I tried installing an Aube T1033 timer to replace an old Intermatic timer that died (EJ351 - the kind with the push button in the middle).
In the switch box, I have 4 wires: a bare copper ground, a black line, a red load and a single white wire that I assumed was a neutral. The old timer was connected to the black and red, the white was capped. There is only one cable coming into the junction box. This switch controls a chandelier in the dining room. There are other things on this circuit.
I tested the wires in the box beforehand. I connected a circuit tester to the black and ground wire and got a bright light. Connecting it to the red and ground produced no light.
I installed the new Aube timer and it didn't work. I wired the white to white, black to black and the blue on the timer (load) to the red.
I called Aube. Their tech support guy told me that I can't use this timer here, I need the T1032 which is the 2 wire version. He said my neutral must not really be a neutral. He said I should have 2 white wires capped together. He suspects my white wire is connected to nothing. I've installed 7 other Aube T1033s around the house and all work, but all the other installations have multiple white wires in the switch boxes.
Here's my question. How can I test the white wire to see if it's a neutral or whether it's dead? Can I connect my circuit tester to the white and black and if the white is neutral, I'll get a light and if the white is dead, I won't get a light? Is this correct?