How to Replace an Electrical Outlet
Replace a 120 Volt Electrical Outlet
Replacing an Electrical Outlet
If an electrical outlet
receptacle appears to be loose or a light which is plugged into it flickers on
and off, it is probably time to replace it. Although you may get a little
panicky feeling at the thought of working with electricity, it is easy to
replace an electrical receptacle if you follow some basic instructions and
safety rules.
The
first step is to buy a new receptacle which has the same voltage and amperage as
the one you are replacing. That information is usually stamped on the back side
of the old receptacle. If in doubt, remove the old receptacle, take it with you
to the hardware store when you go to buy the new one, and ask for help. Make
sure the new receptacle is UL-listed. That means "Underwriters Laboratory” has
tested the device and it meets their safety requirements regarding a fire or
shock hazard.
Next gather the tools for your project:
-
screwdriver
- needle-nose pliers
- wire stripper
- - voltage
tester
Then turn off the
electricity by pulling the fuse or turning off the circuit breaker that feeds
the outlet. If you’re not sure you’ve pulled the correct fuse or shut off the
right circuit breaker, turn off the main power switch to the house as an extra
safety measure. Check the receptacle with a voltage tester to make sure it’s
dead before you proceed.
Now it’s time to grab a
screw driver and take off the outlet receptacle’s cover plate. Then
remove the two long outlet mounting screws and
carefully pull the receptacle a few inches out of the outlet box
An outlet box for a
three-prong plug receptacle will have three wires: Instructions for replacing a
two-prong receptacle follow.
1. black - the hot wire
2. white - neutral
3. green or bare copper
- the ground wire
Simply disconnect the
wires by loosening the terminal screws on the electrical receptacle.
If the ends of the wires are frayed, use your wire
stripper to create more bare wire. Never try to strip wires with a knife – that
could nick the metal and create an electrical hazard.
Connect the wires to the
new receptacle using your needle-nose pliers. Wrap the black hot wire around
the brass screw terminals in a clockwise direction on the new outlet receptacle
and tighten the screw. Connect the white wire to the silver screws in the same
manner. Connect the bare copper or green wire to the green or remaining screw on
the new outlet receptacle using the same method.
You can now gently fold
the wires behind the receptacle and push it back into the outlet box. Tighten
the mounting screws and put the cover plate back on. Plug in your light or
other small appliance to test your new outlet receptacle.
If you replace an outlet
for a two-prong plug receptacle, you will only find a black hot wire and a white
neutral wire. Older houses sometimes have two-prong plug outlets because there
is no ground wire. You can replace the two-prong nongrounding-type receptacle
with a device called a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to provide more
protection from an electrical shock. A GFCI monitors the flow of electricity
through the outlet and will cut off the flow if there is any variation in the
current.
Feel free to email me with your questions or comments. | 
