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Except there’s a serious security concern, you’re solely pressured to improve stuff when inspections are wanted, sometimes throughout renovations or main repairs. So it’s not too stunning that a whole lot of older properties nonetheless have old-school two-prong (i.e., ungrounded) shops.
If that’s your property, it’s a good suggestion to improve these shops to the trendy three-prong model. You would possibly suppose that requires hiring an electrician, however if you happen to’re reasonably useful, it is a challenge you may accomplish fairly cheaply and simply your self.
And you must undoubtedly improve—two-prong shops lack a floor wire, which protects you from electrical shock in case of a voltage surge, and protects the home and your home equipment from harm.
Supplies you may want
Right here’s what you’re going to want to improve your shops:
GFCI shops. You would possibly suppose you may simply seize any outlet from the ironmongery store and swap them out, however you’d be flawed. Except there’s a floor wire the two-prong shops aren’t utilizing, you’ll want to switch all two-prong shops with ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) shops (or rewire the home). These shops are designed with a built-in security function that can disconnect from the ability if a fault is detected (you sometimes see them in damp areas like kitchens and bogs, the place splashing water could cause faults). If there is a floor wire, you should utilize a normal three-prong outlet, however if you happen to’re unsure, go along with the GFCI.
Ensure you’re getting the right amperage shops. Most family shops are 15 amp, however some is likely to be wired for 20 amps. A 20-amp outlet may have a horizontal notch on the left facet. Verify your present shops and purchase the suitable GFCI shops to switch them. If in case you have any doubt, contact an electrician. Observe that your GFCI outlet will include a small label that reads “NO EQUIPMENT GROUND.” Don’t throw that away—you’ll want it.
A 20-amp outlet with a “T” notch.
Credit score: ZikG/Shutterstock
Black electrical tape. A roll of ordinary electrical tape can be used to wrap the outside of the outlet after you’ve related it.
Screwdrivers. Arm your self with each a flathead and a Phillips head screwdriver.
Wire stripper. A wire slicing and stripping software could also be wanted if the prevailing wires are broken or too brief for the brand new outlet.
Non-contact voltage tester. This system exams whether or not the outlet you’re about to the touch is sizzling with electrical energy or not. Get one.
Reduce the ability
Your first step at any time when working with electrical shops (or something related to your property’s wiring) is to disconnect the ability. Assuming you’ve mapped your breaker panel meticulously, you must be capable of simply flip the breaker that feeds the outlet you’ll be changing. In case you’ve by no means opened your breaker panel earlier than, you’ll have to do this mapping first to ensure you know which breaker to flip.
When you’ve reduce the ability, examine the outlet utilizing your voltage tester. Be completely sure there’s no energy in that outlet earlier than you do something else.
Take away the outdated outlet
Now you may proceed to eradicating the outdated outlet:
Unscrew and take away the faceplate. If it’s outdated, it’s usually a good suggestion to attain across the edges with a razor or knife to keep away from pulling paint off the wall with the plate.
Unscrew the mounting screws. These are sometimes on the prime and backside of the outlet and are inserted into the recessed field hooked up to your wall.
Pull the outlet out of the wall. The wires will include it. Don’t pull too onerous—go away the surplus wiring within the wall if you happen to can. Pull it out simply far sufficient to have the ability to work with the connections.
What do you suppose to date?
Unscrew the wires. They’ll be hooked up on the perimeters. Most definitely, you’ll see a black (or pink) wire and a white wire. Simply loosen the screws sufficient to tug the wires free.
Examine the wires. So long as the wires don’t present any indicators of melting, scorching, or lacking insulation, you’re in all probability good to go. Make certain the uncovered ends are lengthy sufficient to make use of in your new outlet; if not, you would possibly want to make use of your wire stripper to reveal just a little extra.
Set up the brand new outlet
Subsequent, set up your shiny new outlet:
Connect the wires to the brand new outlet. The attachment screws can be on the facet, and they’re color-coded: Gold is for the black or pink wire (the “sizzling” wire that delivers energy to the outlet) and silver is for the white wire (the “impartial” that returns energy again to the panel). Some shops (see footage) may have gold on one facet and silver on the opposite, some may have each on one facet. Insert or hook the wires as wanted and tighten the screws.
Outlet exhibiting silver (impartial) connection.
Credit score: Jeff Somers
Outlet exhibiting gold (sizzling) connection.
Credit score: Jeff Somers
Outlet exhibiting each silver and gold connections side-by-side.
Credit score: Jeff Somers
With some shops you’ll “hook” the wires onto the screws and tighten them. In others, you would possibly insert the wire right into a small gap after which tighten the screws; this would possibly require that you simply straighten out the wires in the event that they had been formed right into a hook if you eliminated them.
Wrap the outlet with electrical tape. Utilizing your electrical tape, wrap across the facet of the outlet, masking the connections. Pull the tape tight for 2 full revolutions of the outlet, then reduce the final bit with scissors (don’t stretch and tear it) and press it firmly in place. The tape is an additional layer of safety towards issues.
Insert the outlet into the wall, pushing the wires into the cavity. Screw it into place and substitute the wall plate.
Flip the ability again on and check the outlet along with your voltage tester. It’s also possible to plug one thing in straight away to verify it’s working appropriately. If the GFCI “pops” instantly (or the breaker journeys) and the outlet doesn’t provide energy, you probably did one thing flawed.
Take the “NO EQUIPMENT GROUND” label and affix it to the wall plate (if you happen to didn’t get one, for some motive, make your individual). This lets anybody engaged on the outlet later know they’re coping with an ungrounded outlet, and it’s required.
That’s it! It’s fairly easy, and so long as you observe primary security protocols you don’t want an electrician charging you a small fortune to get this completed.
