Problem Wiring Porch Light Timer On A 60 Year Old House
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Problem Wiring Porch Light Timer On A 60 Year Old House
I am trying to install an automatic light timer for my porch and have run into a problem with the 60 year old wiring and any help given would be greatly appreciated.
The hot wire was looped around and attached to the light switch.
The looped hot black wire is connected to the other switch that turns on an outlet in the living room.
The second switch with the red wire also has another black wire attached to the back.
Here is a side by side picture.
How do I install the timer if the wire is looped and needs to fit into a twist cap?
I would also like to replace the second switch but I am not sure what to do with the red wire, the black wire stuck in the back, and the black wire that is looped and connected.
Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions.
Michael
The hot wire was looped around and attached to the light switch.
The looped hot black wire is connected to the other switch that turns on an outlet in the living room.
The second switch with the red wire also has another black wire attached to the back.
Here is a side by side picture.
How do I install the timer if the wire is looped and needs to fit into a twist cap?
I would also like to replace the second switch but I am not sure what to do with the red wire, the black wire stuck in the back, and the black wire that is looped and connected.
Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions.
Michael
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Ray,
Thank you for the quick reply.
I am a little confused. If I cut the wire at the loop to attach that to the timer, do I discard the remaining piece? The wire you pointed to is the wire that loops and connects to the porch light switch.
When you say combine the other black and the red into a pigtail. what does that mean?
When I buy a new light switch, don't the wires get attached separately to the screws and which wire do I attach to which screw. (I am assuming I will only be using two of the three original wires until you can answer)
Sorry to come off as a newb, but I want to be absolutely sure about this.
Thank you so much for your time.
Michael
Thank you for the quick reply.
I am a little confused. If I cut the wire at the loop to attach that to the timer, do I discard the remaining piece? The wire you pointed to is the wire that loops and connects to the porch light switch.
When you say combine the other black and the red into a pigtail. what does that mean?
When I buy a new light switch, don't the wires get attached separately to the screws and which wire do I attach to which screw. (I am assuming I will only be using two of the three original wires until you can answer)
Sorry to come off as a newb, but I want to be absolutely sure about this.
Thank you so much for your time.
Michael
#4
If I cut the wire at the loop to attach that to the timer, do I discard the remaining piece? The wire you pointed to is the wire that loops and connects to the porch light switch.
When you say combine the other black and the red into a pigtail. what does that mean?
which wire do I attach to which screw.
(I am assuming I will only be using two of the three original wires until you can answer)
*The place where you had one wire on the screw and the other in the back stab associated with that screw was a splice.
Will post a diagram later if you tell me about the red wire. Does it go to a 3-conductor cable that carries power to both lights? Is there a group of whites connected only to each other?. Does the timer have a white wire?
Last edited by ray2047; 09-11-14 at 05:10 PM.
#7
Since I don't know what cables you have in the box but the red wire seems to suggest a single 3-conductor cable out to the lights and a 2-conductor cable bringing power in and the timer probably has a neutral this is one possible arrangement of cables:
But here is what I would normally expect to see:
Does one match your cables? If not tell us how yours is different and we will go from there.
But here is what I would normally expect to see:
Does one match your cables? If not tell us how yours is different and we will go from there.
#9
Yes, a pigtail in both cases. Look at the two diagrams to get a better idea of what you are doing. Both are the same except for cable to lights. If you will look you will see if the timer has wires instead of screws you will use that instead of a pigtail.
To explain it another way power in has pigtails, one to each switch if they have screws. If one has wires that wire substitutes for one of the pigtails the pigtail.
The connection to the hot wire, the one looped around both switches that you cut is circled in red below.
To explain it another way power in has pigtails, one to each switch if they have screws. If one has wires that wire substitutes for one of the pigtails the pigtail.
The connection to the hot wire, the one looped around both switches that you cut is circled in red below.
Last edited by ray2047; 09-12-14 at 10:09 AM.