Smart switch with no ground wire?

Smart switch with no ground wire?

Smart switch with no ground wire?
Smart switch with no ground wire?
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

My house was built in the 1930s and does not have a neutral or ground wire for light switches.

Can I use the S500 or S500D with no ground wire?

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#1
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Re:Smart switch with no ground wire?
3 weeks ago
don't count me as an expert but no they wont work I believe they need a neutral wire to complete the circuit the ground wire is for safety and they didn't believe in safety back then
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#2
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Re:Smart switch with no ground wire?
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

  @jasonINmadison I may be wrong about the neutral. The installation diagram for the tapo switch shows 4 wires; 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground.  There are 2 wires (black & white) to the existing switches.

I have upgraded several switches with other newer (non smart/wifi) brands. those had 3 wires (black, white, grey usually), and i could leave the grey ground off and be fine. 

But i'm not sure how the tapo 4 wire configuration translates. 

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#3
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Re:Smart switch with no ground wire?
3 weeks ago

You can TRY connecting the neutral to the neutral (generally white) wire in the box.   Then IF your box is grounded or attached to conduit, connect the ground to the chassis of the box.        (You can find out if the box is grounded by using an AC Volt Meter.  Put your meter on AC Volts.  Place one lead on the black/hot wire, and place the other meter lead on the metal chassis of the box.   If you read approximately 120VAC, then your box is grounded.)

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