How to Replace a GFI Outlet
A GFI outlet is designed to automatically trip whenever the circuit's voltage goes to ground. This safety mechanism severely reduces the risk of someone being electrocuted in the event of an accident. A necessity in areas where water is nearby, such as in bathrooms, along the kitchen counter and on the outside of the house, GFI outlets have a manual test button that allows you to test it to make sure it is functioning properly. If pressing the test button doesn't cause the outlet to trip, then its circuit protection isn't working and therefore, the outlet should be replaced. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- New GFI outlet
- Screwdrivers
- Wire strippers
- Voltage tester (touch-type)
- Electrical tape
Instructions
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1
Turn off the circuit breaker that delivers power to the GFI outlet.
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2
Press the button on the touch-type voltage tester and insert the tip of it to each slot on the front of the outlet to make sure the circuit is dead. If the tester beeps or lights up, then the circuit is still live. Try additional breakers until you find the correct one.
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3
Remove the face plate by unscrewing the two screws that secure it to the GFI outlet.
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4
Remove the two screws that secure the GFI outlet to the wall box and pull the outlet out by the top and bottom tabs.
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5
Test the wires connected to the outlet before you start removing them to make sure the circuit is off.
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6
Loosen the terminal screws and remove the wires from the outlet or if the wires are inserted directly into the backside of the outlet, cut them with your wire strippers.
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7
Cut away any exposed copper wire and use the wire strippers to remove about 3/4-inch of insulation from the ends of each wire.
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8
Bend the copper part of the wire into a hook or U shape. There should be a hole on the wire stripper that makes this job easier. Just insert the tip of the wire into the hole and twist the wire strippers to make the bend.
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9
Loosen the screw terminals on the GFI outlet. You will see there are two exposed terminals and two terminals with a label wrapped over them. The line circuit, meaning the wires that are delivering power to the outlet, get connected to the terminals that are exposed.
If there is a line that travels to another outlet in the circuit (this is called the "load"), then those wires will get connected to the terminals that are covered by the label. Remove the label before making the connections.
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10
Connect the wires in the following manner:
The black wires get connected to the dark bronze-colored screws and the white wires get connected to the silver screws. The ground wire gets connected to the green screw on the top of the outlet. Remember to follow Step 9 for the line and load wiring instructions if you have more than one set of wires in the box.
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11
Wrap electrical tape around the outlet's terminals and push the outlet back into the box.
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12
Secure the new GFI outlet to the box using the two screws and finish up the installation by installing the cover plate.
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13
Turn the circuit breaker back on and press the "reset" button on the front of the GFI outlet. It should snap into place and if the indicator light should come on if the outlet has one.
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14
Test the outlet for voltage. If it has voltage, press the test button to manually trip the outlet. Test it again to make sure the outlet is off. Press the reset button again to restore power and the job is complete.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always test your tester on a circuit that you know is working before you test the circuit you are going to be working on. This is to ensure the tester is functioning properly.
Never wire a GFI breaker while the circuit is on or it could damage the sensitive circuitry inside the device.
- Photo Credit electrical outlet image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
