

Remember, White wires connect to Silver screws and Black wires connect to Brass Screws.


Test the outlet with a circuit tester to verify that the power is indeed off (there’s nothing worse than finding out the hard way).Once you turn off the correct breaker, mark it with tape to make sure a “helpful” person doesn’t accidentally flip it back on while you’re still working. It helps to have an assistant and cell phones during this phase. Then, you simply turn off the breakers one by one until the light or radio goes off. If the circuit breakers aren’t labeled, you can find the right one by plugging a light or clock radio into the receptacle you are updating. Turn off the breaker at the panel which controls the circuit you are working on.Breakdown of Installation Steps for Wiring a GFCI Outlet: As shown below, you simply wire the ground connection and then connect both the hot and neutral wires to the GFCI’s LINE terminals as indicated to complete the replacement. This should go without saying but always cut power to the circuit (and verify with a circuit tester) before replacing an outlet.

You can always replace a standard receptacle with a GFCI receptacle. Method 1: Simple Replacement of a Traditional Receptacle Since water conducts electricity, ground faults are especially common in areas where water can provide a conduit for electricity to “escape” and find an alternate path to the ground. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could be injured, burned, severely shocked, or electrocuted. A ground fault occurs when current is “leaking” and escaping to the ground. What is a Ground Fault?Ī “ground fault” represents any electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface.
#20amp gfci outlet how to#
You should understand the basics of how to correctly add a new GFCI outlet or replace an existing outlet with a GFCI. We asked our Pros to help us show new hires or even DIYers how to do it properly. Wiring a GFCI outlet may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, but for the most part, they follow the same general principles.
