I'm renovating light switches in my house, which dates back to 1830. The electrical system was updated around the 1980s, but none of the switches have neutral wires. I'm planning to install smart switches and I'm fairly confident I can handle the work, but I want to ensure I'm doing it correctly. I'm considering replacing the existing switch leg with 12/3 wire and using one of the conductors as a neutral to connect from the power source to the switch box. I understand the standard approach is to run 12/2 wire from the panel to the switch, then from there to the light, providing a neutral at the switch. However, rewiring the entire circuit seems daunting given the age of the house and the wall structure. Has anyone attempted something similar or can offer advice on safely bringing a neutral to these switch boxes without a complete rewire? Thanks for any help!
2 Answers
You might find it's easier and cheaper to use smart switches that don't need a neutral. There are several options out there that work just fine without one. For example, check out these models:
- Caseta's Diva Smart Dimmer Switch
- Leviton's DN15S-1BW
- GE's Cync Smart Light Switch.
These could save you a lot of hassle!
Just a heads up: if you go the route of using a 12/3 wire for neutral, make sure that the hot and neutral are on the same circuit. It’s important to avoid any issues down the line. Essentially, the complete circuit should use the corresponding hot and neutral together!