How to Replace an Electrical Outlet Receptacle

Electrical receptacles are commonly referred to as plugs or plug-ins and are located in most rooms throughout a building. Newer receptacles consist of a neutral, a hot and a ground wire; older receptacles may lack the ground wire. Most household receptacles run 120 volts, while larger appliances, such as stoves or washing machines, will require a 120/240-volt plug-in. Over time, receptacles can short out and will need to be replaced.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Replacement receptacle
• Slotted screwdriver
• Power tester
• Grounding pigtail (optional)
• Grounded-fault circuit interrupters (optional)

1. Determine what breaker controls the power to the receptacle and turn it to the "off" position. Use the receptacle's electrical tester to be sure that the power is off.

2. Using a slotted screwdriver, loosen the screw in the center of the faceplate.

3. Using the screwdriver, loosen the receptacle mounting screws, which are located at the top and bottom of the receptacle.

4. Remove the neutral (white), hot (black) and grounding (green) wires from the old receptacle by loosening the slotted screws with a screwdriver. The three wires are located at the side of the receptacle plug. Older receptacles may not have a ground wire.

5. Attach the neutral wire to the silver-colored screw, the hot wire to the brass-colored screw, and the grounding wire, if present, to the green-colored screw by using the screwdriver.

6. Attach the grounding pigtail to the new receptacle when no green wire is available. Hardware stores carry grounding pigtails for this type of application. The bare wire end will be attached to the green screw located on the new receptacle. The small clip located on the opposite end of the pigtail will slide over the edge of the metal electrical box inside the wall. Grounded-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI), which prevent shocks, can also be used when the receptacle isn't grounded. These can be used if the electrical box located inside the wall is plastic; building codes may require them to be used when the receptacle is located in bathrooms, outdoor areas, garages, kitchens, spas or swimming pools.

7. Using the screwdriver, secure the receptacle in the wall recess with the mounting screws that are located at the top and bottom.

8. Place the face plate over the receptacle and fasten it with the slotted screw using a screw driver. Turn the breaker back on.

Tips & Warnings

• Middle-of-circuit receptacles will have two neutral wires, two hot wires and one grounding wire fastened to the sides. When replacing the receptacle, take note of how the wires are fastened in order to properly attach the new electrical plug. Some receptacle models feature a push-in terminal for the neutral, hot and grounding wires instead of slotted screws.
• Replace the old receptacle with one of the same voltage rating to avoid faulty electrical outlets.

References

• Receptacle Replacement Tips
• Replacing an Electrical Outlet