Bathroom exhaust / light on two switches - Red wire and confusion


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Old 10-14-13, 05:16 AM
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Bathroom exhaust / light on two switches - Red wire and confusion

I know there are several posts on this topic, but I could not fine the answer I need.

I have a bathroom exhaust that was wired by an electrician before the drywall went in. At the time of wiring the electrician asked if I wanted one switch or two, I said two, one for fan and one for the light. I purchased a Levitron timed switch for the fan and a regular switch for the light.

I am trying to find a simple wiring diagram. I found this post but it does not depict my situation. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...witches.html#b

At the gang box I have two Romex wires. One has Black, white and red while the other only has black and white. I also have a ground for each. Can somebody provide a simple wiring diagram or explain in very plain Engish where each wire should go?

Thanks so much.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 05:29 AM
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Old 10-14-13, 05:33 AM
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Pictures

Attached are pictures of the switches and the box showing the wires. Thanks!
 
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Old 10-14-13, 05:38 AM
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If the 2-conductor cable at the switch is power in.
At the switch:
  • White to white.
  • 2-conductor black to two pigtails. (8" lengths of wires)
  • One pigtail to switch A.
  • Other pigtail to switch B.
  • 3-conductor cable red to one switch.
  • 3-conductor cable black to other switch.
Grounds:
  • If metal box all grounds pigtailed to box. Optional pigtail to each switch.
  • If plastic all connected together and pigtail to each switch.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 05:49 AM
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Thanks Joe,

Sorry to be a little dense, but I'm not really able to follow this diagram. I've only replaced light switches in the past and thought this would be easier. Thanks for the quick reply.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 08:34 AM
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I posted this in the AC / DC sub group. I think this was the wrong one since the fixture is all set.

Thanks.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 08:37 AM
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Sorry but duplicates are not allowed on the forum. If the Electrical guys feel this should be in AC/DC, they'll move this thread.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 09:25 AM
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Why does the switch have so many buttons? I originally replied thinking you had two single function SPST switches then you posted a picture of the switch. Is that a timer? Is there a light with your fan? If not why two switches. How many connections to the second switch
 
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Old 10-14-13, 09:33 AM
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Upon further research it looks like the item I purchased will not support an exhaust fan (the multi-button switch): Leviton 500-Watt 60-Minute In-Wall Digital Timer-R62-6161T-1LW at The Home Depot

I will go to the store and get a second simple on/off light switch and will upgrade to an appropriate timed switch in the future. I am still not sure how to wire it though.

I plan to install this timed switch in the near future: Amazon.com: Leviton LTB60-1LZ Decora 1800W Incandescent/20A Resistive-Inductive 1HP Preset 10-20-30-60 Minute Countdown Timer Switch,White/Ivory/Light Almond: Home Improvement
 
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Old 10-14-13, 11:23 AM
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I will go to the store and get a second simple on/off light switch and will upgrade to an appropriate timed switch in the future. I am still not sure how to wire it though.
See my original post #4 above. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...ml#post2172902
 
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Old 10-14-13, 12:02 PM
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Just to confirm, my box has the following:
2 romex cables (one with 3 wires + ground, other with two wires).

I should do the following?:
1. Connect the white to white and cap off
2. Connect the black wire in from the romex WITHOUT the red wire to pigtails
3. Connect pigtails to switches A & B
4. Connect red wire to Switch A or B
5. Connect black wire from romex WITH red wire to Switch A or B (one not connected to red)

Is that correct?

Again, sorry, I know this has been discussed many times and I looked at a ton of charts and videos and am just unsure.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 01:15 PM
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Thats correct assuming the 2-conductor cable at the switch is your power in. Verify with a multimeter not a non contact tester.
 
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Old 10-14-13, 01:42 PM
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Why can't I use the noncontact in this instance?
 
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Old 10-14-13, 02:56 PM
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They do not detect usable voltage. Just a electromagnetic field that may or may not be associated with usable voltage. A $8-$15 analog multimeter is a a good choice. Stay away from cheap digitals because they can be influenced by induced voltages.
 
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Old 10-15-13, 05:08 PM
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I would probably use my non-contact pen tester for this. All you need to know is that there's power on the black wire in the 2-conductor cable and not on any of the wires in the 3-conductor cable.

At a guess, the red wire goes to the fan and the black wire goes to the light, but you never know. If you don't already know which is which, you can, with the power off, make up the grounds and the neutral splice, fold the spliced neutrals into the back of the box, and use a wire nut to temporarily join the power-in wire to either the black or the red. Then turn the power back on and see what came on.

I don't know why you want to install a different timer switch. The first one you linked to looks like the one I installed in our master bath a couple of years ago. It's working fine.
 
 

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