Smart Dimmer Needs a Neutral Wire: Charlotte Installation

Many smart dimmers need a neutral wire to stay powered. Older homes in Charlotte often do not have one in the switch box, which stops the install or causes flicker and glowing.

Installing smart dimmers in older Charlotte, NC homes since 2005, locally owned.

A 20-year locally owned business in Charlotte, North Carolina, in business since 2005
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Safety First

Turn off the breaker before you remove a wall plate or touch a dimmer. Flipping the switch off is not enough, because a dimmer can still have power on its line and load wires. Use a non-contact voltage tester to confirm the power is off. Stop and call a licensed electrician if you see scorch marks, smell burning plastic, find aluminum wiring, feel a hot wall plate, or are not sure which wire is which.

How to Tell

With the breaker off, look for a bundle of white wires tied together at the back of the box. If there are none, the box probably has no neutral. Do not assume a white wire is a neutral; in older homes it is sometimes used as a hot wire.

Your Options

Choose a no-neutral smart dimmer, such as many Lutron Caseta models
Run a new neutral to the box
Use a smart dimmer with a wireless remote at another location

How We Help

We check your wiring, recommend the right dimmer, and install it so it does not flicker or ghost. See Lutron Caseta troubleshooting.

Dimmer Repair Near You

We repair and install dimmers across Charlotte, including Dilworth, Myers Park, Eastover, SouthPark, Ballantyne and nearby towns. See every community on our service areas page.