z wave switches

[guy999]

so i have my 80 upb switches in now and I have discovered about 20 more switches that have no neutral, so I guess I need some zwave switches because they seem to be the only ones that i can get that work without a neutral.



anyways I guess homeseer is the only thing I can use to control both networks which is what I determined before, but

What zwave switches that don't require a neutral can I get in black? I can't seem to find any.

Plus I guess I have to buy a ztrolller and all of the other stuff now.

I'm happy with my upb install but kinda wish I hadn't gone down upb since it looks like I'm going to have to add so many zwave switches but after the hours and hours and hours that I spent installing zwave, i guess i'm going to keep a half and half situation.

 

[jaymartin]

Just as a point of information - Smarthome makes a 2 wire SwitchLinc now - it's an RF-only INSTEON switch so it doesn't need the neutral. Comes in black.

 

[potts.mike]

I think I remember the home seer store having a table of zwave switches where one of the columns was whether or not they required a neutral.

 

[guy999]

I think I remember the home seer store having a table of zwave switches where one of the columns was whether or not they required a neutral.

yeah i saw on the website, but the two switches on that site that don't need a neutral neither come in black.

 

[ddennerline]

The VRS05 and VRI06 Vizia+ devices can be installed without a neutral; although they are not compatible with CFL bulbs.
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=VRS05-1LX&section=44141&minisite=10251
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=VRI06-1LX&section=44140&minisite=10251

Leviton sells a large variety of Vizia+ face plate colors (there’s black).
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=44146&minisite=10251&itemsPerPage=All

IMHO, the only drawback having two HA lighting systems is the aesthetics – especially the Vizia+ paddle switching verses traditional rocker.

 

[tmbrown97]

Also not sure which UPB brand you went with, but there are solutions that can help when you don't have a neutral at the box. They're not quite as straightforward, but you won't end up with the compatibility issues with LED/CFL bulbs either.

Usually the only time you end up without a neutral is if they did end-of-run switches, which means the power is run to the fixture first, but a hot isn't directly connected to the fixture - instead it runs through another run to the switch, hot on one leg, and switched hot on the other.

Often times with these you can use an inline light or relay module at or around the fixture, then use the wire that's run to the switch as a traveler and then you can use a remote 3-way switch - as those really only need the 2 wires as they are. In this house I got lucky - the only place there wasn't a neutral was in my christmas-light outlet (dedicated outlet under the eaves for christmas lights - on a dedicated circuit!). For that one I did the same type of thing - replaced the outlet receptacle with a UPB one, then used the wiring for the switch repurposed as a traveler for the USR remote.

 

[guy999]

Also not sure which UPB brand you went with, but there are solutions that can help when you don't have a neutral at the box. They're not quite as straightforward, but you won't end up with the compatibility issues with LED/CFL bulbs either.

Usually the only time you end up without a neutral is if they did end-of-run switches, which means the power is run to the fixture first, but a hot isn't directly connected to the fixture - instead it runs through another run to the switch, hot on one leg, and switched hot on the other.

Often times with these you can use an inline light or relay module at or around the fixture, then use the wire that's run to the switch as a traveler and then you can use a remote 3-way switch - as those really only need the 2 wires as they are. In this house I got lucky - the only place there wasn't a neutral was in my christmas-light outlet (dedicated outlet under the eaves for christmas lights - on a dedicated circuit!). For that one I did the same type of thing - replaced the outlet receptacle with a UPB one, then used the wiring for the switch repurposed as a traveler for the USR remote.

i have a good 20 switches that have no neutral, plus they are extremely difficult to get access into the fixture, so that's why I am going this route.

I am disappointed because the switches will not match.

i looked at the relay module but they just won't work because no access.