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Questions tagged [receptacle]

A contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug.

23 votes
3 answers
3k views

First time changing switches and outlets (receptacles). Anything special I should know?

I am replacing a bunch of switches and receptacles in my house. While I understand the basics, this is pretty much my first electrical project, and I figure there must be some hidden "gotchas" or ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
14 votes
4 answers
10k views

Why not use a plastic receptacle box for an outdoor outlet?

This answer says "... it should be possible to cut into the wall and install a metal box (don't use plastic, please) [for an outdoor outlet]." What are the problems associated with using a ...
KJ7LNW's user avatar
  • 1,205
3 votes
5 answers
7k views

What to do with a new duplex outlet when the tester says Hot & Ground are Reversed?

I switched out a regular outlet with a LeGrand Radiant Duplex Outlet, connecting all of the wires (2 White, 2 Black and 1 Green) exactly as the previous outlet was wired and according to the ...
DBWC's user avatar
  • 31
28 votes
3 answers
8k views

Now I realize I used too many GFCI outlets. How can I reclaim them?

Yeah, so the building inspector redflagged a bunch of outlets for not being GFCI. Before I understood how the LOAD terminals work, I just replaced every single one with a GFCI outlet. Most had a ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
21 votes
4 answers
288k views

Which Kitchen outlets do NOT need GFCI?

I have the 2 circuits in the kitchen with GFCI outlets, but I'm not quite sure which other ones do NOT need GFCI. Other circuits in the kitchen include Microwave, Fridge, and Dishwasher. It makes ...
rcav8r's user avatar
  • 259
15 votes
1 answer
96k views

Can I add a standard receptacle on a GFCI circuit

So, I want to add a receptacle in the bathroom (I tend to run out of batteries on my phone while crapping at the end of the day). There's a GFCI outlet on the other side of the crapper wall that ...
SDGator's user avatar
  • 343
20 votes
4 answers
154k views

I have a 3-pronged receptacle but no ground wire connected to it. Is this ok?

I removed the plates from outlets to paint walls and noticed that some of my electric boxes have ground wires connected to outlets while others do not have a green wire at all. Is this ok? I know ...
user443854's user avatar
  • 1,283
15 votes
3 answers
8k views

Why was a high wall plug installed in a 1959 home?

In our 1959 ranch-style home there is an outlet on a living room wall more than halfway up. Anyone know for what use this may have been installed? It looks built-in when the house was built.
Hilldilly's user avatar
  • 151
21 votes
4 answers
270k views

What is a GFI outlet used for, and where should I install them?

What purpose does a GFI serve? Where should they be used?
Chris Cudmore's user avatar
47 votes
7 answers
285k views

Why does this receptacle have the ground tied to the neutral?

I was replacing some outlets in my house with tamper-resistant ones, and came across one where the white and ground were wired together, as seen in this picture. Why? Is that okay or appropriate ...
Scott Stafford's user avatar
24 votes
4 answers
365k views

How do I properly wire GFCI outlets in parallel?

I have two countertop outlets in my kitchen that I am in the process of replacing with new, GFCI-protected outlets. These two outlets are on a circuit together, and they are the only loads on that ...
Drew Spickes's user avatar
18 votes
4 answers
129k views

When to use holes instead of side terminals to wire an outlet

This question comes from Shirlock's comment on this GFCI wiring question. When and why should you use the holes on the back of an outlet rather than the side terminals? I always assumed the holes on ...
BMitch's user avatar
  • 42.9k
11 votes
5 answers
7k views

Why would replacing this 240 V outlet with a 120 V outlet trip my breaker?

I recently replaced a 20 A 250 V single outlet with a 20 A 125 V single outlet so that I could use it for my microwave in the kitchen. The original outlet had two gold screws and a grounding screw. ...
Amy B's user avatar
  • 119
0 votes
0 answers
440 views

Best way to run power to mobile home

I have 3 feeder wires coming up underground from the meter and main disconnect. They tie in to a 50amp receptacle box and a 6 AWG cord With 8Awg ground all in one. That cord goes into my electrical ...
John Minks's user avatar
23 votes
5 answers
113k views

What types of electrical outlets are found in a typical home in the USA?

I do not live in the USA. If I were to buy a home in the USA, what are the key facts I should know about USA household electrical supply at outlets in homes? E.g. when buying a clothes dryer or other ...
RedGrittyBrick's user avatar

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