I have ceiling fan and light switch hardwired to two switches in my bedroom. One switch toggles the light on and off and the other does the same for the fan. I was going to install some smart switches but after opening up the junction box I do not see an apparent neutral. This is roughly my set up:
The only way it differs is there is only one white wire coming into the junction box and it is leaped frogged from one switch to the other.
Based on what I am seeing I am out of luck to turn this into a smart controlled device, correct? Any other options out there besides the Caseta as I am hoping to stick to Zwave/Zigbee protocals.
So this looks ugly on the surface but as long as you actually have two runs of 14/2 or 12/2 (black, white and ground) romex then you are in luck and you can convert the wiring to have your neutral and line in the 2 gang wall box and be able to run two smart switches that require neutrals.
Turn off power.
disconnect it all both in the wall box and the ceiling because we have to rewire the whole thing:
take one run of romex (a black, white and ground - in the same sheath) between the ceiling and the wall box and connect that (line, neutral and ground) to your power supply feed in the ceiling. That is now your line, neutral and ground in the 2 gang wall box. You have now effectively extended your ‘power supply’ to the wall box.
the other romex will be used for your switched loads, one for light (black is load1) and one for fan (white becomes load2). Add a piece of black electrical tape at each side of the load2 white wire to properly indicate that is a second line feed from the switch.
in the wall box, your line will be shared/jumpered/split across both switches and then the ground will also be shared/jumpered/split across both switches. Once you install smart switches that require neutrals then those would also be shared/jumpered/split across both switches.
in the ceiling box, connect the wall load1 (black) to the light hot wire (blue) then the wall load2 (white w/ black tape) to fan hot wire (black) and the fan neural and fan ground to the power supply neutral and ground.
Wow this is very detailed, thank you! I will have to check if I have two romex bundles as I believe I only have one bundle and a traveler wire but I have not looked at the light fixture side in detailed. Thanks again.
Based upon your diagram, you indicated two romex bundles (or more specifically a total 4 insulated conductors and two non-insulated conductors) which is what my rewire proposal is based upon. If you have anything less that 4 individual insulated conductors as indicated in your diagram then my proposal won’t work.
I had a similar situation in one room and ended up doing exactly that: I ran an extra 14/2 romex between the ceiling and down the wall. Problem solved
Weird though: you said there is only one white but you still have two switches in the box? Do you have a black and red wire by chance instead of two blacks? If so then you have 14/3 romex.
This is typical in the UK. We tend not to have neutrals in our switch boxes.
You could use a sonoff mini. Sited in the ceiling void instead of behind the switch. This device allows for an existing wall switch to be also wired so minor rewire in the ceiling but it will all work.
Just Google sonoff mini to find a local supplier to yourself. Here’s an amazon UK link
