G-Switch P1

The Greenbank G-Switch P1 is a wall light switch that works with Apple Home and replaces the switch already on your wall. The reason it is worth knowing about is what it does not need: a neutral wire.

Why the neutral wire matters

Most smart wall switches need a neutral conductor at the switch box to power their electronics. A great many houses do not have one, because traditional switch wiring only ran the live conductor up to the switch and back. In those houses the choice is usually smart bulbs, or rewiring.

A switch that works without a neutral removes that problem, and it keeps the light working the way everyone in the house expects, because there is still a switch on the wall doing what a switch does.

What works in Apple Home

• Turn the light on and off from the Home app.
• Use the switch in scenes and automations, and control it with Siri.
• Keep manual control at the wall, which smart bulbs give up the moment somebody flips the switch.

Before you buy

Greenbank sells several models, including the G-Controller, and they differ in the number of gangs and in the wiring they expect. Confirm the exact model against your own switch box: how many gangs, whether a neutral is present, and the box depth.

This is mains work behind a faceplate. Unless you are competent and permitted to do it where you live, have an electrician fit it.

As with any Apple Home accessory, remote access and automations need a home hub in the house: a HomePod or an Apple TV.