Using micro dimmer at the fixture?

[JDRoberts]

@Jason_P

Checked last night there are no neutrals at the fixture nor the switch :/. Thoughts on how I can end up dimming using z wave or other echo/smart things compatible devices?

No neutral at the fixture is very odd unless it’s a very old house using knob and tube wiring.

There are four basic options for the switchbox that doesn’t have a neutral.

1. Bring in an electrician and have them “fish up” a neutral from somewhere else on the circuit. This won’t work if you have knob and tube wiring, but otherwise it will.

2. use one of the Z wave switches that doesn’t require a neutral. However, this will probably only work with incandescent bulbs, GE used to make some of these switches, but they are hard to find now. Cooper still makes one.

See the following thread for some of the issues:

FAQ Request: Dimmers, Smart Bulbs, Flickers, Buzzing

I see a lot of topics where being able to point to a FAQ on this topic would help a lot. I’ve got a few personal rules of thumb for lighting installations, but I thought it would be a lot better if someone who’s written one of the ST dimmer handlers wrote it so they could mention anything ST or Smart App specific. So this post is definitely a request for a FAQ, not a FAQ itself. But just to get things started…Feel free to use, edit, or toss any of the following. TWO PHYSICAL WAYS TO CONTROL DIMMING Dimming is either controlled by the amount of current the switch sends on the wire to the bulb or the amount of current the bulb decides to draw from the wire. DIFFERENT KINDS OF SWITCHES A switch that controls the amount of current sent may be networked or not. Some switches don’t control …

And specific model links:

Dimmers/Switches that don't need a common (neutral) wire? (2016)

I’m having a terrible time trying to get a three-way switch automated. While the rest of my switches in the house all have a common wire (and are easy to install the GE Z-Wave Dimmer) our Kitchen overhead recessed lights have the simple tap side “cheaped out” with no common wire available. Having an electrician run such a wire through our attic will be $$$$. When I started with Insteon most of their stuff required a common wire but for situations in older homes or where the wiring was expedient (like this situation) they offered an RF Dimmer Switch that didn’t require it. I don’t suppose there’s anything anyone makes for SmartThings type Hubs that could also work without a common wire? It irks the hell out of me since this is a light I really need to automate (and be able to dim).

3. Use a smart bulb and cover the existing switch with a battery-operated " smart switch cover". This is a “no wiring” solution.

4. use a Lutron Caseta switch and get indirect integration through IFTTT. The switch will work fine as a wall switch. Scheduling lights at specific times will work fine. Issuing an “all off” Comand should work fine. However, IFTTT does introduce additional lag which would be noticeable for things like having a motion sensor turn on the light.

So you do have options, just depends on which direction you want to go.