I have tried to install the Utilitech timer but am having trouble. I have a ground, black, and red wire that were previously wired to a switch that controlled my outdoor garage lights. I tried to hook red to red, black to black, and green to green, but no avail. The Utilitech switch however has a white wire. Recommendation? Any help would be appreciated.

None of the answers are helpful. First, this is a question about installation and not operation so clpalmer976 is worthless. And no, if you read the question it was not a 3 way switch. If you hook it uplike ridley says, the light is not powered. Read the question. The red wire powers the device. The problem is "If I connect the red to the white, the switch will work in a clicking, pulsating fashion." The red has to be connected. The last suggestion, there is on info on unitech anything on the site. They are all somethings that can't read and make this site especially worthless.

Thank you for clear description of wiring, switches, and for including timer model number.

1) Open following link for ez programming and wiring for Utilitec.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Program-wire-Utilitec-0192773.html

2) Your single-pole switch has 2 wires.
0192773 replaces single-pole switch only.
Black wire that connects each of the switches is Hot wire: connect this wire to timer Black wire.
Other black wire that connects to switch goes to load: connect this wire to timer red wire.
Timer white wire connects to white wires that are covered with wire nut.
Timer green connects to bare ground wire.

3) How to connect stranded wire and solid wire
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-twist-electric-wire.html#stranded

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Utilitec sells 2 different in-wall timers. Both wire the same.
Open following link for Utilitec wiring instructions.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Program-wire-Utilitec-0192773.html

The reason there is 2 black in the wall is because a standard line breaking switch was used. Meaning the hot side of the light was the black wire once broken light goes off. You would hook the black from switch to black in wall and white from switch to other black in wall green is ground and red put wire nut on. Red is for a 2 switch system. Where one of two switches in same room controls same light. Its not needed. Take caution when doing this trun light on goto breaker box and flip breakers till you find the right one that powers that light. once lights off then do your thing replacing.

you got the wires you need. add switch's white to the white bundle in the back; green to grounds, red to the black going to the light; black to the other black. worked for me!

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.

1) Wires in box:
Black looped to to next switch is Black hot wire
Other Black goes to fixture

2) Connect timer wires
Black timer wire goes to Black hot
Red (or Blue) timer wire goes to fixture
White wire connects to white neutral wires (usually connected together with wire nut and pushed to back of box)
Green goes to bare ground wire

What you have a single pole light switch you are replacing with the timer. As you say you have 2 black wires. One black wire is the incoming power wire and the other black wire goes up to the light. On a normal single pole switch is makes no difference which of the screws you connect it to. Of course with the exception of the ground screw. Tie all the white wires back together that are in the wall box and shove them to the rear as they are not needed to make this connection. The correct connection is to connect one of the black existing black wires in the wall switch box to the black wire on the timer. Now connect the other black wire to the blue wire on the timer. The red wire is not used in a single pole connection and is only used in a 3 way switch connection, so just put a twist connector on it and shove it back in the box. To recap, connect black wire on timer to either black wire in box. Connect the other blue wire to the other black wire. Do not use the red wire. Hopefully you did not hurt the timer by connecting it incorrectly. If it does not work after setting the timer up according to the instructions you have ruined the timer by wiring it incorrectly. Hopefully no damage has been done.

Need programing instructions

The wires on your new switch are intended for black = power .. white = neutral . and red = lights .. with two black wires on the old switch I am assuming that there is a bundle of white wires in that wall box, the white timer needs to join that bundle ... then you need to determine which black wire is the power from the electrical panel ( voltage tester) and connect to the black timer wire .. the red timer wire connects to the other black wire in the wall..

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