Help with Jasco/GE switch

[VinceNC]

A single-pole Jasco/GE wall switch I'm trying to install is giving me trouble. I've installed a bunch of these before and they seem to be pretty solid...this one is doing something odd.

I install it with ground, neutral, line and load wires - no problem. The little blue light at the bottom of the switch glows, but if I manually operate the switch, the lights go on for a brief fraction of a second, then go back off. Thinking I just got a bad switch, I swapped it with another - and it had exactly the same problem. Wiring is correct, but working the switch causes the lights to blink on then off.

The load behind the switch is about six LED bulbs - not more than 100 watts of power going through the circuit. An old dumb single-pole switch works fine to operate the lights.

I'm thinking it's not a Homeseer problem because I haven't even included the switch yet.

A call to Jasco's customer support wasn't helpful. Their suggestion was that the neutral (white) wire in the box might be from a separate circuit, but I'm not sure how to verify that.

Any ideas?

[jmaddox]

I agree with Jasco; sounds like you have a wiring problem. I'd hire an electrician to verify there is a shared neutral and correct the issue; both circuits could be potentially combined on the same breaker.

this video explains shared neutrals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBcw2JJsELs

[mulu]

One thing you could do the check the circuit is installing an outlet instead of a switch. Then use a circuit checker and see what it tells you.

[happnatious1]

This is a long shot but I had a jasco switch in my garage that would do this. It was the wiring in the box pushing up against the back of the switch. I re-arranged the wires in the box and it's been fine ever since.

[Guest]

I assume your GE/Jasco switch is not a dimmer switch. Some LEDs have problems when controlled by dimmer switches.

[Dan-O]

One more thought:
Did Jasco/GE add a feature to have 'momentary' action?
Maybe add the device in HS and on the Z-Wave tab of that switch see if there's a feature to set just like the ability to include or ignore "all light on" commands.

That also could be a feature that lets you know if the switch is included in a network? I have a Zooz outlet/module that flashes the LEDs different colors when it's not included in a network - also has all the features I mentioned.

[VinceNC]

Just wanted to close the loop on this one...

The box where the switch was installed had two sets of neutrals - the one I tried initially, and a second set hidden in the back of the box. Switching from one to the other solved the problem.

Thanks to all that offered help!

[George]

Split neutrals, odd unless someone ran another wire there afterwards. Split neutrals can be pretty dangerous, if you get back in the box sometime you might want to get some yellow or other color tape to wrap around the other ones to show they are not the same.

[happnatious1]

Even then, if you look inside your main panel all neutrals are attached to the same bus. I wonder if that "neutral" is actually a switch leg that never got taped.

[Dan-O]

Even then, if you look inside your main panel all neutrals are attached to the same bus. I wonder if that "neutral" is actually a switch leg that never got taped.

Isn't the hot usually switched? Although I have seen some weird stuff in my day.

[George]

Even then, if you look inside your main panel all neutrals are attached to the same bus. I wonder if that "neutral" is actually a switch leg that never got taped.

Yes, the neutrals are on the same buss, but you can have multiple buss's in multiple panels. And the neutrals are only connected to ground at only 1 point in the entire home system. If not GFCI's would not work. Normally the neutral and ground should have no voltage, but if there is leak (like if you come into contact with a live wire or a split neutral, you can get electrocuted as electricity will take the easiest path to ground, which may be your body. In these case a Ground Fault Interrupter is constantly monitor the voltage differential between the neutral and ground. Normally they should both be the same.

But, If there is any discrepancy, then there is a problem and it trip's in Milli-seconds versus the 1 or more seconds a regular breaker might trip after frying you a bit, as you become the 'toaster' resistance in the middle of a power and neutral fault.

If you're not sure or don't have the right equipment ( a regular multi-meter won't do) then it's better to ask or hire an electrician.

[happnatious1]

Yes, the neutrals are on the same buss, but you can have multiple buss's in multiple panels. And the neutrals are only connected to ground at only 1 point in the entire home system. If not GFCI's would not work. Normally the neutral and ground should have no voltage, but if there is leak (like if you come into contact with a live wire or a split neutral, you can get electrocuted as electricity will take the easiest path to ground, which may be your body. In these case a Ground Fault Interrupter is constantly monitor the voltage differential between the neutral and ground. Normally they should both be the same.

But, If there is any discrepancy, then there is a problem and it trip's in Milli-seconds versus the 1 or more seconds a regular breaker might trip after frying you a bit, as you become the 'toaster' resistance in the middle of a power and neutral fault.

If you're not sure or don't have the right equipment ( a regular multi-meter won't do) then it's better to ask or hire an electrician.

I apologize if this comes across as rude, that is not my intention.

I am a licensed electrician, and GFCI's work by looking for a difference in current between the protected circuits hot and neutral wires, not the voltage differential between neutral and ground. sub panels can have their own ground rods. Just because a wire is white you shouldn't assume it's a neutral. If you use a white wire to carry current you should mark it with colored electrical tape, but that doesn't always happen. If power runs from the panel to a ceiling fixture electricians will typically run a single two conductor down to the switch before going to the load. In this case there will be a white wire that is carrying current.

Stay safe.