How to Replace an Electrical Outlet

Here i will show how to replace an existing electrical receptacle/outlet.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electrical receptacle/outlet
• Wire Strippers
• flat head screw driver
• electrical tape
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Diagonal cutters

1. First and most important TURN OFF THE POWER. The safest way is to either flip breakers until you find the right one or buy one of the testers that plugs into the receptacle/outlet and then you run the sensor over the breakers and it lights up when it passes over the breaker the first sensor is plugged into. These cost around $25. Another less safer way, which i wouldn't recommend unless you really know what you are doing, is to take a piece of copper wire bent into a U shape and a pair of INSULATED needle nose pliers and stick the copper wire in to the receptacle. ONLY DO THIS ON 120 VOLT SYSTEMS. You should see a flash and hear a pop. Again this is not the safest way unless you know what you are doing. Once you have done this go to the breaker box and just look for the breaker that is flipped. This does save a lot of time and keeps you from having to turn everything off in the house to find the right breaker.

2. 
   Wire after is is tripped

   Once the power is off Cut all the wires off at the end closest to the receptacle, using diagonal cutters. You can use wire strippers or needle nose pliers to cut the wires too, i just prefer using the diagonal cutters. Once you have done that strip about 1/2"-3/4" off the end of each wire, using a pair of wire strippers. You can either throw the old receptacle away or keep it for other projects, that what i do.

3. 
   Wire after it is bent

   Now that the wire is stripped, use a pair of needle nose pliers to bend the end of the wire in a U shape where the end of the exposed wire is even with the beginning of the insulation from where the wire was stripped.

4. Next Loosen one silver, brass, and green screw all the way, using a flathead screw driver. This makes everything go faster now that you don't have to set down one tool, to pick another one and then pick the first tool up again, to repeat the same process on the other two screws.

5. 
   recptacle/outlet once all wires are secured

   Now you are ready to attach the wires to the screws. The Black (hot) goes to the brass screw, the white (neutral) goes to the silver screw, and the green/bare (ground) wire go to the green screw. If your receptacle/outlet only has silver screws and no brass screws, connect the black wire(hot) to the screws on the left side of the receptacle/outlet.

6. 
   Wire facing direction screw is tightened

   First thing you want to do when connecting the wires is to make sure the wire is facing the same direction the screw will be tightened. This makes sure the wire stays closed around the screw and doesn't come loose.

7. 
   Wire closed around tightened screw with insulation butting up against the screw

   Once you have done that close the wire around the screw using a pair of needle nose pliers. Make sure when you tighten down the screw all the exposed wire is under the screw and not sticking out. This keeps from shorting anything out by accident. you also want to make sure the insulation on the wire where it was stripped is not under the screw, but butts up against the screw. If the wire, for one reason or another, heats up and insulation is under the screw this could cause the insulation to burn and start a fire. Repeat these steps for the next two screws.

8. 
   Receptacle with electrical tape wrapped around it

   Once you have secured all three wires, take some electrical tape and wrap all the way around the receptacle/outlet covering the screws, a few times. In the picture i used blue electrical tape but normally it is black this is just all i had. The blue electrical tape means nothing special.

9. Now that your receptacle/outlet is connected fold the wires back into the box, secure the receptacle/outlet down, and re-secure the face plate. If the face plate doesn't fit back on you might need to break off the tabs (bunny ears) on the four corners of the receptacle/outlet, using needle nose pliers. The tabs (bunny ears) have a perforated line so they should snap off pretty easy. Now the face plate should fit perfectly.

10. You can now turn on the power and test the receptacle/outlet. Plug in a lamp and if it turns on you are finished. If the breaker pops, make sure the power is off, and check your wiring.

Tips & Warnings

• WARNING: DO NOT MESS WITH ELECTRICTY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING OR FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH DEELING WITH ELECTRICITY. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE POWER IS OFF BEFORE SERVICING ANY PICE OF ELLECTRICALL EQUIPMENT. I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INJURIES THAT MAY OCCUR WHILE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK