The timer has 3 wires, blue, black and green and the wires from the outlet after I removed the original switch are 2 black and one red. How should I connect the new timer? The timer is a GE 15313.

You posted under ST01C and are wiring timer to replace 3-way switch.
Open following link for specific illustrations:
http://waterheatertimer.org/ST01C-program.html#ST01C
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/ST01C-explanation.rtf

1) The timer replaces one of the 3-way switches. The other 3-way switch remains, but must be rewired.
2) The timer must replace the 3-way switch that receives power from breaker box. It cannot replace the other 3-way switch. This is because the timer Black wire must always receive power.
3) The timer blue wire must connect to Load (light)
4) The ST01C red wire is only used when wiring for 3-way.
5) When the red wire and blue wire are connected together, they reverse the timer program. When timer red and blue are disconnected, the timer resumes programming. Connecting and disconnecting the red and blue wires is how the timer mimics 3-way operation.
6) The remaining 3-way switch must be wired so it will connect and disconnect the red and blue timer wires. So the remaining 3-way switch has to be rewired to meet specific timer wiring.

GE 15086 programmable timer replaces single-pole switch only.
Single pole means 1 device turns Load on-off.
3-way is where 2 devices turn Load on-off, for example 2 switches located in hallway.

Your existing timer has white, black and blue wires.
Your new timer has white, black, red and green wires.
Green wire connects to bare ground wire in every occasion with every wiring device.

Electricians don't guess, they test the other wires.

Remove old timer.
Separate wires for testing.
Turn on power.
Tape ordinary tester leads to wood sticks to keep hands away from power.
Test each wire to bare ground wire.
Tester will light up on Hot wire. The Hot wire will connect to timer black wire.
Now test Hot wire to each other wire (except bare ground)
Tester will light up on Neutral wire. Neutral wire connects to timer white wire.

The remaining wire connects to timer red wire.
After connecting timer, push manual override button to check that Load turns on-off.

Manual override on 15086 is the door that covers buttons > use door as push button to check Load.
Next, program the timer.
Programming is straightforward and similar to other timers.
If you have a problem, add a comment.

You can also take advantage of Fixya phone support. Expert will walk you through the steps for a price.

Timer is wired incorrectly.

1) If you have battery-operated Intermatic EJ500 or ST01C, with red, blue, black and green wires:
Then red wire is where blue wire should go. Swap blue and red wire.

2) If you have Aube battery-operated timer, add a comment and say if you are replacing single-pole or 3-way switch. And say where each wire is so far.

3) If you have GE Tork Intermatic UPM Woods Brinks Hagar Pass-n-Seymour Stanley Westek in-wall timer, with red, black, white and green wires, then you probably put red and white wires together.
Add a comment any time.

See instructions along with image at following link:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Program-wire-Utilitec-0192773.html

Heres how to wire timer
1) Timer-green-wire connects to bare ground wire.
2) Switch has 2 wires. Take switch wires and connect them to timer-black-wire and timer-red-wire. Choose either one for now.
3) In back of electric box are white wires twisted together and covered with wire nut. Connect timer-white to these wires.
4) If electric box does not have white wires described above, then connect timer-white to bare ground, along with timer-green wire.
5) Turn on electricity, and push ON-OFF button. If lights come on, timer is wired correctly. If lights do not come on, then reverse timer-red and timer-black wires.

If I understand correctly you have standard on-off situation for exterior lights. Load is 360 Watt, well within capacity of all in-wall timers.
You have identified the hot wire.
You have confirmed that load works, and that electricity is ON.
Regular on-off switch works fine.

Now the information is a bit fuzzy.
You are installing a timer to control this load?
You do not identify timer.

So I will jump into the shark waters and ASSUME ...
That your timer has 4 wires?

A) Timer is battery operated Intermatic ST01C or EJ500 with red, blue, black, green.
Red is capped off.
Green goes to ground.
Black goes to hot from breaker.
Blue goes to Load.
Click on-off button, if timer does not operate, reverse blue and black.
If lights click on-off, then you put red wire where blue wire should be

B) Timer does not have battery and is Tork, GE, Intermatic, Woods, Utilitec, Westek and has red, black, white and green wires.
Here's what to do:
Green goes to ground
Two switch wires connect to red and black in any order right now.
In back of electric box are white wires twisted together and covered with wire nut. These are neutral wires. Timer white wire connects to the neutrals. This will power the internal clock motor.
If box does not have neutrals, the timer white wire connects to bare ground along with green wire.
Click manual override button, if lights do not turn on, then reverse red and black wires.

Why does you neighbor's timer not last very long?
I don't know.
If timer has battery and timer exposed to cold temperatures, then battery lasts about a month.
If timer has no battery, you have to send me the model number and let me look into it.
Use a circuit analyzer on receptacle on same breaker and see if anything shows that might interfere with electronics.

Add a comment any time.

ST01C is battery operated timer with red, blue, black & green wire.
Red wire is used when replacing 3-way switch (for ex: light switch at each end of hall)

Red wire is capped off when replacing single-pole switch.

If red and black wires are combined, lights will blink.

If red and blue wires are combined, timer reverses ON-OFF function (just like a 3-way switch reverses).

See wiring diagrams for ST01C
http://waterheatertimer.org/ST01C-program.html#ST01C

http://waterheatertimer.org/ST01C-program.html#ST01C

The ST01C timer has a battery that runs the clock.
The wires are black, red, blue and green.

1) You are replacing a single-pole switch so the timer-red wire is capped off.
Timer-red is not used.

2) The green wire connects to bare ground wire.

3) There are two wires left.
Your switch has 2 black wires.
Timer-black wire connects to black-Hot-wire-from-breaker.
Timer-blue connects to black-wire-to-Load.

4) To start: Connect your timer-wires to either black wire.
Push the ON-OFF button located on timer.
If the lights turn ON, then your wires are correct.
If lights do no turn ON, then swap the two wire with each other.

If you have more problems, add a comment.
Tip: for easy programming, you can set all your programs before you connect wires.

Review:
Black goes to Hot wire from breaker box
Red wire goes to Load (light, fan, motor)
White wire goes to Neutral
Green to bare copper ground wire

Orientation:
Your original switch had 2 wires plus bare ground.
One of these wires is Hot, the other goes to Load.
You said original wires are Red and Black

How do you find Hot wire?
-Your original switch had 2 wires.
-Remove timer from box.
-Pull original 2 wires out where you can test them
-Turn on power
-Use regular tester
-Tape tester leads to wood sticks so your hands stay away from voltage
-Power is on
-Test each original wire to bare ground wire
-When tester lights up, that is Hot wire ... this wire connects to Black wire on timer
- The other wire goes to Load so it connects to Red wire on timer

How to test for Neutral wire
Test Hot wire to your white wires - No need to untwist them.
When tester lights up, that is Neutral
White wire from timer connects to Neutral.
Green goes to ground wire.

How to reset timer
I'm not sure which timer you have. Probably GE 15086. Reset is small round button below HOUR button. Use paper clip and push-in reset until timer flashes 12 o'clock.

Old timer: Intermatic EJ500 & ST01C timers have a battery. Battery operates the clock motor. Red wire is for 3-way circuit [a hallway with 2 switches is a 3-way circuit].

Utilitec timer, clock runs on 120Volt circuit instead of battery. So clock has to have power.

How to connect wires:
Black timer wire connects to hot wire from breaker box.
Red (or blue) timer wire goes to landscape lights.
White timer wire connects to white neutral wire [or if no neutral is available, connect to bare ground wire].
Green timer wire goes to bare ground wire.

How to find black hot wire and white neutral wire inside box: Disconnect and separate wires so you can test. Use ordinary tester. Power is on. There is only 1 black hot wire inside each electrical box. Test each black wire to bare ground until tester light comes on > that identifies the black hot wire. Next, test black hot wire to white wires until tester light comes on > that is the neutral wire. Exception: This test does not necessarily work with 3-way switches since they reverse each time switch is thrown.

One caveat of most In-Wall electronic switches/timers is that the device _must_ be installed at the switch box that has the power, in your case switch #1. In order to install it at switch #2, in your case, you need an extra wire between the switches (to carry the HOT wire), and unfortunately, the bare ground(ing) wire is not permitted to be used to carry current per National Electric Code (NEC).

In your case the wiring for the ST01 is as follows:

Switch box #1: Connect the incoming White wire to the White wire in the 3-wire cable that goes to switch box #2. Connect the incoming (Black) HOT wire to the Black wire on the switch/timer. Connect the Red wire in the 3-wire cable to the Red wire on the switch/timer. Connect the Black wire in the 3-wire cable to the blue wire on the switch/timer. Connect the green wire on the switch/timer to the 2 bare ground(ing) wires. If you have a metal box this connection should also have a pigtail that connects to the box with a green ground screw.

Switch box #2: Remove all of the existing wires from the 3-way switch. The three-way switch will have 2 screws the same color (usually black) and 1 screw (usually brass). For this scenario, one of the black screws will _not_ be used.

Connect the Black wire in the 3-wire cable coming from switch #1, the Black wire going to the lights, and a short Black pigtail together under one wirenut. The pigtail is then connected to the brass screw on the 3-way switch. The Red wire in the 3-wire cable coming from switch #1 is connected to one of the 2 black screws on the 3-way switch (pick one).

In effect you are installing a single switch at switch box #2. In fact, you can use a regular single pole switch if you want too.

To finish, connect the White wire in the 3-wire cable coming from switch #1 to the White wire going to the lights.

Grounding is the same as switch #1 except you'll need a pigtail to connect to the green screw on the 3-way switch.

That's it. You may want to check the battery compartment in the switch/timer, as sometimes they put in a pullout plastic tab to keep it from being energized until needed.

Now, the E1210 is a different animal, and can only be used to replace a single pole switch. You could use it by basically passing the power through to switch box #2 from switch box #1 and then cover switch box #1 with a blank plate. The ST01 could be used that way too, in which case the black on the device connects to the hot, the blue to the lights, and the red on the device is not used, nor will the Red wire in the 3-wire cable between the switch boxes be used.

The timer should have red, black,blue and green wires. (no white?) If you have only the two black wires coming from junction box, then connect green to ground like you did. Connect the incoming black (HOT) to the black wire on the timer.connect the outgoing (to the light) to the blue wire on the timer. Cap of with wire nut the red wire. This is for a single pole switch installation (Only switch for the light) If this is for a 3-way control (where you have 2 or more switches) then you use the red.