I’ve previously installed 4 GE Smart Switches in my home with no issues. However, when connecting this one in the same manner as before (& as stated in the instructions), other (ordinary/nonsmart) switches, outlets & light fixtures that are on the same circuit, no longer work correctly and/or at all.
Original wiring is: The hot line coming into the 2-gang box was pigtailed to 3 lines as follows:
1 - To an ordinary light switch in the 2-gang box, which controls a set of 3 outdoor light fixtures (which is the switch I am replacing with the GE smart switch);
2 - To the other ordinary light switch in the same 2-gang box, which controls an ordinary motion-sensing outdoor flood light); as well as,
3 - To an unswitched line that apparently runs across the room to an ordinary GFCI outlet and an ordinary motion-sensor light switch across the room (which controls 5 interior wall fixtures when sensing motion).
The 5 neutral white wires were all twisted together in a wire nut & not connected to anything, and the 5 copper ground wires are all tied together in a wire nut & not connected to anything.
The GE Smart Switch I am installing, is replacing the ordinary switch in the 2-gang box that controls the set of 3 outdoor light fixtures.
I labeled the lines & disconnected the old switch, and made the new connections to the new switch in the same manner as they were (connected the hot line to the line terminal and 2 load lines (from 3 light fixtures) to the load terminal), and connected the ground to the switch.
As “smart” switches require the neutral wire, I pigtailed the 5-wire bundle of white wires to the new switch, and turned the circuit breaker back on. The 3 light fixtures turned on & I paired the new switch to the Samsung SmartThings hub uneventfully. I also set the switch to turn the lights on automatically at sunset, & turn off at sunrise.
Then, I noticed the 5 wall light fixtures controlled by the motion switch across the room (from the unswitched line in the 2-gang box) would not turn off on its own when motion stopped, and also would not turn lights off manually by pressing the switch manually. The 5 wall light fixtures stayed on all night & turned off at sunrise. At which time, I realized the GFCI outlet (on the same unswitched line from the 2-gang box) also turned off at sunrise.
To correct that situation, I removed the neutral wire from the unswitched line in the box (that was pigtailed with the other 4 to the new switch) & capped it off with a wire nut. Now the 5 lights on the motion switch won’t turn on at all, & the GFCI does not work at all.
My first question I guess is, are ALL 5 neutral wires in the 2-gang box (& on the same circuit) supposed to be pigtailed to the neutral terminal on the smart switch? Or should just the neutrals from the hot line & the neutrals from the loads to the lights that are to be controlled by the smart switch, connected? Or some other scenario?