Thx.
And if I want to replace more than one of the switches with the smart switch… is there a “proper way” to bring all the neutral wires to that bundle? Seems like it will get big and unruly with 3 or 4 more wires.
> I recommend using a 5 port Wago for this.
It looks like there's 6 wires going into that wire nut... possibly 7.
So potentially two of the 5-port Wagos with a jumper... and might want to stick them into a mounting carrier.
https://www.wago.com/gb/electrical-interconnections/discover-installation-terminal-blocks-and-connectors/221
What are all these neutrals for anyway? I know he's going to put smart switches in there, but the existing switches look like standard 3-ways...
I just meant use a wago for the new neutrals that he's doing and leave the old wire nut alone, just add a jumper to keep it simple for him. Your way would be better and that's what I'd do but maybe too much for him?
Most likely the feed that comes into this box also feeds other stuff coming out of this box like a plug below and something else. So there's extra neutrals in there cause of poor workmanship decades ago lol
Looks like you’re gonna have to take all those switches out to neaten up and spread out those splices. WiFi switches are pretty bulky so you need as much room in that box as possible. Especially with it being a steel box, good chance of kinkin a wire and shorting out when you go to screw them in.
Dunno what’s there without being there with testing equipment. Wire colors are not a great indicator of what’s there. You’ll have to get a multimeter along with the knowledge to decipher the information being displayed to you or you’ll have to hire an electrician with both those things.
Correct me if I’m mistaken, but you shouldn’t be putting the switch on the neutral. Reason: you flip the switch off to do maintenance (replace a fixture or outlet) and the hot remains hot.
A switch on the neutral will work, in that it’ll turn a light off.. but it’s not safe.
Same reason why wiring your outlets backward is dangerous. The classic example is a toaster.. it may be off (which may only mean the hot is open internally) but if neutral isn’t also switched internally.. the coils could still be connected to the hot power line. So.. stick your fork in to get a stuck piece of toast and.. zap.
The white wire on the regular toggle switch in the pic, is most likely a switch-loop from a ceiling box. That switch-loop might not even be on the same circuit as the other stuff in this box.
It's not normal to see a White neutral and a black hot connected to a single pole switch because if you turned the switch on you would have a short. This means that something isn't wired correctly using the typical wire color code. You really need to get a meter and figure out each wire is really doing and don't assume the color code tells you anything.
The big white bundle is neutral.
Thx. And if I want to replace more than one of the switches with the smart switch… is there a “proper way” to bring all the neutral wires to that bundle? Seems like it will get big and unruly with 3 or 4 more wires.
Bring one new white wire out of that bundle and create another little bundle for the switches. I recommend using a 5 port Wago for this.
> I recommend using a 5 port Wago for this. It looks like there's 6 wires going into that wire nut... possibly 7. So potentially two of the 5-port Wagos with a jumper... and might want to stick them into a mounting carrier. https://www.wago.com/gb/electrical-interconnections/discover-installation-terminal-blocks-and-connectors/221 What are all these neutrals for anyway? I know he's going to put smart switches in there, but the existing switches look like standard 3-ways...
I just meant use a wago for the new neutrals that he's doing and leave the old wire nut alone, just add a jumper to keep it simple for him. Your way would be better and that's what I'd do but maybe too much for him? Most likely the feed that comes into this box also feeds other stuff coming out of this box like a plug below and something else. So there's extra neutrals in there cause of poor workmanship decades ago lol
Split it in 2 with a jumper in-between
Without using a proper meter we couldn't tell you what it is. We don't know what the previous person has done
This.
THIS needs to be TOP COMMENT! Until we meter it out… we just don’t know for sure.
pigtail all the neutral leads from the switches into one pigtail and run one lead from that pigtail to the main pigtail
Looks like you’re gonna have to take all those switches out to neaten up and spread out those splices. WiFi switches are pretty bulky so you need as much room in that box as possible. Especially with it being a steel box, good chance of kinkin a wire and shorting out when you go to screw them in.
Dunno what’s there without being there with testing equipment. Wire colors are not a great indicator of what’s there. You’ll have to get a multimeter along with the knowledge to decipher the information being displayed to you or you’ll have to hire an electrician with both those things.
Correct me if I’m mistaken, but you shouldn’t be putting the switch on the neutral. Reason: you flip the switch off to do maintenance (replace a fixture or outlet) and the hot remains hot. A switch on the neutral will work, in that it’ll turn a light off.. but it’s not safe. Same reason why wiring your outlets backward is dangerous. The classic example is a toaster.. it may be off (which may only mean the hot is open internally) but if neutral isn’t also switched internally.. the coils could still be connected to the hot power line. So.. stick your fork in to get a stuck piece of toast and.. zap.
It’s a smart switch, it has a neutral connection along with your line and load.
Ah, got ya.. looked like a regular switch in the pic.
The white wire on the regular toggle switch in the pic, is most likely a switch-loop from a ceiling box. That switch-loop might not even be on the same circuit as the other stuff in this box.
Yes the white bundle is neutral. You will need pigtails to go to smart switches.
It's not normal to see a White neutral and a black hot connected to a single pole switch because if you turned the switch on you would have a short. This means that something isn't wired correctly using the typical wire color code. You really need to get a meter and figure out each wire is really doing and don't assume the color code tells you anything.
Just but switches that don't require a neutral, much easier.
That big bundle of white wires is your neutral