You Can Replace an Electrical Outlet
I recently had a problem with one of the electrical outlets in my home. When I tried to plug in or unplug something, or even just wiggled the cord, the entire circuit would short out, leaving me with no lights in 3 rooms, no electrical outlets in 2 rooms and *gasp* NO COMPUTER!
Well, obviously this was a terrible problem. I mean, how can a writer live without her computer? I had to do something, and fast!
Ufortunately, as a single mother, calling an electrician was just not in the budget. I'd have to figure out how to fix it myself. I did it, for $11.11, and if you follow my instructions, you can do it too!
What You Need
- A multimeter - This is a tester used to check to see if there is electrical current running through the wires. I got mine at Kmart for $9.99 plus tax. This was the most expensive part of the repair for me. If you already have one, it won't cost much at all.
- A new outlet - Sells for $0.49 plus tax at Kmart.
- Screwdrivers
Turn the Power Off
The first step is the most important: TURN THE POWER OFF! Electricity is not something to play around with. Be very careful. Before starting any electrical project, always turn the power off. Go to the fuse box and find the circuit you will be working on. Remove the fuse or switch the circuit breaker off.
Test Your Tester
Now you need to make sure your multimeter is working properly. Make sure there is a battery in the multimeter. Now, find a battery that you can use to test your tester. Set the unit to the appropriate battery size, and touch the negative probe to the negative end of your battery and the positive probe to the positive end of the battery. The needle on the multimeter should move. Now that you know it works, change the setting on the multimeter to AC current, or DC if you are in a country that uses DC.
Test the Outlet
Before starting the repair, you need to test the outlet to make sure the power is off. To do this, check to make sure your multimeter is on and set to the correct voltage. Insert the tester's probes into the outlet. The needle should not move. If the needle moves, you probably did not turn off the correct circuit. Go back to the circuit box and try another breaker. WARNING: Do NOT continue with this repair if you are unsure whether there is power going into the outlet. When in doubt, call an electrician.
Remove the Old Outlet
To remove the old outlet, use a screwdriver to remove the screw in the middle of the outlet plate, then remove the plate. Now unscrew the two screws holding the outlet and pull the old outlet away from the wall.
Change the Wires
Look at the back of the outlet. There are five wires. Four wires stick straight into the back of the outlet and one (the ground) wraps around a screw on the back of the outlet. Disconnect one wire at a time from the old outlet, then plug it into the same location on the new outlet. This will keep you from getting the wires mixed up.
Replace the Outlet
Push the outlet back into the hole in the wall and replace the two screws that hold it in place. Then screw the cover plate back in place.
Turn the Power On
Flip the circuit breaker back to the on position or replace the fuse, then check your work. Plug something into your new outlet and turn it on. It should work now. Congratulations!
Warnings
ELECTRICITY IS DANGEROUS. IT CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL YOU. ALWAYS BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WORKING WITH ELECRICITY. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS WHATSOEVER ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO SAFELY PERFORM THIS OR ANY OTHER ELECRICAL REPAIR, DON'T DO IT! CALL AN ELECTRICIAN.
Copyright 2000 Bethanny M. Davis
This article appears online at ThriftyFun.com and was published in the Sept. 15, 2000 issue of the Only4Homebuyers newsletter.
To purchase reprint rights, or to inquire about the author's availability for other projects, please send an e-mail to bethanny@bethannyscrafts.com.