Question

Question for smart switch folks in this group. How do you wire a 3-way GE switch without a neutral? You need the add-on for the smart switch, but that requires a neutral if I'm not mistaken. Can you us two GE Enbrighten 1000W 14299 switches since neither of those require a neutral?  

Answer 1

A regular non-smart 3 way switch doesn't require a neutral. It does require a 3rd wire referred to as a traveler. The 14299 instructions say to match the wires from your existing switch. Looks to me you just swap one for another. Refer to the instructions if you need more information on this.  

Comments

I know a non-smart switch doesn't require a neutral. I attempted to do a line for line swap with two smart 4299s and that didn't work. So I guess the add-on is needed here even though all the GE add-ons that I know of have a neutral?  

Answer 2

It definitely says on the Amazon link that it can be wired in a 3-way with the "required add-on switch". I do know the Inovelli dimmers can be wired in a non-neutral 3 way setup using an add-on (I have this in my house currently). I don't know if this switch works the same though Edit: this switch does not work without a neutral in a 3-way setup according to the manufacturer. Your best bet may be to go with the Inovelli

Answer 3

Existing 3 way switches use 2 conductors between the locations to toggle on/off. The typical smart switch needs only 1 traveller to communicate. If both locations have a white neutral then the second conductor can be capped at each end. However, if only one location has a neutral you can backfeed it to the other location using the second conductor. I've never found a code-compliant install in which this methodology doesn't work.  

Comments

Neither box has a neutral. So if I'm understanding you correctly, I can just get an add-on smart switch at the second box for the GE 14299, connect the traveler only and cap the hots (black) off with a wire nut?  

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No. If neither box has a neutral it's very strange. You will need a switch that doesn't require one and an add-on made specifically for that switch. But, it's really strange wiring and I'd dig deep to understand the way the load is being supplied with it's neutral, point-to-point.  

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@dalesman2 That's the crux of my initial ask. No neutrals on this run (older house). But there's a smart switch that works without a neutral, which I have. I'm trying to determine if I can wire a second of the same smart switch to make a 3-way because a compatible add-on doesn't seem to exist for that switch.  

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I can't imagine how you could wire that circuit. In series the switches would both need to be On to operate. In parallel the switch in Off would likely be damaged if the load was energized from the partner. Is there a ground in either box?  

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@dalesman2 this is the setup I have in our half story upstairs. Only switch I've been able to get work is the Inovelli with a GE add on.  

Answer 4

I found this site very recently and it seems to be very helpful for various 3-way setups:  
http://azhb.com/how-to/three-way-sw...w-to/

Answer 5

I don't know if this is helpful at all, but I have a 3 way switch on each side of my kitchen, I just replaced one with a smart 3 way switch and kept the non smart switch on the other side. It matter which of the two you change though but I can't remember if it was the one with the line or the load switch that I swapped. Anyway, both switches work exactly as the should, the smart one and the non smart toggle switch and I have smartthings control.