DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

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

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)

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

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.

Thanks