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- Project Guide: Installing a GFCI Receptacle
Installing a GFCI Receptacle
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Follow These Steps
Step One
| Turn Off Power |
| 1. | Turn off power at the circuit breaker or fuse. |
| 2. | Remove wall plate. |
| 3. | Use the tester to verify power is shut off. |
Step Two
| Remove Existing Outlet |
| 1. | Remove mounting screws and gently pull the switch out of the wall box. |
| 2. | If replacing an existing GFCI label the black and white wires on the Line and Load terminals. |
| 3. | Disconnect wires. |
Step Three
| Prepare Wires for Connecting the New GFCI |
| 1. | Prepare wires by making sure they are straight. Cut if necessary. |
| 2. | Remove insulation so ¾ in. of the copper conductor is showing. |
Step Four
| Identify the Line Wires |
| 1. | Pull wires out of the wall box and position them so they can not touch each other. |
| 2. | Restore power and carefully touch the black probe to the metal box or bare copper ground wire. If installing a GFCI on an ungrounded circuit, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions. |
| 3. | Place the red probe to each black wire until the tester lights up. This is the black wire that will connect to the Line brass screw terminal. |
| 4. | Leave the red probe on the black Line hot wire and place the black probe on each white wire until the tester lights up. This is the white wire that will connect to the Line silver screw terminal. |
| 5. | Turn power off. |
Step Five
| Connect the Wires |
| 1. | Unscrew the terminal screws of the new GFCI until they are difficult to turn. |
| 2. | Connect the black Line hot wire to the brass screw marked line by inserting the wire into the Back-wire hole and tighten the terminal screw. |
| 3. | Connect the white Line neutral wire to the silver screw marked Line by inserting the wire into the Back-wire hole and tightening the terminal screw. |
| 4. | If the outlet box has four wires plus a ground, connect the second black wire to the brass terminal marked Load and the second white wire to the silver terminal marked Load. |
| 5. | Connect the ground wire to the green ground screw by inserting the wire into the Back-wire hole and tighten the terminal screw. If there are multiple ground wires, connect them together with a copper pigtail, secure with a wire nut and attach the loose end of the pigtail to the green ground screw. |
Step Six
| Place the GFCI into the Wall Box |
| 1. | Carefully bend the wires and push the GFCI into the wall box. |
| 2. | Tighten the mounting screws to secure the GFCI to the wall box. |
Step Seven
| Cover with Wall Plate |
| 1. | Install the wall plate. |
| 2. | Restore power and press the Reset button. |
| 3. | If the GFCI does not reset, the line and load leads may have been reversed during installation. Please refer to the "Test Your Work" section of the manufacturer's instruction sheet or call a qualified electrician. |
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