Verify what I think (No neutral for a light switch)

[dgibson (Darrell Gibson)]

I bought a GE Z-wzve plus smart switch(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1AHC3R/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I have a house that was built in the 1890s. I am missing all the modern wiring. Is this switch useless to me now? Is there any way to get it to work? I would hate to break it to my wife we need a new house.

Thanks,
Darrell

[jkp]

Automated Switches: What should my wiring look like? (US Version)

So you want an automated hardwired light switch, but you’re not sure where to start. Well you’re in the right place. The most common requirement of any hardwired automated light switch is a neutral wire. Yes, there are a few…(read very, very, very few) switches that don’t require a neutral, but those will limit you to incandescent only. For those of us using LED, Fluorescent or some other energy efficient bulbs under 20w a neutral is REQUIRED! So what does this look like? [image] This is a diagram of a switch with the neutral run directly to the light. This is not good for automated hardwired light switchs and i would HIGHLY recommend that if you want to automate the light, contact an electrician and have them pull a neutral for you. It’s not as expensive as you think and will save you…

[plantucha (Mike)]

I think lutron switch doesn’t require neutral

[JDRoberts]

Yes, unfortunately, that switch will not work for you.

There is one very good option that does not require a neutral wire and now has an official integration with Smartthings: the Lutron Caseta line. Most of their models do not require a neutral wire. You will however, have to get a Lutron SmartBridge (one SmartBridge can support about 40 individual switches) in order to make the integration work. But these are very well engineered switches, easy to install, and very quick. I use them in my own house.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000864766-How-to-connect-Lutron-Caséta-devices

Lutron P-BDG-PKG1W Caseta Wireless Dimmer Kit with Smart Bridge, White - -...

There are a couple of other options you can look at, but the Lutron will be the simplest.

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).

(Lutron is an engineering company focused on lighting and holds a number of patents on their devices, which is why they can do what nobody else can for several features.)