Help installing programmable light switch


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Old 11-14-16, 08:32 PM
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Help installing programmable light switch

Location: Long Island, NY

I purchased a Belkin "wemo" WiFi programmable light switch to replace an old rocker switch for a single pole overhead light fixture in my kitchen, and I am baffled as to how to install this thing in my current box (older home built in the 50s). I've installed several dimmers, switches and light fixtures before so by no means am I a complete newbie, but I can't seem to figure this out or find any answers by searching the forum or google.

When I open up and pull out the old rocker switch, I see that it is connected by two electrical wires in the wall to the two screws on the switch: one red and one black wire. There is also a white wire in the set of wires in the wall, but the white wire is not connected to anything -- it is simply taped with black electrical tape (no wire connector). Again, this is a single pole setup as there is no other switch controlling the overhead light fixture (been here 4 years and don't think the fixture has ever been anything but a simple light fixture). To install the new programmable switch, it has two black wires, a mandatory white neutral wire, and an optional green ground wire (no ground in my wall).

How can I install this switch? Do I simply connect the black and red wires in the wall to the two black wires on the switch, and then connect the white wire in the wall (which I assume is neutral) to the neutral wire on the switch? Am I missing something here? What's with the black, white and red wires in the wall for a single pole setup?
 
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Old 11-14-16, 08:38 PM
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Do I simply connect the black and red wires in the wall to the two black wires on the switch
Yes.
and then connect the white wire in the wall (which I assume is neutral) to the neutral wire on the switch?
Yes. Then if it doesn't work we can investigate further or you can first check using a multimeter to check the voltage between white and each of the other wires. (Note a non contact tester can not be used to reliably check for voltage.)
 
 

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