this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2024
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Every wall switch I’ve seen (in US) has an attachment for a ground wire, except really ancient ones, and every “Romex” style wiring includes a ground wire
My house is an older one with steel junction boxes, so those need to be grounded, but plastic boxes obviously do not.
So, my experience may be limited but I’ve always seen switches grounded and always seen everything support grounding.
As someone further up said, it’s the neutral that is the problem. I don’t know if it’s code or convention, but older wiring tends to use “switch loops” without a neutral, while more modern wiring is “pass through” and does. Even before smart switches, this was needed for things like lighted or programmable switches
Current national electrical code in the US (since the 1980s) is a neutral in every switch box. Before then a switch loop was allowed so you see a lot of older construction with those.
You also see newer construction with those where Uncle Dave™ decided it was easier to only have to run a wire down from the light rather than fish it up through the crawlspace, NEC be damned.
It’s also a matter of saving on the wiring. I may not be (quite) that Uncle Dave, but I really regret a few places I pulled wire for a switch loop without the extra conductor for a neutral.
At the time, I rationalized it was already an improvement over what was there and I had no immediate use for the neutral. I believe the neutral wasn’t required by local code, only recommended, or I would have done it
Of course now I’m cursing my choice, trying to decide whether I need to go back and do it over, or whether I even can practically since it’s a two person job and my buddy retired to Florida. Wiring I pulled many years ago was great for dimmers, more convenient switches, and extra three-ways, but not so great for smart switches
Edit: looks like neutral wasn’t required until NEC 2011
I didn't realize it was that recent of an addition to the NEC. Weve only lived in super old houses where everything was always needing completely redone. I was usually replacing 2 conductor and cloth-jacketed stuff everywhere.
That was around 2012 and I remember the electrician we hired at the time mentioned it being a thing so that makes sense.