On 01/20/04 22:42, voyager9 said...
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Is it safe to tie the red and white wires
on the KeyPadLinc into the white wire heading
out of the box?
No! Don't do that!
The only reason the keypad worked is because you had something plugged into the receptacle.
Here's what you had before you messed with it:
In the receptacle's box, the incoming (neutral) is connected to the receptacle as usual, but the incoming black (hot) is connected to the switch loop's white*, and the switch loop's black (switched hot) returns to control the receptacle.
* (This is done so the receptacle (or fixture) doesn't have two whites connected to it.)
I suggest you do this: Replace the keypad with one that doesn't have a built-in dimmer (save it for another use), replace the receptacle with an X-10 unit (or use a dimmer module), and re-wire behind the receptacle so the switch's black and white are normal hot and neutral.
(I would also leave a message somewhere (Sharpied on the back of the plate, maybe, or on a note in a baggie inside the box) that the switch box now contains a hot and neutral, and a standard switch should NOT be used.)
The other option would be to replace the 2-conductor cable with a 3-conductor cable, in which case you would still re-wire so the black and white are hot and neutral, and the red would be the returning switched hot.
Hope this was helpful.
Larry
www.fineelectricco.com