A basic part of home electrical repair is knowing change out an electric outlet.
If your wall socket shorts out or quits working, you may need to install or change a standard electric plug. The standard 120-volt socket typically is designed with a top and bottom plug-in. Installing your own home electric outlet can save you repair costs an electrician would charge you. The job will only take around 15 minutes to complete. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Shut off the power from the main circuit breaker that powers the outlet you will be working on. Double check to make sure you have flipped the correct switch off, as live wires can create a serious shock hazard.
2. Remove the face plate covering the wall plug with a screwdriver.
3. Unscrew the two screws that hold the electric plug in place inside the outlet box in your wall. One screw will be located at the top of the plug, the other will be on the bottom.
4. Pull plug forward and then disconnect the wall wires from the terminals on the back of the plug. Take note of how the wall wires connect.
5. Re-connect the wires coming from the wall to the terminals on the electrical outlet. Typically the hot or "black" wires are screwed under the brass screws and the white (or neutral) wires are fastened under the silver screws.
6. Shove the new plug into the outlet and replace the screws that hold the plug in place inside the outlet.
7. Place the cover plate back in position over the plug and screw in the two screws to hold it in place.
8. Restore power to the outlet's circuit by flipping the circuit breaker back to the "on" position.
Tags: back position, circuit breaker, electric outlet, electric plug, inside outlet, outlet your, outlet your wall
