Cooper RF9501 wiring problems

I am trying to install a Cooper RF9501 switch in a single location switch that has a Black, White and Green wire. When I attach all of those to the switch and leave the Red switch wire disconnected, I get the blinking Blue LED light and can pair with my 2Gig controller. The problem is that the switch will not turn the lights off and on. I can hear it “switch” inside but unlike others it makes a “double” switching sound.

Do I have the wrong switch or is it wired incorrectly?

You sure it isnt a 3way? No traveller?

Otherwise, if single, you may need all 4. Is the red or back hot?

Meter wires.

Blk, white, green, red:

Remove all wires from current switch, meter wires. You should see

120v wire goes to line, other to load, green wire is ground, and white is usually neutral.

It looks like the red wire goes to the light…

RF9501

http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/wiringdevices/products/documents/instruction_sheets/technology_rf9501_instruct.pdf

RF9501.png

Rive,

Thank you for replying. There is no traveler, only black, white and a bare ground. I have not metered yet, its possible the black and white are reversed. Some of the wiring in this house is really odd - we did lots of remodeling and the first electrician really struggled getting it right. No telling what was done.

If red goes to light - what do I do with the Black and White ones?

Usually there are 2 black wires at the switch - one that’s always hot with 120VAC (known as line side) and another that goes to the light fixture (known as load side). The switch’s job is to connect or disconnect line and load when you turn it on and off. It looks like this.

Another way electricians sometimes do it is to just run the power directly to the light fixture and then run a 2-wire cable from the light fixture to the switch. With this method you don’t have both hot and neutral at the switch, you only have one of them and you’re using the switch the break that one wire (line or neutral). It looks like this.

The second method is not conducive to home automation because smart light switches require both hot and neutral in order to power themselves. This method only works with simple mechanical switches. It sounds like this is what you have.

In this case you need to run a new power cable from the light fixture to the switch so you can have both hot and neutral at the switch. You might also try looking to see if there is an additional wire in the cable that has been cut back since it wasn’t being used. You’d be lucky if that was the case. If so, you’ll need to re-wire both the switch side and the light fixture side of the cable to make it work.

The only other possibility would be to use your green wire as either hot or neutral instead of ground but that would be unsafe and against electrical code because then your switch would not be grounded so it would be at risk to electrocute someone. Don’t do that.

Ryan,

Thank you, this is really helpful. I think you are right about the second configuration being mine - it switches an outdoor entry light that is quite far away and would be an easier installation. I had a similar wiring setup on a set of exterior flood lights and I got it to work with a Cooper RF9518 switch that is used when there is no neutral wire available - I’m having trouble pairing it, but the switch works properly.

I can’t re-wire this light or switch due to its location.

Well, with Cooper I do believe I remember those not being compatible due to specific Zwave parameters that the switches transmit. I could be wrong on this though. Generally light switches will simply be compatible, but if unique programming is involved, the panel may not be able to communicate with it.

Have you tried removing the switch first then adding it?