Lock out the panel box, so no one can accidentally turn the power back
on while you are working.
There are basically two steps for wiring a
receptacle / outlet
1) Wire the receptacle
2) Ground the receptacle
NOTE: -Aluminum
Wires- If you are using aluminum wires in this situation, it is very important
that you use fixtures and/or wire connectors or wire nuts that are UL (Underwriters
Laboratories) approved for use with aluminum and copper wires.
1) Wire
the receptacle
If replacing an existing receptacle, take out the old receptacle. You
may need to note how the old receptacle is wired or make a diagram.
NOTE: The old receptacle could have been wired wrong in the first
place so you can't totally rely on this.
Connect the
black hot wire to a brass screw terminal, and the white neutral wire to
a silver screw terminal. Tighten the screws so that the loop follows the
same direction as the tightening of the screw.
2)
Ground the receptacle
Attach the
ground wire (bare copper wire or green wire) to the ground screw of the new
receptacle. If more than one
ground wire is in the box, twist them together along with a pigtail
with a wire connector (wire nut) or a crimped connector. Next, attach the pigtail ground wire to the ground screw on the
receptacle. If you are using a metal outlet box, make sure a pigtail ground
wire is connected to the ground screw on the box.
NOTE: Before putting the cover plate on the receptacle, make sure the
receptacle is aligned straight vertically before you tighten it down (to be
visually pleasing). Also, do not over tighten the screws
for the cover plate, as it may crack.
How to Wire a Receptacle/Outlet
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