Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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House is wired with 12-2 so no neutral - What are some Treatlife alternatives? Ge Cync? (alien.top)

submitted 10 months ago by BeckerHollow@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum

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Like the title says, I have a 20yr old manufactured home with nothing but single pole speed boxes everywhere. All the wiring is 12-2 Romex (black/white/ground). So no neutral wire. Is there a Treatlife workaround or alternative I should be looking at?

I know there's GE Cync and Lutron Caseta. Caseta might be a little too pricey for me. But I only have first hand experience with Treatlife, so not sure.

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[–] HTTP_404_NotFound@alien.top 1 points 10 months ago

12-2 is common.... and has neutral. If your house did not have neutral, then either you are on a 240v circuit, where both legs are considered "HOT", or otherwise, nothing would work.

What you MEAN to say, is you don't have neutral at your light-boxes.

This, is because, way back when, the way to wire light fixtures- your main wire goes into the light-fixture. Then, you run a seperate 12/2 or 14/2 from the light-fixture, down to the switch, and this switches the "hot" leg.

There are a few ways to address this.

You can pull new 12/3 or 14/3 from your light fixture, down to the switch. I did this in a few key locations, when I put in z-wave switches. Generally doesn't take that long.
You can use a shelly hidden inside of the electrical box, above the light fixture. You would connect hot/neutral to it, and then, connect the 12/2 heading to the switch to the shelly as well. After this- you have an automated switch, which you can remotely control, as well as, you still have a physical wall switch. I did this in a few areas as well.