Installing Digital Timer in Decora Box

[mdameron]

I have a 2-gang decora wall box in my garage. One switch for the outdoor coach lights and one for the garage lights. I'm wanting to put the outdoor lights on a digital timer.

I bought the timer at HD that said it works with CFLs, as opposed to just incandescent bulbs. It has 5 wires: white, black, green, blue, and I think red. I opened up the wall box and I only have white and black wires in there, along with a ground. Is the timer the wrong one or do I simply not use the wires I don't have? I have read the instructions several times and it doesn't mention what to do if you don't have all the wires.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

need a little more info. what is the hd shelf sku # something like 555-121 or the brand and model.

 

[mdameron]

It's this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-...ll-Digital-Timer-49814/203678179#.UkJECYbbNv4

Thanks for the quick response. My application will just be a single switch. Not a '3-way' install.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Do you have four wires in the switch box? A white that comes in wire nutted to a white that goes out, and a black that comes in and a black that goes out, connected to the switch?

And of course the ground.

Does the switch have an Intermatic model number on it, EJ500, EJ600, ST01C, etc? Apparently the EL series needs a neutral, while the ST01C does not, and apparently does not have a white wire coming out of it.

Problem is that if the power goes to the lights first, and you only have one white and one black connected to the switch and that is all. the timer cannot be made to work. The timer needs a neutral. If all you have is a switch leg from the lights to the switch and back, switching only the hot wire, then you don't have a neutral in the switch box.

The instructions say to hook the black wire on the new switch to the incoming hot (line) wire in the box. Connect the outgoing wire to the lights (load) to the blue wire on the new switch, and connect the incoming neutral in the box (which may be wire nutted to the outgoing neutral to the lights) to the white wire on the new switch. The red wire is unused except in 2/3 way installations and should have a small wire nut installed on the end of it.

Green to green or bare ground.

Not sure if I found the instructions for the exact model, but they all seem to wire the same. The first video I looked at said the only one compatiable with the CFL and LED was the ST01C model,

Intermatic has a Youtube site with videos on how to connect them single switch and three way, etc.

Here is the video for the ST01C install as a single switch.

Here is the link to the list of all of the Intermatic videos

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm confused because the instructions for the EJ500 and EJ600 say there is a white wire that must be connected to the neutral. The video for the EJ500 does not mention the white wire at all.

Here is the resource page for all Intermatic documentation.

http://www.intermatic.com/ProductResources/ProductDocumentation.aspx

Charles

 

[2Big2Ride]

...just a repeat of what Charles covered. If no neutral is available in the box and the switch uses the neutral you will need a different switch. Think the Defiant line is a HD house brand switch - they used to stock the Intermatic brand.

If your switch is similar to the Intermatic EI600 I recently installed it would be:
Black = black power source
Blue = black to light
Green = ground wire
Red = capped with wire nut for single switch application (traveler for 3-way application)
White = white neutral (this wire is not on the Intermatic EI600 or ST01)

We have a ST01 in the house and EI600 in the shop, both controlling outdoor lights. Really like the switches/timers for this application.

 

[5mall5nail5]

I just installed a Honeywell digital timer (two of them) at our front door and am powering outdoor CFLs. Works fine.


Timer switches by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

They need neutral though

 

[mdameron]

I got it installed. Very tight fit. Thanks for all the posts.

There was a neutral in there after all. Power in, two lines out to 2 different sets of lights. Hooked blue to the black power out from the switch, white to the bundle of neutrals, black to the black power in on the switch, green to the neutral. Nothing to red. It definitely works. Remains to be seen if the program I input works.

Thanks!