GE Smart Switch Install and Wire Connection Question

Devices & Integrations
1

I recently purchased a GE Smart Switch to control my exterior house lights. I installed the box and I have the two standards black wires and the copper ground wire but no neutral line.

I connected the black wires like normal and put the copper on the green ground and nothing worked. I then connected the copper to the neutral and everything works just fine.

My question is, although it works is this bad? I assume the device requires a neutral which is not currently present.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

2

Yes - wrong and potentially dangerous.

On 2nd thought,drop the potentially. Your only solution is to pull a new wire with neutral, or find a 2 wire smart switch, if there are any.

3

Thanks. Any suggestions on how to pull a new wire that is neutral?

4

How can you have just 2 black wires and a ground? Are you sure there are no other wires in the switch box? A normal “2 wire” run will have a black, white and ground.

5

Believe me, it’s not unusual on an older home. If correct it would be a black and red (or tagged red), but I’ve seen everything.

I’d still use a meter to check it.

To the OP - if there is a receptacle near could pull wire from it, but I’d only do it if on the same circuit.

A lot depends on the construction basement, unfinished basement, slab, wires ran via basement or attic.

Personally, I’d run a new circuit to it, or a circuit from a junction box and kill the original hot.

6

I replaced normal switches in a 4 switch box. I put in the GE smart switch and three regular rocker switches.

The regular switches I replaces had the two black wires on the right and a ground bare copper on the left and thats it. I replaced the three regular switches just fine. I am assuming they never required neutral wires.

There might be a possibility that there is a neutral line back there and capped off but I initially didn’t see one. The house was built in 2008 so it should.

7

In most installations your white neutrals will be capped off and crammed in the back of the box. So follow your wires from the switch terminals back to their cable and see if the cable has a white wire. If your house was built in 2008, I can’t imagine you not having neutrals…