- 1). Plug your outlet tester into the outlet you are replacing. If you do not have an outlet tester, you can use any electric device capable of visibly displaying the presence of current. A desk lamp in the "on" position is an excellent alternative.
- 2). Go to your electric panel and remove the fuse or turn off the breaker for the circuit you are working on. Return to the outlet and confirm that the power is off. If your tester shows current, you turned off the wrong breaker. Go back to electric panel and try a different fuse / breaker.
- 3). Press the reset button on the GFI outlet to make sure the lack of current is not a tripped outlet. If the tester shows current for a brief moment and then you hear a click, the GFI outlet still has power. Return to step two and try again. Do not continue until you are sure the power to the outlet is off.
- 4). Remove the cover plate with the screwdriver. Remove the two mounting screws from the outlet and carefully pull the outlet free of the electrical box. There will be three or more wires attached to the outlet.
- 5). Remove any ground wires, which are the bare copper wires, from the green ground screw.
- 6). Remove the black and white wires from the lower screws of the outlet. Mark these wires with a small piece of tape on the colored sheathing if there are more wires to remove. Once the lower wires are marked, remove the wires from the upper screws of the outlet.
- 7). Examine the back of the old outlet to determine whether the lower screws function as line connections or load connections. Line connections use the wires that lead back to the main electrical panel and provide power to the outlet. Load connections feed additional outlets on the circuit. Most manufacturers place the line connections at the bottom, closer to the ground screw, but not all. If the lower screws are your line connections, the taped wires are your line wires. If the lower screws are your load connections, the wires without tape are you line wires.
- 8). Examine the back of the new outlet to determine which screws are for line connections. Connect the line wires to the new outlet using the appropriate screws. Connect the white wire, or neutral, to the silver line screw normally located on the left side. Connect the black wire, or hot, to the brass line screw normally located on the right side.
- 9). Connect the remaining white wire to the unused silver screw and connect the remaining black wire to the unused brass screw. Connect all of the ground wires to the green screw.
- 10
Push the outlet back into the electrical box slowly, bending the wires as needed. Install the mounting screws. - 11
Plug in your test device, go to your electric panel, and re-enable the circuit by turning the breaker on or inserting the fuse. - 12
Press the test and reset button a few times to test the functionality of the new outlet. Once satisfied, replace the cover and clean up.
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