Wiring Up An Outlet

It s a good way to wire a gfci outlet if you want outlets after it in the chain to stay on when the gfci trips but be aware that those outlets won t have ground fault protection.

Wiring up an outlet. Wiring a gfci outlet with combo switch outlet receptacle light switch. A wire coming loose from an outlet can create a serious fire or shock hazard. The outlet addition methods we show here are based on the most common wiring 14 gauge wire on a 15 amp circuit and an 18 cu in. Here 3 wire cable is run from a double pole circuit breaker providing an independent 120 volts to two sets of multiple outlets.

Push the wires and outlet into the box so you can screw it in place. Bend the wires so they can fit in the back of the box. When you wire a single outlet to a live circuit cable you connect the black wire to one of the brass screws usually the top one but it doesn t matter and the white wire to one of the chrome screws. It means all the connected loads to the load terminals of gfci are protected.

This wiring is commonly used in a 20 amp kitchen circuit where two appliance feeds are needed such as for a refrigerator and a microwave in the same location. Another common method called back wiring uses self clamping rear terminals. The neutral wire from the circuit is shared by both sets. Wiring a switch to an outlet.

The second terminal of switch then connected back to the brass terminal of outlet. This way the outlet is wired and controlled on off through the switch. In this gfci outlet wiring and installation diagram the combo switch outlet spst single way switch and ordinary outlet is connected to the load side of gfci. Electricians hardly ever wire outlets this way but it s good to know about it because it gives you near 100 percent assurance of circuit continuity.

The safest way to connect wires is to use the outlet s side screw terminals a procedure known as side wiring. Use a screwdriver to secure the outlet in place so it doesn t come free. Push the outlet in front of the wires so the screw holes on the outlet line up with the ones along the sides of the box. A standard electrical outlet has two brass terminal screws two chrome ones and a single ground terminal which is green.