Question

Non-neutral switched AC outlet solutions. So, I have a switched AC outlet. Line goes to the outlet, not the switch, so the switch has no neutral. I have a lamp with an LED bulb connected to it. You can see where this is going. I'm going to use an Inovelli Red switch on the outlet with the ramp times set to zero as while I could put a dimmer on an outlet. that just fundamentally bothers me. Here's the solutions I can think of: 1) Put an Aeotec Bypass across the line, and the neutral at the AC outlet. (modifying the lamp makes no sense. if I installed it in the lamp that would work fine BUT. that would be the ONLY lamp I could use with that outlet, if it failed I couldn't grab another lamp (with an LED light in it) and use that)) 2) (this one is my favorite idea so far) Pigtail line and neutral, and send that to the switch box. In this configuration the outlet is not switched and always has power. The Inovelli switch would then be connected in a neutral scenario, it just wouldn't have a load connected to it. I could disable local control on the Inovelli switch essentially making it a remote control which could then control a smart plug. I kind of like this solution because then it detaches the lamp from any particular outlet, I don't have to worry about having an outlet that can only handle 400 watts. This is also the cheapest solution as I already have an Iris outlet that I'm not using. I'm running a Hubitat so control is local and the switch would still work even if my ISP goes down. 3) Get a Z-Wave outlet and install that, disable local control in the switch, and then have the switch tell the outlet via Z-Wave to turn on or off. I'm working under the assumption that the switch can draw enough current to do its thing since a smart outlet also needs to draw a bit of current to work, but won't output that since the outlets themselves are isolated on a relay. Solution 2 is my favorite so far. Are there other, possibly better solutions I haven't thought of?  

Answer 1

Put a switch in a box right next to outlet. Then you can use the nuetral wire. Its a smart switch anyway, who cares where its located. Then just hotwire the power from the old existing switch (wire nut the wires). We do this all the time for outdoor outlets and situations like yours.  

Comments

I have the same situation as you. I installed the Enerwave at the outlet. You can connect the existing dumb switch and it will toggle the light, similar to a three way switch.  

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@kofu7 No. What I am saying is put a smart switch right next to the outlet, and switch out to a 2 gang box, with 1 switch and 1 outlet. All your wires are right there. Easy peasy. Then eliminate the original switch located eslewhere by simply removing and hotwiring the wires, or if they come from the outlet, just disconnect at outlet side. Now your smart switch has a neutral and is controlling the outlet.  

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@cence Ah, I see. it would seem easier to just install a smart outlet instead. Also. I do want a hardware switch as I don't want to run motion sensors in my br, don't want to pull out my phone to turn the light on, and don't want Alexa in my bedroom.  

Answer 2

I wished we could use standard nomenclature for the electrical service. Box this~box that, switch~switch box, is not making it easy. I'm curious, just aggravated.  

Comments

I always read "box" to mean the box that is nailed to the studs which the cables run into. I would assume a swtichbox is one that is intended to have a switch in it.  

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@kofu7 I'm not trying to judge you, it was just hard to follow. Many people's posts are. There are all kinds of boxes. There are all kinds of switches, There are switch boxes (and gang boxes) and there are distribution panels or breaker boxes which have breaker switches in them. There are junction boxes with nothing in them but wire nuts. Sometimes it's really a bitch. Worse that with car part slang the dilettante throws around. Examples: J box, junction box, terminal box, convenience outlet, outlet, receptacle, duplex receptacle Distribution panels, breaker boxes, distribution board, panelboard, breaker panel, or electric panel. all meaning roughly the same thing. Etc. There! I feel better. This glossary is not as bad as some.  
http://thecircuitdetective.com/glos...hp#ou

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@francium63 I feel your pain. I just started grad school in my mid forties. Academia loves to call things by different names (of which there are often many), often for the sake of being pretentious, I’m convinced.  

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@kofu7 Yes! One of my biggest gripes is people throwing around acronyms and abbreviations like we are all supposed to be in that clique that is in the know. As a self-proclaimed Renaissance Man and professional bricoleur, my knowledge crosses some disciplines and it becomes a mess. ENT, EMT and ECU all deal with patients. ECM, EMT, ECU deal with car engine management. There's UP, DP, JP, CB, TB, BOV, CAI, FMIC, TMIC. all about turbos and exhaust. CPU, PSU, PCB and on and on for computers. I always keep acronymfinder at the ready on my tool bar.  

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@francium63 TLAs are the worst!  

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@kofu7 Damn you! Had to look it up. KMA!