Change Wall Outlet Without Turning Off Power

Turn off the power to the receptacle from the main fuse or circuit panel.

Change wall outlet without turning off power. Unscrew the receptacle from the electrical box and pull it out with the wires still attached. Then place a piece of tape over the switch to make sure no one accidentally turns it back on while you re working on the. In the video i do it with the powe. Turn off the switches until the radio goes off.

Yes you can unscrew a wall plate from an electrical outlet without turning off the power. Take an old power cord from a discarded electrical item could be a clock radio computer or anything that has a power cord that would plug into the outlet. For instance suppose that if you turn the lights out you won t have enough light to change the outlet but all the lights are on the same circuit as the outlet is. In this video i show how i remove an existing 120v outlet receptacle plug and replace it with a gfci protected outlet.

Note where the white and black wires are attached to the old receptacle. Just cut the cord strip the insulation enough so you can short the two wires together. Turn off the power at the circuit breaker box. Then use a voltage tester to make sure that the circuit is dead.

Then plug it into your outlet. It isn t recommended but if all you are going to do is remove the cover and place a foam pad over the outlet or switch and replace the cover you should be fine. Catch 22 it is dangerous to change the outlet if you leave the power on but it is impossible to change the outlet if you turn the power off.