How to Change GFI Receptacles
A GFI receptacle is more commonly known as a GFCI receptacle. It stands for ground fault circuit interrupter and works by instantly interrupting the flow of electricity to the receptacle if there is any small change in the balance of the current. A GFI is a much safer outlet in any area of the home but is especially important in areas that are near water, such as bathrooms and kitchens. A faulty GFI should only be replaced with another GFI. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Turn off the power to the circuit that the GFI receptacle is on at the main breaker box. Post a sign or let anyone around know not to turn it back on.
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2
Use a circuit tester to check for a reading on the receptacle you are replacing. Check other receptacles on the circuit as well to ensure the power is off.
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3
Remove the screw that is holding the outlet cover and remove the cover.
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4
Remove the four screws that hold the receptacle in place and set to the side. Pull the receptacle away from the wall to expose the wires.
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Disconnect all of the wires from the grounding screws on the back of the receptacle. There will be four to six wires, including hot, neutral, line and load wires. Label the wires with tape to ensure the new receptacle is wired properly.
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Connect the wires to the new receptacle. Use your labels along with the labels that will be next to the screws on the new receptacle. Remember that the black wires are hot; white are neutral, and bare copper wires are the ground.
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Push the receptacle back into the wall and replace the screws to hold it in. Replace the cover. Turn the power to the circuit back on.
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Plug a radio or lamp into the receptacle and wait for it to come on. If it does not come on, push in the reset button. Once the radio is working, press the test button and wait for it to go off. Press the reset button again. If the radio comes back on, the GFI is working properly.
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