Wiring blue 2-1 switch to power only (no switch)

Switches Wiring Discussion
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#1

Good morning,

I have the blue 2-1 switch. I have a particular junction box that used to have a dumb switch controlling an outlet. In this box are 3 pairs of line-load plus ground but no neutral. Long ago, I tied off the wires and removed the switch so there’s just a group of lines and a group of loads.

Now, I want to give power to the smart switch without allowing the buttons to physically trigger the wiring.

When I first wired up line and load to the switch, it turned on fine and booted up. Stupidly, I pressed the up-paddle button and the breaker tripped. I assume this caused the switch to send power from line to load directly.

Now, when I turn the breaker on, it trips the breaker every time (when the switch is wired - when I remove the switch it doesn’t trip). I moved the switch to a different location and wired up neutral and load, and it booted up fine. I followed the instructions to program the switch into smart bulb mode, thinking this would solve my issue, but when I move it back to the final location and wire line and load back up, it continues to trip the breaker the second I turn on the breaker.

What am I doing wrong?

1 Like
#2

You cannot use the switch as a scene controller without a neutral. Also, you should not connect the load terminal on the switch to an outlet. Do you have a smart outlet that you’re trying to control? Are there any neutral in the switch box?

#3

If there’s no neutral available, the 2-1 needs to have a load (but not an outlet as load - it’s not rated for that).

What are you trying to do with this Blue 2-1 – just use it as a scene controller? If so, you need a neutral.

#4

Thanks, so it sounds like I can’t do what I’m trying to do. There’s no neutral unfortunately. I’m trying to control a fan light remotely because it’s wired to a side of the room that I don’t want a switch on, so requiring would require lots of extra work.

#5

Ok sounds like I can’t do what I’m trying, since there’s no neutral. Thank you.

#6

Re-wire the other end to send the line and neutral instead of the line and load.

#7

That would certainly work, but I have to say that’s beyond my abilities. I wouldn’t be able to figure out which wire goes where and how to find my way back to neutral. I appreciate the suggestion though.