Old wiring and Z-wave switched: No Neutral. Any options?

[JDRoberts]

You have two main options if you are in the US. (If you are in the U.K., let us know.) and two more possibilities, depending on the exact use cases.

1. use smart bulbs. That works very well for many people. The Hue white light bulbs typically cost $15 each. Once you decide to use smart bulbs, there are several options for what to use for switches with them. See the following topic:

FAQ: Philips Hue and Other Smart Bulbs - What sort of light switches to use with them? (Long FAQ)

Thinking on a big move to Hue lights, the real question is - what switches to use with them? If they’re all automatable via ST and other devices, do I really want to put them all on controllable switches too? There’s the advantage that I can arrange to ensure those switches are on so that the the Hue bulbs would be too…but it also leaves open the ability for folks to just turn them off and leave them off. Hmm. Thoughts?

2. use a micro relay that goes in the wall but put it someplace on the circuit where there is a neutral. There has to be one someplace. It’s typically at the light fixture itself. This works very well for many people. The aeotech relays are on the official “works with smartthings” list. Lots of people use them.

https://www.smartthings.com/compatible-products

3. use Lutron Caseta switches. Lutron has many lighting patents, they use different engineering than everyone else. And their switches can be used without a neutral wire to control dimmable dumb LEDs. The problem is they don’t integrate directly with SmartThings. However, they do have an IFT TT channel, which gives you an indirect integration. This means they will work well with their own light switch. They will work just fine when you put them on a time schedule. Where you may have an issue is if you want a smartthings-controlled motion sensor to trigger the Lutron switch to come on. Then the lag maybe too much depending on how much lag you get from IFTTT. So this option will work well for some people, but not for others. It just depends on your specific use cases.

4. the fourth option which works in some houses is to have an electrician “Fish up” a neutral from elsewhere in the wall, usually at an outlet. This can be done in many houses, although not all. It won’t work in cement walls.