In each of my bedrooms, I have a single switch, without a neutral wire that goes to a ceiling fan with light, the lighting is terrible, so I would like to add 4 ultra-thin smart recessed lights to each bedroom, but want them on a separate switch from the ceiling fan.
I am also updating the ceiling fans with rf receivers and Bond controller for home assistant control
I was planning on wiring the can lights into the same circuit as the fan.
Can I wire an inovelli red dimmer (for the smart lights) and the upcoming 5 button switch (for the fan) in series and make sure smart bulb mode is enabled on both switches and use Home Assistant for on/off and dimming and fan control?
So as you pointed out, you have switch loops, where there is no neutral in the box. One conductor is the incoming hot and the other is the switched hot. So you are not going to be able to use the existing box wiring. You will have to run a new drop to the box for the lights.
With a switch loop for your fans, the hot and neutral are at the fan box. I would change the connections in the fan box to send the hot and neutral to the switch box (after disconnecting the conductors from the switch). Then pull a 3-wire back to the fan (so you can switch the fan and light independently . . . and so you won’t need Bond). Also pull a 2-wire up to the first can light.
Cut that old box out and replace it with a 3-gang box.
This may not be what you were looking to do, but the short answer is you’re not going to do it without pulling wire.
I have my rooms set up to where the light wire of the fan canopy of the LZW36 is connected into my lighting circuit for the room. So long as you stay below the wattage requirements of the room, you are good.
You could send the hot/neutral through the 2 wires from the fan box to the LZW36 switch for power, then install the canopy unit in the fan with the light circuit starting in that box and put the lights in series.
Alternatively, you could also use smart bulbs throughout, set local protection on the light side, and use associations or scenes to control all of the lights.
No need for more gangs, just use the switch to it’s full potential!
