canada
Thanks!! I'll message you to check on this.
Please confirm “The problem side” has just a single Romex coming in with red, white, and black and nothing else. If yes, Once you get the Aux switch you will need to change wiring to “send” neutral to your Aux switch since it requires it. Your other switch has line, load, and neutral and you will need to adjust the current wiring so the smart switch has all 3 plus you will use the 14-3 Romex to send neutral and traveler to the other switch. I can walk you through that once you have the Aux.
The main smart switch switch should be placed in the box where the power line comes in, which may or may not be at the same location as your neutral. As you have seen if the power is being switched via the traveler to the smart switch you will have issues. I imagine your smart switch will not work if the dumb switch kills power to it.
If this is the case I think your best bet would be to remove the dumb switch and hardwire it so power is always being fed to your smart switch. Then put a pico or Zen34 as suggested earlier in that location.
The issue is he is using a single GE smart switch in a 3 way setup without using their required Aux switch. The GEs don’t work with dumb switches like Zooz for example. Given the dumb switch is in place I am not surprised at all it kills the power to the smart switch because line is being “sent” to the other switch since a 3 way setup requires load on one side and line on the other at the black/bronze common screw terminal. Simple wiring changes are required once he gets an Aux switch to make this work.
A Pico could be used as the Aux if that is preferred, but a few wiring changes are still required in the main switch location.
Yes I realize, but you can use the technique I mention, as I have used it before. If the house is wired per current code I think there should be a neutral at each box. So you should put the main smart switch in the box that line is coming into and the aux switches go in the other locations.
In his case since it appears the only neutral is not located at the same location as the line you must use an alternative setup. As you suggest you can do some simple re-wiring using existing wires to accomplish this or you can basically make the one smart switch the only switch and use remotes at the other locations. The Aux switches are pretty cheap, especially if someone is offering to give you them for free. I prefer using the remotes.
In 3 way setups, neutral isn't required in both locations and typically a single 14-3 Romex is used to link the two switch locations. I am 99% sure he has neutral, line, and load in the location his GE switch is currently.
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