Hi, I have a typical wall switch that controls a separate outlet, which I currently plug a floor lamp to control. When I tried to z-wave enable the wall switch, I realized it has no neutral wire in that gang box so I can swap it with like a GE on/off switch.
I am guessing I can probably get away by installing the “older” GE dimmer switch, which doesn’t require a neutral. (Not sure what’s the negative impact for doing this.)
I am wondering if someone has other suggestions for me in this situation?
Thanks.
Are you sure that there is no neutral?
You could eliminate the present wall switch and use a Z-Wave receptacle, such as the GE Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control Duplex Receptacle.
You could also use an in-wall relay, such as the Linear FS20Z-1 Z-Wave in Wall Fixture Module(neutral required), to control the receptacle.
Though I’ve seen it improperly done many times, dimmers should never be used to control receptacles. The power rating on the dimmer is not adequate to handle a receptacle’s 15amp rating. Unless you change the breaker, the possibility of someone plugging in a 12amp vacuum into the receptacle and destroying the vacuum or catching the dimmer on fire is real.
I would put in a zwave outlet in, and then remove the switch and wire nut it to always be on - then cover the hole with a Cooper 9500 RF Battery controlled switch (which you then associate to the outlet). You can then control the outlet from scene’s etc. While still being able to toggle the lamp on and off with the cooper battery controlled switch.
I had one 3 way switch in my house where one of the switches did not have a neutral in the box (was the only one wired this way). I did something similar. Just wire nutted the switch to be on, then put the Cooper battery switch over the top and associated it back to the other wired switch which did have a neutral. The cooper switches last 2-3 years on a battery so you should be in good shape.
[quote=“jeff3lo, post:1, topic:187515”]Hi, I have a typical wall switch that controls a separate outlet, which I currently plug a floor lamp to control. When I tried to z-wave enable the wall switch, I realized it has no neutral wire in that gang box so I can swap it with like a GE on/off switch.
I am guessing I can probably get away by installing the “older” GE dimmer switch, which doesn’t require a neutral. (Not sure what’s the negative impact for doing this.)
I am wondering if someone has other suggestions for me in this situation?
Thanks.[/quote]
No neutrals in your boxes are most likely going to cause you alot of problems and require work arounds which usually cost more money and are more difficult to install.
All z-wave devices need neutral wire to power up the z-wave modual and keep it checking in and working while the device is off.
Using older z-wave dimmers without neutrals require a certain load size and type of bulb on the other end. Most are going away from this as they are hit and miss if they even work right with newer bulbs. Putting a dimmer on an outlet which could have a motor or other device plugged in could lead to several issue.
Dimmers have a low load output. You may have a 20amp outlet but the dimmer is only rated for a few amps.
As the dimmer gets dimmed it lowers voltage and non dimming devices are made to work at a certain voltage. Damage to the device would be likely.
Dimmers get hot as they are shedding load. Using a dimmer to control and outlet would only make this worse.