Anything besides a neutral wire needed for "smart" light switches?

[riverhawk]

I'm currently trying to decide between zwave and insteon light switches. I don't want me being indecisive slow down my electrician who's wiring the new build.

Do both standards and all the varying company products only require a neutral wire? I would like for him to keep moving by the time I decide.

Thanks.

 

[kurtmccaslin]

You need deep plastic junction boxes.   I am building a house and my electrician said that he was having trouble finding multi gang deep plastic junction boxes.   He found metal boxes, but not plastic.   He can also get single gang boxes in the deep plastic  but not the multi-gang.   Still looking....

 

[riverhawk]

I see. So zwave would work better with plastic as opposed to metal...makes sense.

 

[BLH]

The new Insteon devices are Dual Band. They send and receive with both Power Line signals and RF Signals.
Except for maybe one Two Wire SwitchLinc Dimmer model. That steals power through the incandescent load. All of them do use a Neutral connection.
 
The Dual Band Insteon modules are also on the larger size. Deep electrical boxes would be a plus if you decide on Insteon.

 

[soonersig]

Sorry to hijack but do you need deep boxes for UPB switches?

 

[fcwilt]

Deep boxes should be the norm in all new construction, IMO.
 
Hard to believe they can't be found. If Home Depot and Lowes have them any decent supply house ought to have them or be able to get them.

 

[ddennerline]

If wiring a new house, the electrical should be spec'd to have a neutral at every box along with deep(er) boxes. Most plastic boxes already meet the depth requirements. I cannot imaging the cost being excessive since only light switches are impacted.
 
Z-Wave will work with metal boxes, but the range will be reduced. For Z-Wave switches, I personally like the plastic boxes with depth adjustment. The boxes have extra mounts/anchor points to reduce movement.

 

[Del91574]

I agree with Willit here.
 
Deep boxes are relatively easy to find. If not plastic you can get phenolic boxes. Sounds more like a supply house problem.
 
I'd also ask for a neutral in each box.

 

[gatchel]

I agree with Willit here.
 
Deep boxes are relatively easy to find. If not plastic you can get phenolic boxes. Sounds more like a supply house problem.
 
I'd also ask for a neutral in each box.

Isn't a neutral in each box current code anyways? I know it depends on what code cycle the local is on but...

 

[fcwilt]

I agree with Willit here.

 
Well I've seen my name mangled in many ways but that is a first - you should get some kind of award.

 

[tmbrown97]

The deeper boxes really just make life easier; luckily they're pretty standard for new construction these days.  That goes for any of the technologies used.

 

[drvnbysound]

I haven't seen any houses built within the last 10 years that didn't have a neutral in every box.

 

[pete_c]

Last two homes built (~2000) have had neutrals in every box.   I was unaware that neutrals in every box is code today.
 
In the midwest all of the boxes are 4X4 with either double or single mudplates.  Guru contracted electrician did install / go deluxe with a hot and neutral in every box; sort of freaked me out.  I did have some major issues with two automated switches in the metal 4X4 boxes with double metal mudplates.  Most recently went to dual load / multipaddle UPB switches. (started with all X10, then Insteon, then trickled in UPB, then went to all UPB).
 
In Florida its a mixture all plastic.  The single boxes are deeper (well they look deeper to me) than the double boxes and I had no issues putting in automated switches.  I did notice that the electrician used 3 wire plus ground romex between all of the boxes; which did work for me relating to installation of automated switches (replacements).

 

[Photon]

I haven't seen any houses built within the last 10 years that didn't have a neutral in every box.

Come look at my seven year old house. I told the electrician I needed a neutral in every box. He said that is standard. Some time after we moved in, I found he used the white wire for one of the travelers on at least one of the three-way circuits.

 

[pete_c]

Yup; here (midwest) all of the travelers are different colors; mostly orange or yellow or blue.  Not using them much these days such that they are capped and just sitting in the boxes.  In the fuse panel I do see a few of the heavy gauge hot wires (10) being something other than black (red?).  Other than that its just white and black in the fuse panel. (except for a few things I installed in the fuse panel proper).
 
I've added circuits and just used black whatever gauge I ran for the hot leads.
 
Over the years have added circuits and fuses for new circuits; easy to do with conduit (none of them really carried many wires; lots of conduit all over).  Very easy to do with conduit in place.
 
Done only a couple of new circuits with the Romex; real PITA; sort of easy to do and difficult to do when cutting into drywall to do this stuff.
 
 
@riverhawk
 
Typically here on the forum and relating to LV (low voltage) it is said more is better.  I guess too that relates to HV (high voltage) wiring these days also (well; related to automating switches).