Question: This outlet is two rocker switches. Left controls my bathroom light (4), right controls my bathroom fan (3). I am trying to install a timer switch so the fan is only on for ~30 min at a time.

The instructions insist a neutral wire is connected to the switch.

My house was built in the late 60s. Many of the wires have paint on them which makes things difficult.

The wire nut under (1) contains wires which come from the wall and don't connect to the existing switches. They are an egg-cream color which I believe is white + age. All the other white looking wires are black wires that have paint on them. I think what's going on with the wire nut in 2 is that the hot line from the wall is joined with two other small wires, one for each switch.

My thought is that (1) is the neutral wire, and I should undo the existing wire nut, add an additional wire which will goto my new switch as a neutral, then wire nut them all together.

Is that correct? Is there anything else I can do to verify this? What's the risk if I'm wrong?

(note 3 is the actual timer switch, once I realized I didn't know what the neutral was I took the pictures and then put it back how it started)

(edit: additional note, this bathroom has a small room for shower/toilet, where this picture is, connected to the area with two sinks... basically the other side of the wall in the same position is a gfci outlet by the sink)

[![Wiring Picture](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ripze.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ripze.jpg)

Answer: 
Yes, #1 is your group of neutrals and you would need to pigtail into that connector with a piece #14. Naturally, you want to shut off the breaker before doing any work. You're going to have to be careful arranging the existing wires so you can get the new timer switch into the box, and even then, you might need to add a box extender.
They also make timers that don't use neutral wires. Same company, same shelf. 

They wire up exactly like your old switch, and are guaranteed to work anywhere a plain switch works. 

These have a dial you twist and set to the exact time you want, and a spring and clockwork mechanism makes them unwind. They come in any range from 5 minutes to 12 hours, with or without a "stay on indefinitely" position. (At the lodge I use the ones *without* the "stay on" function, because the point is to stop people from leaving things turned on.)