Adding a smart light switch to a 2 way circuit with no neutral.

The_Vindicator

I'm looking to automate the lighting on my landing, currently there is a 4G2W switch downstairs with no neutral feed and a 1G2W switch upstairs with no neutral feed, UK wiring.

I've looked at a few 'no neutral' switches including the SONOFF T4 but none that I've found seem to play nice with 2 way switching.

What other options would you suggest, besides trying to get a neutral to the switch? I

Cheers

chrisgeary

Ignore me. Talking rubbish.

mushii

Please do not ever use Sonoff - it is badly designed and badly made - plenty of reports of there equipment melting and catching fire. Look to Lightwave RF, I think that it will do what you want. CE marked, well built, high quality equipment. Can be installed without a neutral

The_Vindicator

Thanks I'll have a look, I assume they play nice with 2 way switching and would work if the 4G was kept as is.

mushii

I believe that you can 2 way switch with them. They are not my switch of choice, I use ZWave modules behind the light switch, but then you need to run a HA controller to manage them, more cost and more complexity.

The_Vindicator

Looking at LightwaveRF all their switches seem to be dimmers, I'm not after a dimmer :/
Can they be set to a simple on off?

mushii

Yes and No the only way that you can smart control a light without a neutral is using a dimming controller as there is actually no way to turn the light switch off.It dims it to a level that you cannot see.

The_Vindicator

Looks like a trip through the loft hatch to see if there is a chance to feed a neutral down.

Any experience with using Den products, they apparently do 2 way and no neutral required by way of some magic vampiric energy sucking.

mushii

Not really sorry. I tend to stick to ZWave modules, as it is very reliable, totally invisible, lets me do everything that I want, i still retain my standard light switches (which operate as normal light switches) and most of all the wife is very happy as she doesn't have to learn any new technology.

Smart lighting is not cheap, if you want it to work well. Plenty of cheap solutions (that are butt ugly and pretty flakey) and plenty of irate wives.

JulianDS

I use ZWave as well, though mushii knows far more than me!
Worth noting that Fibaro ZWave dimmer modules can be set in an ‘on off’ mode (effectively still working as a dimmer but with only the two states), I assume other makes can do the same. It is also possible to place the module at the ceiling rose/junction where there would be a neutral in which case you would have more options for true on/off solutions, but it is of course dependent on having access (usually from above)