Tags
dimmer, General Electric, install, Iris, iris system, issue, Light switch, Lowe's iris, Lowes
I had decided to replace my old light switch with the GE light switch that will work with Lowe’s Iris and didn’t have much luck.
I found out that my light switch has two wires and it seems the GE requires a third one that is called “Neutral” or it won’t work at all.
I’ve tried a few different things, but the closest I got it to do was to make the lights flicker on and off without stopping. LOL.
I’ve contacted a friend who’s an electrician and been told that there’s no simple workaround besides installing a neutral wire if you want to use the light switch and manufactures are beginning to see the problem and slowly trying to come up with solutions to resolve the neutral issue.
He also mention that the other option is to install a device that just doesn’t require a neutral line.
Well this got me looking on Lowe’s Iris page, I found that the GE Iris 15 amp White Dimmer doesn’t have neutral from a customer who gave it a bad review and mention not having neutral line is flawed in the product. Well it might be flawed, but it just might work for me. 🙂
I’ll have to get one and try it out and update this page later!
**Update 7/15/2013**
I’ve gotten the dimmer and it didn’t required the neutral line and I was able to get it installed and working.
Paring the dimmer was also not much of a problem after I brought the hub near closer to the dinner to pair.
I did go through some struggles to figure out a few things about these GE light switches, but I’ll mention them at later post.
**Update 7/19/2013**
Created a post on “My experience with GE dimmer light switch for Lowe’s Iris”
I purchased on eBay the wireless indoor siren SEB12-2 that you wrote about. It worked like a charm and saved me $$$.
I’m assuming you mean SE812-2.
Thank sounds great and thanks for the feedback!
HP
Well I am an electrician and a TV repairman.
It depends on how they wire your house if you have neutral wire or not. If the feed goes to the light you don’t. If the feed goes to the switch and then to the light you will.
If you don’t have on you will have to pull out the wire and replace it with a 12/3 wire that does.
The neutral is need to power the switch. I suspect the dimmer gets its power from running voltage through your light all the time.
You may have a ground wire. The ground wire and the neutral are actually connected to the same place in your breaker box but the electric code prevents you from using it as a neutral. You don’t want any current on this wire for safety. In fact if its on a GFI having current on this wire will trip the breaker.
No you can use this ground wire if you rewire it.
Follow the wire to the junction box (might go to the light) disconnect the ground wire and add white tape to cover both ends so its now a white wire. Connect it to the neutral white wire. This will make it work safely. Code is different from state to state in mine this would pass code.
I tried 2 different switches to no avail. i like many dont have a neutral wire but i do have them bundled up in the back of the box so i figured out which one went to the light i was trying to control but still nothing so i took them back. i was so hoping to be able to control outside lights with my iris but i guess they will have to stay on the photocell…
I installed two switches. Front porch light and kitchen light. I also had wires like yours. I pig tailed two white wires to the original one and wired to the new ge switch. Works perfect. Blue led is lit when off and porch light set to come on at sunset and off at Sun rise. Kitchen light turns on when iris connects to key fob. So when I come home iris unlocks door and turns light on for me.
I just installed both GE dimmer switch a GE smart plug. Everything works fine but the scheduled off in the Iris App. You can schedule an ON or ar a dimmer change but it seems to ignores the off commend.
Is there some firmware updates?
Thanks for any insights.
Who replaced the switch for you ? I know for certain you did not do it yourself .LOL