Smart Switch
A wall switch with a radio (Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread/Matter) for app, voice and schedule control. Most models require a neutral wire in the switch box, which older homes often lack.
A smart switch needs constant standby power, and the clean way to get it is a neutral conductor in the box. Post-1985 homes usually have one; older switch loops often do not, which sorts buyers into two camps: standard smart switches for neutral-equipped boxes, and the shorter list of no-neutral designs (Lutron Caséta being the established one) for everything else.
Smart switches beat smart bulbs wherever the wall switch is the natural control: the switch keeps working for guests, and the bulbs stay ordinary. The installation itself is normal switch work plus a crowded box, and three-way locations need the brand's companion units rather than a second smart switch.
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- Receptacle (Outlet) : The device you plug into.
- GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) : The outlet with TEST and RESET buttons.
- NEMA 14-50 : The heavy 240-volt, 50-amp receptacle used for ranges, RV hookups and plug-in EV charging: four slots, rated for the most power a standard residential outlet delivers.
- Dedicated Circuit : A circuit serving exactly one appliance, with its own breaker and nothing else sharing the wire.