How to Wire an Outlet

• Non-contact voltage tester
• Cable ripper
• Cutting pliers or utility knife
• Wire strippers
• Wire connectors
• Needle-nose pliers
• Screwdrivers

How to Wire an Outlet

 

Turn Off the Power

• Locate your home's main service panel, also known as a breaker or fuse box. It's usually in the basement, kitchen pantry, garage, hallway, closet, or on an outside wall.
• Turn off the circuit by switching off the corresponding circuit breaker.
• Make sure the outlet is off with a non-contact voltage tester.
• If you are replacing an existing outlet, remove the old one by unscrewing it from its electrical box, pulling it out, taking a picture of the wires for later reference, and then disconnecting.

 

Prepare the Cables

• Remove the outer layer of sheathing on the black or red NM cable by slitting the jacket with a cable ripper, and trimming away the sheathing and paper insulation with a utility knife or wire cutters.
• If the NM cables are any longer than 6 to 7 inches, trim them down with wire cutters.

 

Strip the Wires

• Strip away 1/2 to 3/4 inch of plastic insulation from the ends of any insulated wires in the box with wire strippers, depending on manufacturer recommendations.
• Make sure the ends of the wires are in good condition. Trim off any nicks or scorch marks, and strip away the insulation from the new end of the wire.
• Many outlet boxes have a stripping gauge imprinted on the back of the device to tell you how far the wires should be stripped. For screw terminal connections, this is usually about 3/4 inch.

 

Attach Pigtail Wires to Circuit Wires

• Install pigtail wires if there is more than one cable in the box.
• Cut 6-inch lengths of each type of wire in the cable with a scrap of the same kind of circuit cable. 
• Strip one end of each pigtail at 1/2 inch and the other end at 3/4 inch.
• Follow the outlet manufacturer's instructions to join the bare copper (or green insulated) pigtail to the ground wires in the circuit cables, using a wire connector.
• Do the same with the white (neutral) pigtail, then the black (hot) pigtail, so you have one ground, one white, and one black pigtail connected to the circuit wires.
• If the electrical box is metal, install an additional grounding pigtail and connect it to the ground screw on the box.

 

Connect the Ground Wire to the Receptacle

• Form a J-shaped hook on the end of each wire (or pigtail), using needle-nose pliers. 
• Fit the hooked end of the ground wire around the ground screw on the outlet receptacle The wire should hook clockwise around the screw, and close as as you tighten the screw.
• Use needle-nose pliers to squeeze the hook closed around the body of the screw. Tighten the ground screw with a screwdriver, so the hook fits snugly around the screw.

 

Attach the Neutral and Hot Wires to the Receptacle

• Connect the white neutral wire or pigtail to one of the silver (neutral) screw terminals on the outlet, hooking the wire clockwise around the screw terminal.
• The neutral wire's insulation should just touch the screw terminal. 
• Connect the black hot wire or black pigtail to one of the brass (hot) screw terminals on the receptacle.
• For standard outlet wiring, the white neutral wire can go on either of the two silver terminals, and the black hot wire can go on either brass screw terminal.

 

Attach the Receptacle to the Box

• Gently tug on each wire, to ensure all new connections are secure.
• Reconnect and retighten any loose wires. 
• Carefully tuck the wires into the box by gently bending them.
• Press the outlet's mounting strap (the metal strip at the top and bottom) against the box, and secure it with mounting screws on the top and bottom of the box.
• The receptacle can be oriented with the ground slot (the D-shaped holes) facing up or down, but it's considered safer to have the ground slot on top.

 

Attach the Cover Plate

• Fit the cover plate over the outlet and secure it with the mounting screws.
• Restore power by switching on the circuit breaker.
• Plug in an electrical device to the outlet to make sure the receptacle is working properly.

 

• What are the 3 wires in an outlet?

  - The three wires in an outlet are a black or red hot wire which brings power over from your home's main source, a white or grey neutral wire that sends power back to close the circuit, and a green or bare grounding wire as a safety measure.

• Do outlet wires go up or down?

  - Outlet wires can go up or down, and each direction has its own benefits. Running wires up can help protect against water damage, while running wires down can help with the everyday wear and tear caused by constantly plugging in and removing appliances from an outlet.

• How do you tell if an outlet is wired correctly?

  - You can check if you have wired an outlet correctly with an electrical tester, or by plugging in a device once you have switched the circuit breaker back on.