ElectricalAdvice

David’s Credo For Performing Electrical Work:

1. Always disconnect the electrical power to what you are working on, turn off circuit breakers or unscrew fuses, use a voltage tester to be sure the power is off.
2. When working within electrical boxes, make sure all of the wires and devices in the box are without power, use a voltage tester to be sure that power to every switch, and/or conductor is without power.
3. Always replace electrical box covers when you are finished working with them, especially the electrical service panel cover.
4. It may be necessary to pull the conductor(s) off the terminal at the fuse or circuit breaker to ensure that the circuit stays off while you are working on it.
5. Tag the fuse or circuit breaker off, so that another knows that you are working on the electrical system.
Replacing Grounded fifteen and twenty amp 120 volt receptacles with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter receptacles (GFCI’s), in kitchens, bathrooms, basements and garages. The Key Word here is Grounded, as in a separate conductor, under the screw in the electrical box and connected to the Green Ground screw of the device(s).
Starting in the bathroom, with the vanity receptacle, locate the circuit breaker for the circuit you intend to work on and turn it off. Once the power is off, and you have tested the circuit for power at the receptacle, and found none, begin by unscrewing the plate screws and plate and set them aside. Loosen and completely remove the two 6/32 flat head screws at the top and bottom of the device yoke. Grasp the receptacle on the sides (this is where you’ll want to be sure there is no power there!), and, with your thumb and fingers, pull the device straight out of the box. The conductors connecting the device should be of sufficient length to allow you to pull it out far enough so as to loosen the terminal screws. Loosen the terminal screws and lift the conductors off of the terminal post.
If the device has only three conductors connected to it, a single cabl, and you are replacing just the receptacle at that one location, proceed with the new GFCI receptacle installation. There will be a black, a white and a bare copper ground wire to connect to the new device. If the GFCI receptacle is equipped with square washers, with screws to tighten them down, take the two white conductors and slide each under one silver washer and tighten fast, likewise the two black conductors under the one brass washer and tighten fast. If there are no washers, only screw posts, it will be necessary to splice the two cables together, simply pair off the two white conductors and a third “pigtail”, or a small length of the same conductor material. Strip and splice the three whites together, wrapping clockwise and use an appropriate wire nut, yellow or red, depending on the wire size. Repeat this procedure with the two black conductors, the pigtail and wire nut as above. These pigtails are then connected to the device terminals, white to silver screw, black to brass screw.
Now, to back pedal a little here and review the GFCI receptacle’s full function, and that is to interrupt the circuit when a ground fault, or small short circuit to ground, exists. I told you that the device would trip off when this condition existed, which it does, cutting power to the face of the receptacle, so that anything that is plugged into it would cease to function because the power was off. Now, remember that I discussed
When you find more than one cable and more than three conductors in the receptacle box. You should find the two ground conductors (one in each cable sheath) of bare copper or green insulated copper. Ideally, they should be twisted together, pigtailed with a wire nut, and connected to the steel electrical box under the 10/32 screw and then connected to the green ground screw on the device.
Now, if there is more than one receptacle to replace and GFCI protect in the bathroom, proceed to disconnect all of the conductors from each post of the one receptacle you do have, as above, including the green ground wire. You should now have the two blacks, the two whites, and the one ground conductor, already spliced and connected to the box.
Tip #1: Finding the right fuse: There are a number of ways to do this, from shouting back and forth to a second party at the fuse panel, as they pull one fuse after another, or the use of walkie-talkies. If you are alone and want to save time, try plugging in a small electrical tool, which makes a little noise like an electric razor or hair clippers, small electric drill motor, etc.. As long as you can hear it from the fuse panel location, you’ll be all set, simply pull fuses and listen.
Tip #2: Connecting the ground wire: The bare conductor should be passed under the 10/32 screw in the electrical box, and then on to the green screw on the receptacle. These connections are very important and if you fail to connect them properly you leave the device in much worse shape than when you found it. This is the number one fault of most amateur electricians, they don’t connect the wire if they don’t know what it does; if everything works without it being connected, who needs it? Beware, electrical grounding is the one electrical safety rule you should never break.
Tip #3: Terminal Types: Some GFCI receptacles have screw “posts” which you wrap the conductor around, using a fish hook bend in the conductor end, wrap the conductor clockwise and close the “u” with a pair of pliers or dykes. Make the connection firm, or as tight as you can without breaking anything. Other devices have what look like floating washers, with the screw passing through the center, you will see the slots where two conductors can slide under the washer and you simply tighten the screw to make them fast.
Tip #4: Screw Posts: Always wrap a conductor around a screw post in a clockwise direction, so that as you tighten the screw, the conductor is pulled into a tighter circle around the post. In the alternative, counter clockwise direction, the conductor is pulled away from the post; loosening the connection.
Tip #5: Stab connections: Never use the stab in connections (no screw) on any electrical device, it is not legal!
Tip#6: Terminal colors: The black conductor connects to the brass screw on the new device and the white conductor connects to the silver screw on the device.
Tip #7: A GFCI receptacle is marked “Line” and ”Load”, with a piece of tape, usually yellow, that covers the terminals on the “Load” side of the device. If you have just one cable, with a white, a black and a ground conductor, connect to the exposed screws marked “Line” and leave the yellow tape in place.
Tip# 8: If the receptacle is not fitting snug against the wall surface, it may be necessary to break of the tabs on the receptacle, which are delineated by creases, they look like small washers once you cut or pry them free. Bend them back and forth, or cut them at the crease, and this will allow the device to go back further into the box and the plate to fit flush against the wall.
Tip #9: When trying to lift conductors off screw posts: It may help to apply a little leverage by using a pair of pliers, grasping the conductor on the insulating plastic covering and prying against the device back, to open the fish hook around the terminal. If you hold the conductor tight and not let it slip on the insulation, you won’t tear the plastic covering.
Tip #10:Never put two conductors under one screw terminal, it is unlawful!