---
title: Smart Switches in Singapore: What to Check Before You Buy
description: Neutral wire, dimming, hubs and wiring: the checks to make before buying smart switches or smart lighting for a Singapore home.
url: https://www.saikon.com.sg/articles/smart-switches-singapore-what-to-check.html
---

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# Smart switches in Singapore: what to check before you buy.

Four checks that decide whether smart switches and smart lights work in your home.

**In short:** before you buy smart switches, check that the switch box has a neutral wire, that your LED lights and drivers can be dimmed, which control system you want, and who will wire it. Getting these wrong is the usual reason smart switches cannot be installed or flicker afterwards.

## 1. Does the switch box have a neutral wire?

Many smart switches need a neutral wire at the switch to power their electronics. Older switch boxes often carry only a live wire down to the switch and back to the light, with no neutral. An electrician can open the box and tell you, which is cheaper than buying six switches that cannot be installed. See [power point installation](https://www.saikon.com.sg/power-point-installation.html) for how we approach wiring changes.

## 2. Can your lights be dimmed?

Smart dimmers only work properly with dimmable lights. LED downlights, LED strips and their drivers must all be rated for dimming, and very low loads can flicker. Tell your electrician what you have before choosing the dimmer. For strips and cove lights, read [LED cove lighting: what to plan](https://www.saikon.com.sg/articles/led-cove-lighting-wiring-guide.html).

## 3. Switches, bulbs or a hub?

- **Smart switches** replace the wall switch and control whatever is wired to it, including lights you cannot put a smart bulb in.

- **Smart bulbs** need the wall switch left on, which defeats the wall switch for everyone else in the house.

- **A hub or bridge** is needed by some systems. Decide on one system for the whole home so the switches, scenes and voice control work together.

## 4. Who installs and tests it?

Smart devices still sit on your fixed wiring. Have the wiring, drivers and switches installed and tested together, so that every switch and light works before handover. We install [smart home and smart lighting](https://www.saikon.com.sg/smart-home-installation-singapore.html), including smart switches, smart lights and smart LED lighting.

## A quick checklist

- 1

### Open one switch box

Check for a neutral wire before buying devices.

- 2

### List your lights

Note which are dimmable and what drivers they use.

- 3

### Choose one system

Switches, hub and app that work together.

- 4

### Plan the order of work

Wiring first, devices next, test everything before the ceiling or wall is closed.

## Want a quote for your job?

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