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GE Smart Digital Timer

16K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  bsirota 
#1 ·
Hi,
I'm trying to connect a GE Smart Digital Timer. The instructions state to:
a) Connect the Hot/Live wire of main power to the Black wire from the Timer.
b) Connect both the neutral wires of the main power and Load to the White wire from the Timer.
c) Connect the Hot/Live wire of Load to the red wire from Timer.
d) Connect the Ground wire to the Green wire from the Timer.

How can I tell which wire is the Load wire? It appears that the Red wire from my wall is the 120v wire. The other two wires from the wall are Black. One black wire does not give me any reading from my voltage meter. The other black wire gives me 25. (See photo)

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
The wires were connected to a simple rocker switch by the front door that turns on the porch lights. There is another rocker switch in the garage that turns on the porch lights as well. There are no white wires, just one red; two black; and a ground wire.

Thanks
 
#10 ·
Same timer - different issue

Hello Trevis & Brric,

I purchased the same digital timer (single pole). As mentioned by Trevis, the timer comes with 4 wires including a ground. My problem is that my electric box only have 2 wires (2 blacks...old house); one is live, one is not (I easily figured out which is which).

I've tried many permutations with the 3rd (red) wire but nothing is working....the closest I got is when I put the white and the red together on the non-live wire from the box (unfortunately it just made the light go on/off...).

HELP!!!!
 
#11 ·
Old wire help

Hello Brric
I have a two-way switch (single pole) but have old wiring to an outside llight. I had an old timer that worked for ten years. The timer had a red, blue and black wire. When I pulled the timer out of the wall, there were two connections, the black to a black wire and the blue to a pair of black wires grouped. The red timer wire was capped and not connected at all.

So now I have the GE Smart Timer, which has 4 wires. The green is the ground, but how do I connect the other three to the two wall connections? If I connect the black to single black and the red & white togerther to the double black the on/off switch works but the unit clicks and t helight flashes onand off.

Radler
 
#12 ·
Same timer - different issue

This thread seems to have ended in December. If it is appropriate I would like to reopen it or at least continue it.
I have the same timer GE Smart Digital Timer. The timer has Red/White/Black/Green leads. My box has White/Black/Bare Ground coming through a romex(?). My breaker panel uses whites for grounds, black for hots, and bare wires for ground.
I have wirenutted the blacks together, the whites together, and the green to the bare wire - and nothing. I did try tying the black & red (from the timer) to the black coming into the box - nothing.
Obviously I am missing something, but for the life of me I can't see it. Any assistance would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
#17 ·
jbfan properly pointed out "If you only have one of each color in the switch box, you have a switch leg and can not use this timer. This timer requires a neutral to work" which is the correct solution.
What I need was the Intermatic ST01C model. For some reason I couldn't find one locally, so I researched online and found the best prices at WestsideWholesale.com - $29. Goodluck.
chinook
 
#19 ·
I have the same timer as the original poster asked about, same wires, same instructions. My switch is not a three way, but it's in a triple box with two 3 way switches. I have a bundle of white wires - how will I know which two white wires are the appropriate ones for the main and load neutrals? While I'm at it - how will I know which are the main and load hots? I'm going to try to include a picture of my box, the timer will go on the left
 

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#22 ·
hello homerenodad
that boundle of white wires with the red wire nut should be your neutral, connect the white timer wire to that white bundle. then use a tester or picktail 1 side to the metal box and the other side to 1 of the wire of the switch when light of thester works that means that this is the power and connect that wire to the black timer wire and the 2nd wire from the switch connect to the red wire of the timer the green wire connect to the box with a screw if possible it should work
 
#21 ·
hello
to connect the timer you will need to check which wire has power, by using a tester or pick tail connect one side of the tester to the ground or the box if it's metal. the one with power connect to the black wire of the timer the second wire of the switch connect to the red wire of the timer the ground wire connect to the green wire if you don't have a ground wire jus cap the green wire, then look for two white wires connected inside the box if you have the white wires connect the white wire of the timer to the two wires. if you don't have white wires in the box you can make it work but it' not so legal connect the white wire with the ground it should work
 
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