How To Replace A Damaged Electrical Outlet ?
Some electrical issues are critical enough to be handled by the professionals only while there are some issues that require your own involvement. One of them is the faulty electrical outlets.
Installing a new outlet in place of an old one doesn’t necessarily call for the supervision of an expert. Even a novice with proper understanding and a little logic can undertake the project.
Beforehand cut off the main electricity supply from the main electrical circuit breaker box. Turn off the main breaker switch followed by the other switches. Take out a voltage tester or a pen tester from the tool kit and insert the probes of the tester into the plug. If the tester’s neon bulb doesn’t glow then proceed to the next step else recheck the circuit breaker box. Remember that the electricity supply to the outlet must be suspended completely in order to proceed further.
Once it is confirmed that the socket is receiving no electricity, remove the cover plate from the wall using screwdriver and plier. Pull out the outlet a few inches from the wall making sure that the wires are well connected to the terminals and nothing is altered during the pull operation.
Observe the wire connections and note down the schema of the circuit and the elemental terminals. You can use a color pen or tape to draw a diagram on the board depicting where each wire was attached. This would provide you the necessary guidance as far as the fixing of the new outlet is concerned.
Remove the outlet completely out of the wall and take it to a local electrical shop to buy another one with the same functionality. Now with the old one available to you as a guide, install the new socket. Attach the wires to the respective terminals and screw them tightly. Put the cover plate on and screw it tightly as well.
Switch on the power supply to manipulate the success of the project.. An appliance can also be attached to the outlet to check how if it is working normally.
Always keep in mind that the replacement of the outlet is made when a damage or an irregularity is suffered by one of its terminals or wires.