How to wire a light switch... Is this a neutral?


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Old 01-01-17, 10:58 AM
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How to wire a light switch... Is this a neutral?

I have a light switch I am going to install. It is a Z-Wave switch. This switch is the middle of a 3-Way. According to the picture is the white wire a neutral that is not wired to the switch that is wire nuted?
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Old 01-01-17, 11:40 AM
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Yes, the white wire is likely a neutral. I would suggest checking it with a meter first before assuming.

That switch appears to be a 4 way switch. The Z-Wave switch should be able to function as a 4 way switch
 
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Old 01-01-17, 02:30 PM
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If that switch is between 3 way's then it is a 4 way and the whites wirenutted together are probably the point connection and not neutral,new code would require them to be reidentified.
 
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Old 01-01-17, 02:39 PM
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Check the whites, but I can't make out what the circled wires are. Do they emanate from white casings? Difficult to see.

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Old 01-01-17, 03:05 PM
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Chandler, that is the grounds just twisted together with no wire nut, I think.
 
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Old 01-01-17, 03:11 PM
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I agree, but am confused by the short white wire casing.
 
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Old 01-01-17, 04:22 PM
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Looks like the end of the grounds that just happen to line up with the neutrals underneath .
 
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Old 01-01-17, 06:39 PM
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Yeah, bare wires are grounds. So, how do I test these? Or how do I test to see what this white wire is?
And what so you mean by Point of Connection?
 
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Old 01-02-17, 03:42 AM
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Ah, I see it better, now. I opened it on my Ipad and enlarged it. Test the resistance of the white wires under the cap to the grounding wires. You should get a reading. Do this with the power off to that circuit.
 
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Old 01-02-17, 05:03 AM
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If you pull the whites out and break the splice,measure between one white and ground and the other white and ground one will have 120 VAC proving it is the point not neutral,someone can correct me if I am wrong,I am figuring this out in my head.
HNY!
Geo
 
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Old 01-02-17, 06:33 AM
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Size:  30.2 KBSo I measured both white wires separate to the ground bare wire. The right white one read 0.4. The left white one read 7.87. Not sure what this means. Another pict
 
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Old 01-02-17, 10:33 AM
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Did you check for voltage between white and ground?
 
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Old 01-02-17, 11:52 AM
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0.080 is the volts is what I came up with
 
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Old 01-02-17, 02:30 PM
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I wouldn't have recommended opening the neutral. It will only show 120 volts is there is a load on the circuit, (IE the switch is on)

Splice the white back up, and with the power on measure voltage between all the red and black wires. you should get 120 volts someplace. Then measure as Chandler suggested, between the whites and ground wires with your meter set to Ohms or continuity. You should get a very low number or read continuity.
 
 

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