I'm trying to replace an old Intermatic timer switch (with the dial) with a new digital Utilitech timer switch. The old wiring is a white, black, and stripped copper wire (this box is really old) and the wiring for my new timer is white, black, green, and red.

According to the instructions, the red wire is the timer wire. I assume black to black and white to white, but does the green get attached to the stripped copper wire (which I'm assuming is the ground)? What the heck does the red timer wire get attached to?

Part of the problem is that when I took the old Intermatic off, the wires also were pulled apart. I've already tried connecting the white wires and the black wire to their respecting partners, I get power to the switch, but it doesn't turn the lights on and off. This is, of course, without the red or green wires being connected.

Thanks to anyone who can clue me in.

 

First off, how many actual cables are in your box. If its only one, then you have a switch loop. The white is most likely your hot and the black goes to the light. It sounds like your timer may require a neutral. Some timers do and some dont. I always recommend the Aube programmable timers, these dont require a neutral.

 

There is one cable (paper insulated) running in. Again, it has a white wire, a black wire, and a stripped copper wire. When I hooked up the Utilitech (bought at Lowes) that has 4 wires (white, black, red, green), I only hooked up the white and black wires to their corresponding colored wires. The digital timer powered up and the on/off switch lit up like it was working, but it did not turn the lights on or off. I left the red and green wires taped up.

Where can I get the Aube switches in-store? Right now, Lowes and Home Despot are my only real options...

 

Assuming a 2-conductor cable you have a switch loop. Therefore no neutral. Actually that is a bare wire. It is the ground. The white is neutral. You have no neutral. To use this switch you need to replace the 2-conductor cable with a 3-conductor cable. You can as suggested use a timer with no neutral but that limits the type of bulbs you can use in the fixture. You can not use CFLs for instance.Incandescent bulbs are OK.