- 1). Turn off the power to house at the circuit breaker. Place a sticky note on the service panel to indicate that you are working on the power. Make sure the power is off before you begin work on the outlet.
- 2). Remove the outlet plate cover by unscrewing the plate screws. Place the cover plate down for later use.
- 3). Locate the two mounting screws that secure the old receptacle to the electrical box. Unscrew them with a screwdriver, then pull the outlet out of the box. The wires will still be attached.
- 4). Locate the screws that are connecting the outlet to the circuit wires. Loosen the screws and pull out the old outlet, which you can throw away.
- 5). Strip the ends of the circuit wires by inserting the wire end into the wire tool notch marked with the wire's gauge, close the jaws and rotate a bit, then pull outward to pull the insulation off. Take off 1/4 inch of insulation.
- 1). Bend the circuit wires into a small hook shape to fit around the screw on the outlet. Slip the white wire around the silver screw with the opening to the right. Tighten the screw which will wrap the wire clockwise, closing the hook. Hook the black or colored wire under the brass screw, and tighten the screw. If there is a ground wire, attach it to the green screw on the outlet.
- 2). Place the outlet back into the box in the wall. Screw the top and bottom screws into the holes to hold the outlet in the wall. Place the cover back on the outlet and screw the small screws into the plate to hold it in place.
- 3). Turn the power back on and test the outlet by plugging a three pronged plug into the new outlet.
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