1 way gang smart light switch installation advice Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[JimmyO]

Hello
I am trying to replace a 1 way gang switch with smart light switch but not sure whether I need one with neutral wire or not. My current light switch has 2 browns going in which I think is live and one other brown. I also have blue and earth going into a block connector but not into the light switch. Please see pictures the switch powers a bulb and a GU14 lamp holder with 3 bulbs on. The GU14 holder also has a transformer behind it in the ceiling. Thanks

[Mr White]

You are lucky, your switch position appears to have neutral (The blue wires) So you should be able to have any smart switch that will fit, some smart switches require a deep 35mm back box.
I should point out that as most smart switches can "dim" you would need to check first that the transformer you have is dimable (Not all "transformers are dimable)

[JimmyO]

Thanks, luckily the bulbs I have are not dimmable. I don't intend to dim them anyway. Just need to add a smart switch.

[ericmark]

Not a clue what a GU14 bulb is, in the main large physical size bulbs with LED have a smoothing capacitor built in and do not shimmer, also tungsten bulbs have no problem, so even with no neutral they work OK, but where there is a transformer you can get in rush, and as to if it would damage an electronic switch I don't know.

All my electronic switches (not dimming just on/off) say you should use dimmable bulbs, I know mine worked OK with 8 x 6W E14 candle bulbs where were not dimmable, but the instructions say use dimmable.

In the main switches that use a neutral work better to those without a neutral and you have a neutral, I would not worry about an electronic transformer on an electronic switch, but would not use a toroidal transformer on an electronic switch. It may work OK, but you don't know if it uses solid state switching or a relay.

[JimmyO]

Thanks