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View Full Version : Replacing inline switch with a timer


ttd50
Feb 12, 2013, 01:53 PM
I want to replace the switch for my porch light with a timer. There are two switches in the box and they are both in line. The switch I want to replace has black wires on both the top and bottom of the switch plus a ground wire. All of the neutral wires are capped. The timer has four wires coming from it. I first connected the red timer wire to the top wire of the switch I was replacing and the black timer wire to the bottom black wire on that switch. I then aded the white neutral wire to the gang of neutral wires already capped together. I finished by capping the green wire to the ground wire. No good. I turned the breaker back off and swapped the red and black timer wires with the two different black wires, turned the breaker back on and again, nothing. At this point
I figure I should stop and ask for help. So... can anyone help me please?

ma0641
Feb 12, 2013, 02:27 PM
Sounds like you have a 3 way timer but only a single pole switch. You only need a single pole timer. The ones I have are Intermatic with just 2 black leads, line and load, 12 hours. All plastic timers do not have a ground. If you have a metal frame for the timer, you should have a ground screw.