How To Identify Neutral Wire

We teach you how to identify a neutral wire in a light switch. If you are thinking about installing a smart dimmer light switch or a smart switch it's a good idea to determine first if you have a neutral wire in your light switch box.

We teach you what to look for to find a neutral wire and if you need one. Most smart light switches but not all smart light switches require a neutral wire.

To Identify a neutral wire you need to do the following:

1. Turn off power to circuit at the breaker
2. Confirm power is off
3. Remove faceplate by removing two screws
4. Remove light switch from junction box by removing two screws
5. Pull light switch forward out of box to expose wiring
6. Look for neutral wire in the junction box, if you have a white wire inside the switch junction box you have a neutral wire. The switch in the video shown has a neutral wire.

Smart home devices I’ve installed in my home:



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[dmanfabulous]

Perfectly clear and concise, saved me a call to an electrician. Perfect!

[stickysock]

This was invaluable advice to aid me in installing a smart light switch in my kitchen. I really didn't get the concept and importance of the nuetral connection for this application. I struggled to the point of giving up because of the three solid wires I'd need to join to the stranded wire of the light switch for the neutral connection. I used a Wago in place of the wirenut and finally finished the installation.

[sherry]

Thank you for your help but as an electrician, this video would be more helpful had you spent more time on actually identifying a neutral wire. I’m sitting here seeking help because I have 2 purple wires and a red which Is why identification is important to me, I don’t care about a smart home wire when my house is newer. I care more about figuring out which one is neutral wire.

[rperera]

Wow, very clear instructions. I was debating what type of switch to buy. Now I know exactly what I need. Thank You for the help.

[kupikachu]

yeah so all 3 wires in my ceiling are black lol. i was hoping for a video on how to actually identify them, not what color they are

[ev]

This video was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for making this video ❤

[Tkeaney]

Awesome video. This is exactly what I needed to identify my neutral wire for smart switch installation. Thank you so much!

[hanscarlsson]

Never assume white wires always are neutral. Do proper testing if you are not 100% sure.

[fahmywaleed]

Thanks for your video, i am installing 2 way smart switch, one switch does not have neutral the other has wht and blk bundled together . I identified all wires and traveller wires but not sure about those 2 if they are neutral or not. My home is built in 98

[Nadyamantra]

You also need one for the levitron humidity setector switch but I guess this would be considered smart?

[ComicT]

This video is great if your wiring was done by a professional using the proper coloring cables to identify. I have some sockets home-wired by the previous homeowner done as cheaply as possible with the same color wire for everything. What kind of voltage should you be getting from a neutral wire? How to measure with a multimeter? Thanks!

[CarlosGarcia-lshn]

It would have been good for you to show the left side of the switch, to where the white wire is attached. You can't tell from looking at it directly.

[ChrisWilliams-vmdo]

When wiring a smart switch in a box with more than one switch (usually looks like a gaggle of wires) does it matter which neutral wire you use? Are there separate neutral wires for each switch? I usually just locate a bundle of white wires. Half the time my switch I install gets power, half the time it doesn’t.

[cwpltrh]

If I have three light switches in the same box, how do I identify each neutral wire connected to each switch?

[rafaelpun]

Thanks. Was sweating balls because I was not sure about the white wire.

[outthemoney]

Neutral is always needed to bring electricity back, just some are ran straight to light fixture

[jccuchvjvj]

I guess I don't have a neutral? I want to connect 2 gang wifi dimmer with 3 cables.
The voltage between cables:
19, 5 V between yellow and blue
172, 5 V between brown and blue
226, 3 V between brown and yellow

[irenecase]

I don’t have any problem finding white hot wire but I don’t get how you have two blacks for a single pole switch. My wire is one black one white and one green (hot neutral and ground). Is this enough to make feint work?

[DominickPeluso]

This helped me out of a jam. Thank you!

[jeffreybuskey]

Hello. Great video's. I just purchased a brand new home. I open the switch box that has 3 switches (3 gang box). There is no white wire. I noticed there is a red, black, and copper. I noticed 2 wires (red and black has a white piece of tape groups them together) and other individual black wires. How do I determine which wire is White/Neutral? I've never seen this type of crap in my life. I've opened and replaced a lot of light switches. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thx