Neutral to ground

Switches Wiring Discussion
1

Ordered this https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07S1BMMGH/
Not sure about model number.
But I going to connect neutral to ground.
I already have 2 wifi dimmer and it connected to ground.

Will it work?

As I read power management will not work without neutral.

I also want use switch as adjuster +/- to brightness. Can I do it?

2

Safety ground should not be used as neutral. See Wiring terminology definitions & why you shouldn't use the safety ground for a Neutral connection.

3

Should not, but I use. Will it work?

4

I don’t speak for Inovelli, but what you are asking for is against the NEC in the U.S. I doubt they will respond because of legal liability issues.

5

I cannot answer your question. However so I understand the question.

  1. You don’t know enough about your home wiring to know the answer.
  2. You’ve been told it is a safety hazard.
  3. You still want to go ahead and wire it incorrectly.

That may sound a little harsh but you must understand, the folks here are familiar with home wiring. We are not associated with Inovelli, but feel we would be doing a disservice to those who ask for advice if we suggested or agreed with something we feel could cause serious repercussions.

I understand you are going to do what your are going to do. However if something disastrous does happen we will feel we did our best to have tried to stop it.

John

1 Like
6

Definitely a HORRIBLE idea.

Even if it might work, I’d hope that as a fellow human you would NEVER endanger yours and others lives by doing this. It’s a safety/fire/etc. hazard.

No one is reasonably going to give you a straight answer that you can/should do this.

7

Actually how many power use dimmer? Almost zero.

Ok, I will try

9

Just wanted to provide an official stance from the manufacturer and ourselves that this is NOT recommended and could definitely be a severe safety hazard. Please do not do this.

5 Likes
10

Do you want me to return switch back?
Or I will use it like I want.

11

You can do whatever you’d like with it, I’m simply saying it’s not recommended, not endorsed by any NEC standards, and it’s not how the switch is designed. We also don’t want to see your house burn down and then be blamed for it :wink:

3 Likes
12

Why? burning house is good performance, when it not yours :slight_smile:

How much power switch use and is it bring noticeable potential to ground wire? I dont think so.

13

I don’t work for Inovelli. My opinions are my own.

Will it work if you use your ground like a neutral? Probably.

Will your car go faster if you rip the brakes out of it? Probably.

Is either one a good idea? No. Either one puts you at significant risk of injury.

You must understand- you are on your own here. What you do, and the consequences of it, are YOUR responsibility.

If you want to wire your switch in an unsafe manner, nobody here can stop you. We can only give advice and instruction on how to wire it safely and legally, in a manner approved by the manufacturer and national electric codes. You can ignore us if you choose.

If you choose to ignore the advice you’ve received, and wire the switch in an unsafe and illegal manner, YOU are responsible for any consequences that happen. If someone gets an electric shock, if another device breaks, if your house burns down, that is all on you. If someone is killed by a shock or your burning house, their death will be on your conscience. And even if nobody is hurt, any insurance company that finds your illegally wired switch will refuse to pay your claim, because homeowner and liability insurance does not cover damage caused by dangerous and illegal wiring by the homeowner.

If you absolutely MUST wire it with neutral to ground, and there is NO way we can talk you out of it, I only ask that you please make sure you have working smoke detectors. First Alert’s ZCOMBO is a nice choice- it’s got Z-Wave on board so you can link it to your hub and get emails/texts to let you know when your house is on fire.

2 Likes
14

Chris,
Remember the old saying about wrestling a pig in the mud, eventually you realize the pig is enjoying it.

7 Likes
15

Don’t use it as ground. Neutral is the ground from the power company, not at your building. Using ground can have as much as a 50 volt reference change. I have seen at my parents house where ground to neutral is 50VAC. Technically, it is considered dangerous but you could also damage the dimmer.
Instead, use the alternate wiring options. I use a load resistor between the line and neutral of the light, and the two-wire switch wiring will now draw power from the light.