How to Replace a Gfci Receptacle
GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) receptacles are important for safety. These outlets, with integral circuit breakers, protect people from the possibility of sustaining severe electrical shock injuries while using electrical appliances in areas of a home where water is present. As noted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "GFCI receptacles are required to be installed by the National Electrical Code in areas like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and garages." Like all electrical devices, these receptacles sometimes fail and must be replaced. An outlet that does not supply power after the reset button has been pushed or does not cut power when the test button is pushed is faulty and should be replaced. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Phillips screwdriver
- Standard screwdriver
- Combination wire strippers
- Voltage tester
- Replacement GFCI receptacle
Instructions
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Purchase a new GFCI duplex receptacle to replace the faulty one. The devices are available from electrical suppliers, hardware stores and home improvement centers.
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Turn off the power at the main electrical service panel by switching the breaker that controls the GFCI outlet to off. Corner Hardware recommends checking the outlet with a voltage tester before removing wiring to make sure the correct breaker was turned off.
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Remove the outlet cover plate and remove it. Unscrew the two screws that mount the receptacle to the electrical box and pull it out from the wall.Test for voltage with the tester where the wires are connected to the receptacle to make certain power is off.
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4
Remove the wiring from the old receptacle. Depending on whether the outlet is at the end or in the middle of a series of electrical outlets, there will be two conductor wires plus a ground or four conductors and two ground wires.
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Connect the black (hot) wire and white (common) from the breaker panel to the new receptacle on the side labeled "Line." Information at the Home Depot website states that "the black wire should be connected to the brass screw and the white wire to the silver screw." Connect the bare copper ground wire from the breaker panel to the ground terminal (green screw) at the bottom of the receptacle. Connect the second black wire in middle of circuit receptacles to the brass screw and the second white wire to the silver screw on the side labeled "Load." In this configuration, the extra ground wire should already be connected with a wire nut leaving only one ground wire to connect to the receptacle.
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Install the receptacle in the wall with the two securing screws and then re-install the outlet cover plate. Restore power and test the outlet for proper operation.
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Tips & Warnings
Make certain that power is off before performing electrical repairs. Coming in contact with live voltage can result in electrical shock and severe injury.
