Installing Leviton decora timer

bigmanzotz

Thank you for allowing me to post here. I purchased a Leviton decora 15 minute digital count down timer, part number LBT15-1LZ. It has 5 wires: Black, white, red, green and a yellow/red. The yellow/red is used for a 3 way switch, which I do not have and am not worried about. I am attempting to hook this to the bathroom fan system. In the light/fan switch box there are 5 wires, a white and black to the main light switch, a white and black to the fan off on switch, and a bare copper ground. There are no other wires at all in the box. There are no capped off wires in the box either. I know that black goes to black, white to white and the green is to the ground system. Yes, I have read the instructions in all the languages that came with the switch. I only understood the English one. None of the wall boxes described matches mine. The LED's in the new timer do come on, but no fan power. So, to summarize, I have the HOT (black) line, and apparently a LOAD (white) line and nothing else. What do I do? Thank you. Jim B.

teamo

I think you have two switch legs there in the box that you have now. There are white wires going to both switches that are in the box now? open up the fan/light and see what you have there. Most likely you have the power coming into the fan box and they ran two switch loops from there down to the switches. You can rewire it to carry power down to the box with what you have there but you will only be able to turn on the fan and light together not individually switched. Another option is to return the digital switch and buy a mechanical wind up timer. The mechanical timer will operate a switch loop and does not require a neutral connection to power the timer. You could also pull a new cable and wire the circuit with a neutral in the switch box if you want to keep the digital timer.