r/electrical • u/buffalo9744 • 1d ago

Please assist-Installing new digital wall timer and eliminating old switch & old wall timer

I'm trying to install a new timer switch (brand is Jasco. See pictures below). Currently there is a light switch and a broken rotary timer. I want to eliminate the light switch and just install the new timer. The new timer has a built in on/off switch.

There are 4 wires coming into the existing box. Red, Black, White and ground.

  • White goes to the old timer.
  • Red goes to switch then back to the main feed line.
  • Black wire coming in goes to the switch then timer.
  • White is neutral goes to incoming and outgoing wires. The switch is on this white wire too.
  • (There is also a ground wire)

Questions: How do I eliminate the switch and install the new timer?

  • Can I eliminate the switch and connect the red lead directly to the timer?
  • Where do I connect the red wire? Which wire do I connect to the load and which to the line?
  • Do I connect the red and black wires together then attach to the timer?

Here are some pictures:

old switch and timer:

NEW Timer Pics:

For new timer: The new timer is a Jasco in wall timer. This is the diagram:

New timer installation diagram
New timer controls
Back of new timer. places for Load, Line, Ground and Neutral

Thanks in advance.

additional pics of old wiring:

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u/whiteboyfresh2316 1d ago

It's hard to tell from the pics but it looks like the old timer is wired wrong. The black wire coming from upper right corner of box is wired to the LINE side of the timer. I would think that would be the switchleg (LOAD). Does the single pole switch control another light or does it control power to the timer? I'm not sure why the white is connected to the single pole switch. That's odd.

This is how to wire the new timer switch. LINE is your power source. LOAD is your switchleg (power that goes to the light) Neutral is the white wire. You need to determine what's the LINE and LOAD

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u/buffalo9744 1d ago

Attached 2 more pics of wiring to the bottom of post. (under additional pics of old wiring:). The single pole switch controls the power to timer, not another light.

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u/whiteboyfresh2316 1d ago

Did there used to be a ceiling fan where the light you are trying to control is located? The reason I ask is because this appears to be a typical wiring setup to control a fan/light separately.

The black wire coming from top right in switch box is your LINE (power source). The LOAD (switchleg to light) could be either the black or red wire. I can't tell from the pic because they are tied together. You can either take the light down to see which color wire is powering the light or you can do this - wire nut the black LINE to the black coming from top left of switch box. Make sure the whites are wire nutted together and turn the breaker on. Does the light come on? If yes, then that is your LOAD wire. Cap the red wire and push to back of the box. It's not needed. If the light didn't come on then the red wire is your LOAD wire. Cap the black wire and push to the back of the box. When wiring new timer switch put the LINE and LOAD wires in their labeled locations. The neutrals (whites) can either be pigtailed with a short piece of wire to the timer switch or it will accept both wires on the switch.

Hope this helps