Smart light switches are extremely convenient as it allows you to control your house lights with your smartphone or by voice command. After installing smart switches, you could save a lot more time and effort for more important matters. However, installing these switches on your own requires some sort of skill/knowledge, especially if you've never installed one before. Rest assured, we will guide you step by step on how to install your smart switches on your own with proper safety measurements.
Tools you'll need before installing on your own
- Flat-head screwdriver/test pen
- Smart Light Switch that fits well on your previous wall switch and wiring setup (Non neutral/Neutral) Wiring
- Wire cutters
- Torch Light
- Electrical Tape
How to Install Smart Light Switch
Step 1 : Understand your existing wall switch and wiring setup. Be sure of what type of switch you need before you make any purchases. You MUST figure out the type of switch you need. Check out if your house wiring setup has a neutral/non neutral setup as each setup has different installing process. Besides, you'll have to check how many gang your switch needs. For example, single switch requires single gang smart switches, two switches requires two gang switch. Its still if you bought an extra gang switches as it will still operate as usual.
ALWAYS make sure that you turn off the main power at the fuse box to avoid getting electrocuted. To further prevent yourself from being electrocuted, wear a non conductive glove too. Then, open up the existing switches and examine the wiring. To open up the switch, you'll have to unscrew the screws on the wall plate by using a flat-head screwdriver or a test pen. Slowly pull the unscrewed panel forward. To make sure you won't mess up the wiring, you can always take a picture of it before unplugging the wires so you can use it as a guide when you're installing your smart switch.
Look closely at the wiring setup. Most houses in Malaysia requires a ground wire, an "in" wire and "out" wire, and a live wire. Most of the houses in Malaysia doesn't have neutral wires. If you don't have a neutral wire, you'll have to install smart switches that doesn't require a neutral wire. For instance, smart switches that doesn't requires a neutral wire comes along with a capacitor that you can later on install in your light bulb.
Step 2: Once you familiarize yourself with the wiring setup, remove your old light switch. ALWAYS ensure the power supply is being turned off at the breaker. You can always test if there's still electricity running using your test pen. Then, disconnect the old light switch completely. Take note of which wire is live wire and ground wire so avoid messing up with the wiring later on. You can also test know if the wire is live wire by touching it with a test pen. If your test pen lit up on the wire you are testing on then it's a live wire.
Step 3: Connect the wires accordingly on your smart light switch, connect the "in" wire to the in wire, the "out" wire to the out wire, the neutral wire to the neutral wire, and the ground wire to the ground wire. Secure your connections and make sure there are not loose to prevent any accidents from happening in the future. You can always gently pull the wires to make sure they are properly attached to the switch.
You can also refer to the diagram above to make sure you're doing it right. Right after you finished connecting the wires accordingly. A capacitor will be needed for non neutral switches to be installed on your fans/ lights. A capacitor will only needed to be install in one of the lights/fans that is connected to the same smart switch. By connecting a capacitor, you will need to open up your lights/fans and look for the wiring setup. Install the capacitor between the Live wire and Neutral wire.
Your capacitor will look something like this after being installed between the live wire and neutral wire.
Step 4: Make sure everything is properly connected and secure the smart light in place. Neatly place the wire connections into the box. Once you've fit the wires in the box, screw the switch into place. You can now turn on the power at the break. If all connections are all intact nicely, you can now begin to setup your smart switch with your phone app.
Step 5: Connect all switch to your WiFi router. Most of the smart switches will provide a guide to setup the smart switch to corresponding applications. Once you get the switch successfully connected to the application, you can know name your switch. Lastly connect it to Amazon Alexa or Google Home assistant to start controlling your lights with your voice. For voice-controlling to be enabled, a smart speaker will be needed as well to receive command.
TIPS
- Always read the manual guide before installing to ensure you understand how it works.
- Every wiring setup might be different, always ask an electrician if you're not sure.
- Make sure your WiFi router is on a 2.4GHz network.
- ALWAYS make safety precautions. ALWAYS