Smart light switch wiring

[ollie76]

Evening folks,

I replaced a light switch in my living room this evening with a "smart dimmer" switch. It was pretty straightforward, two pole on-off switch removed and the dimmer installed. Just had to tie into the existing neutral, that was the only difference.

However, I did notice that the removed switch had no ground attached to it. Just a black and a red. I could see other bare copper wires pigtailed to the electrical box, but no direct wire from the switch itself. Not having any spare wire, I did not attach the new switch green terminal to the ground wire pigtails. Is this wired up wrong?

 

[PedroEvo]

Evening folks,



I replaced a light switch in my living room this evening with a "smart dimmer" switch. It was pretty straightforward, two pole on-off switch removed and the dimmer installed. Just had to tie into the existing neutral, that was the only difference.



However, I did notice that the removed switch had no ground attached to it. Just a black and a red. I could see other bare copper wires pigtailed to the electrical box, but no direct wire from the switch itself. Not having any spare wire, I did not attach the new switch green terminal to the ground wire pigtails. Is this wired up wrong?

Yeah most of the new switches require a neutral hooked up now. Even by code as of this year when you rough in a house every box has to have a neutral incase the home owner changes it at a later date. As long as the box is grounded that’s usually sufficient. It’s nice to have a ground onto the new dimmer as sometimes they can go a bit crazy. If you see anything unusual I would just add it if not it’ll be fine.


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[Git]

If I was installing a new switch that had a provision for a ground wire then I would add a ground wire. Better safe than sorry

 

[ollie76]

Yeah, the old switch had a terminal for it as well but nothing connected.

 

[AntonLargiader]

If it was a metal yoked switch in a metal box it probably self grounded. The Wemo smart switches I’ve used have plastic yokes.

You should connect the ground terminal to the bundle of grounds in the box.

 

[7635tools]

Yeah most of the new switches require a neutral hooked up now. Even by code as of this year when you rough in a house every box has to have a neutral incase the home owner changes it at a later date. As long as the box is grounded that’s usually sufficient. It’s nice to have a ground onto the new dimmer as sometimes they can go a bit crazy. If you see anything unusual I would just add it if not it’ll be fine.


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There are exceptions to the neutral rule. You don’t always have to have one in the box. Around here a lot of jurisdictions require conduit and there are exceptions with conduit.


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[PedroEvo]

There are exceptions to the neutral rule. You don’t always have to have one in the box. Around here a lot of jurisdictions require conduit and there are exceptions with conduit.


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Nope, in Toronto Canada every single box needs to have a neutral as per this year. He’ll actually check during rough in now days.


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[7635tools]

Nope, in Toronto Canada every single box needs to have a neutral as per this year. He’ll actually check during rough in now days.


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Well here in the states there are exceptions in the NEC.


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