# Wireing a Honeywell timer for outside lights



## cl1chicago (Oct 22, 2016)

I bought a Honeywell timer model RPLS740B so that it automatically turns off and out my outside 2 lights. 

Here is the timer manual: https://customer.honeywell.com/resources/techlit/TechLitDocuments/69-0000s/69-2455EFS.pdf

My manual old light switch has two connections.. 2 wires go to top one of these wires go to outside porch light switch on right, 1 wire to the bottom all the same color.

My timer has 3 wires blue load, white neutral, black line.

I guess I can check for which wire is the Line wire buy going wire to ground and check for 120 VAC but I am not sure after that...

Please help with wiring this timer. Thanks in advance...

Here is what I have as references. The photo of the old switch and the wiring diagram of the new timer switch:


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## nealtw (Oct 22, 2016)

I would think the top wire continues on to something else so that would be line.
The lower wire would be load.
So the neutral should be in the box ,nutted together with the neutral for the light.


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## Snoonyb (Oct 22, 2016)

You'll need to determine which of the red conductors is the hot.

If there is no neutral or grnd conductors in the switch box, the red conductors are a switch leg and the primary power is in one of the light fixture boxes.

For the new timer switch to operate properly, for that circuit, you'll need that neutral.


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## cl1chicago (Oct 22, 2016)

The top two wires are the load, the second wire on top goes to the next switch that goes to another light outside by porch.

So the bottom wire is the line, I don't have a neutral, I guess I'm confused what to do with out the nuetral?

Thanks


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

One more thing.. the wires go to the next switch over that has a switch for the hall light that has two switches, this hall light switch next to the timer box I want to change it has three wires on that hall light switch and there is a bundle of three or four white wires by them self wound together is that white bundle the neutral?

The top two wires are the line, there is two because one goes to the next switch to a porch light, the bottom wire is the hot load line.


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## afjes_2016 (Oct 23, 2016)

Although the suggestions given so far are good I did happen to notice one thing that we should check prior to him attaching any wires or assuming black is hot, red is hot or white is neutral.

The reason why I say this is because from the picture (the OP can correct me if I am incorrect here because the OP can tell from his end) I think this box is connected to conduit. If it is then it is quite possible that the electrician ran individual conductors in the conduit (by code) and we can not be so quick to say what is hot, what is neutral and what is ground just by the colors. I noticed this because of the red wires both feeding the switch and continuing on to feed something else and to the light. Also, by the OP name he seems to be from Chicago and I believe by code you must use conduit. You can run all one color wires if you want in conduit (except for ground) as long as you mark the wires accordingly but this is not to say the electrician did this. There may not be a ground wire in the box if the conductors are in conduit as the conduit then can be used as the ground.

cl1chicago:
Can you provide a few better pictures of the inside of the box (where the switch is) so we can see all of the conductors in there. Also, have you tested the wires in the box to see what may be a neutral. So far from what I/we can see the red wire on top feeds the switch and also sends power somewhere else while the bottom wire is connected to the light.


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

You asked for more photos, here are more photos of my project and the electrical boxes on each side of the soon to be garage outside timer switch . 
I'm going to go pick up another multi meter since mines at my office.

All switches labeled showing which switch does what. The hallway lights switch has a bundle of white wires in it, is this neutral?




This switch pulled out is the outside garage light switch that needs to be converted to Honeywell timer switch. The switch to right is outside porch lights. Wires go to hallway lights on next box to the left.








This next photo  is all three switches. The outside garage light switch in the middle is the one I want to change to timer 3 wire Honeywell switch. The switch on right is porch lights. The halllight switch on left has a bundle of white wires in it, I wonder if this is neutral?


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

More photos:
This next photo shows proposed timer switch in middle which is outside  garage lights and a switch on left hallway light box and outside porch light switch on right.




The  proposed timer switch is in middle. Look at the white bundle of wires  on the left hallway light box. Are these white bundled wires the neutral? 




This is inside the far left hallway light box with white bundle of wires:




Inside left hallway light box box again with bundle white wires:


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

Inside left hallway light box with bundle white wires:


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## Snoonyb (Oct 23, 2016)

cl1chicago said:


> One more thing.. the wires go to the next switch over that has a switch for the hall light that has two switches, this hall light switch next to the timer box I want to change it has three wires on that hall light switch and there is a bundle of three or four white wires by them self wound together is that white bundle the neutral?



Yes, that is probably the neutrals, and the switch is a 3way.



cl1chicago said:


> The top two wires are the line, there is two because one goes to the next switch to a porch light, the bottom wire is the hot load line.



Just as a clarification of terms; The 2 conductors are the line or hot and the single conductor is the load, is only hot when the switch is activated and is the switch leg.

Does the hot conductors and the switch leg enter the box from 2 separate conduit entry points? If so, you may be able to pull a neutral from the bx on the left, which would allow your new timer to be successfully connected.


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

Snoonyb said:


> Does the hot conductors and the switch leg enter the box from 2 separate conduit entry points? If so, you may be able to pull a neutral from the bx on the left, which would allow your new timer to be successfully connected.



The hot load leg to the switch I want to change out to the timer and the line leg leaving it when switched obviously hot goes through a conduit on the top left corner of the box, The conduit with white wires in it I now guess is neutral and is left inside proposed timer box goes to the the hall light box with the bundle of white wires. 

So I'm going to run a neutral white wire from my timer thru the left conduit to that bundle of white wires and put a cap on it, there is my neutral I've been looking for...

Man oh man you guys are life savers, thanks for all the help, you guys really do rock!


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## Snoonyb (Oct 23, 2016)

Thanks, and the price is right.

Be sure to twist the neutrals together, instead of just hold them together, prior to installing the wirenut.


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## cl1chicago (Oct 23, 2016)

Roger that, twisted, wirenut, taped... Looks like I'll have to get matching plates, but can do that later.. Right now works like a champ and turned the light on to the minute, thanks again!


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## Snoonyb (Oct 23, 2016)

Good job, expanded knowledge base.


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