Swap an Electrical Receptacle for a GFCI Outlet
Bring the Home up to Building Code, Prevent Accidental Electrocution
Oct 27, 2009
Not so very long ago, these outlets were not required but electrical building codes now mandate them. The idea is that if a household appliance (hair dryer, electric shaver, blender, etc.) is plugged in and happens to get wet, the outlet will trip in milliseconds.
A common misconception is that this will avoid an electric shock. Not so. But it will almost certainly prevent an electrocution death.
When Should a GFCI Outlet be Installed?
The short answer is, “now”. Do not wait for a kitchen remodeling project or a bathroom make-over. In the case of newer homes, they will likely have been installed by the electrical subcontractor or the general building contractor.
Many older homes are equipped with only ordinary receptacles. In this case a minimum of one per circuit must be installed. This can be done easily by the homeowner with a rudimentary knowledge of residential electrical circuits if the local electrical building code does not specify that it must be done by a licensed electrician.
Practice Electrical Work Safety
Caution is the name of this game. Like any home electrical work, turn power off at the circuit breaker box or panel prior to being exposed to hot wires. With any luck, the circuits will have been recorded on an electrical circuit map and labeled during installation.
Don't just blindly trust the label though; verify it with a multimeter or tester such as a handy VoltAlert from Fluke Electronics. Enlarge the photo below and note how the lit tip on the Fluke Electronics VoltAlert indicates an energized electrical circuit.
Remove the Old Wall Receptacle
- Remove the wall outlet cover plate (face plate).
- Unscrew the top and bottom receptacle screws.
- Pull the outlet body out of the box.
- Make a note of where the wires are connected. The outlet may be labeled “line” and “load”. Line is where the power comes from the circuit breaker; load wired feed the next plug-in in the circuit. The new GFCI unit will almost certainly be labeled.
- Unscrew and remove the wires from the outlet.
Configure and Install the GFCI Receptacle Body
- Connect the wires to the the body and tighten the screws. The unit might have product specific instructions; especially concerning line and load.
- Connect the ground wire (bare copper wire) to the green screw on the new outlet body.
- Carefully insert the GFCI into the box and secure it with screws.
- Install the face plate.
- Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker box and test the outlet.
Finally, to ensure proper operation, always conduct a GFCI test on a monthly basis. Just do it at the same time as the smoke alarms are being tested.
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