How to Install a Split Duplex Receptacle

Correct wiring is essential for a split-wired receptacle.

You can install a split duplex receptacle on a house when the correct wiring is in place. A split duplex or split-wired receptacle is actually two separate receptacles in one location, each with its own power source or wire coming from separate breakers. These are generally installed in locations with heavier use of electricity, such as kitchens, when two larger appliances may overload the circuit. Install a completely electrically independent split-wire receptacle utilizing two separate power cables, each with its own hot and neutral wires.

Things You'll Need

• Wire strippers
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Turn off the power to the wiring at the breaker box. Pull the two separate wires through the back of the outlet box, out of the wall and toward the new receptacle. Pull out enough to make wiring the receptacle easy but not so much that excess wire cannot be fed back into the box. Strip the ends of each wire so there is about 1/4 inch of bare wire showing.

2. Position the receptacle so the grounding plugs are on the bottom. Attach the first hot, or black, wire to the right terminal of the top plug of the new split duplex receptacle. Attach the other hot wire to the bottom terminal on the right.

3. Attach the white (neutral) wires to the left terminals of the receptacle. The top white wire comes from the same cable as the top black (hot) wire and the bottom white wire comes from the same cable as the bottom black wire. Attach the corresponding bare copper (ground) wire if available.

4. Feed the excess wires back through the back of the outlet box and attach the new receptacle to the box with the screws provided.

Tips & Warnings

• Have an electrical professional inspect your work for safety when it is completed.

• Improperly wiring a receptacle can be hazardous. It can cause a shock or an electrical fire.

References

• Inspectapedia: Multiwire Branch Electrical Circuits and Split-wired Receptacles