How to Wire Home GFCI Receptacles

GFCI receptacles are important safety features for every home, and they are easy to install.

Adding GFCI outlets to your home's electrical system is easy to do, and by doing so, you are adding important safety features to your home that in many jurisdictions are required by code. Consult your local building authority for more information about building code requirements in your area. After gathering a few basic tools and supplies you are ready to get started.

Things You'll Need

• GFCI outlets
• Needle-nose pliers
• Wire stripping tool
• Screw driver (flat-head, philips, or both)

Instructions

1. Turn of the power supply to the receptacles that will be replaced with GFCI receptacles.

2. Remove the cover plate and the old receptacle from the wall box. Pull the wires out of the wall box so they will be easier to access and manipulate as you work with them.

3. Use the needle-nose pliers to bend the ends of the wires into a hook shape. Remove extra wire insulation if needed using wire strippers.

4. Hook the end or the black wire around the gold screw and the white wire around the silver screw. And, hook the bare copper, or ground wire, around the green screw.

5. Wires that lead to down-line receptacles are connected to the LOAD connections of the GFCI receptacle. Do not allow more than four downline receptacles to be protected by one GFCI receptacle.

6. Test the receptacle to be sure that it is wired correctly before installing it into the wall box.