replacing electrical plugs

Goog · 2009-08-13T18:26:50+00:00

I bought an old condo after moved out from my parents' house. I wouldlike to replace all almond-color electrical plugs with white plugs.The plug and the cover are pretty cheap at HD.I pulled out one and it doesn't seem too complicate but I'm not sure.What do I need to know before I will give it a shot?You advice is greatly appreciated.Angela

Aug 13, 2009 30 Replies

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bud-- 16 years ago

Kitchen countertop outlets should be GFCI.

It may be possible to use a GFCI outlet to protect outlets downstream.

If you change an outlet to GFCI - they take more volume. You may have to very carefully fold the wires into the box to efficiently use the space. (You may have to do that with other outlets too.)

If there is not a ground wire to the outlet it may be best to come back and describe what you have. For example, a metal box may be grounded and a "self grounding" outlet can be used. If there is actually no ground, 2 wire receptacles (with no ground) can also be used.

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Sam E 16 years ago

Try posting from a real news server NOT Google. Some people have Google (note that's NOT Gmail) because it's a source of spam.

BTW, the word "plug" refers to the MALE connector on the cord not the thing in the wall.

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Mark Lloyd 16 years ago

[snip]

I've replaced several so loose you don't need the release hole.

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Stormin Mormon 16 years ago

I read the subject line. Conservatives read the House bill on health care. Liberals whimper when Conservatives are correct.

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Tony 16 years ago

You just embarrassed 50 million people. Seriously, I think more than half of the people in the US call a receptacle/outlet a plug. Quite a few call it a "plug in" also.

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Harry L 16 years ago

[snip]

"Wall plugs" are for holiday decoration, for lighting up unwanted guests :-)

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Sam E 16 years ago

[snip]

That would be the "majority virus". The way that idea (the ****** idea that the majority is always right) keeps getting passed around.

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gfretwell 16 years ago

Actually an electrical professional would call the male part a cord cap and that plugs into a receptacle.

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Phisherman 16 years ago

It is a lot of bother, but it can be done. Make sure the circuit breaker is OFF whenever the cover plate is removed. An outlet without a cover plate is out of code. Pickup a plug tester at HD, about $10.

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TimR 16 years ago

Have you done this lately? I have, to replace plugs on the end of appliance wires. These appliances were dual voltage but came with Euro style plugs and I couldn't find adapters for US outlets, so I changed the plugs.

I tried the big box and I tried the specialty hardware stores. You can no longer find decent quality plug replacements. I recommend a different strategy - if you can, replace the whole cord with a cannibalized good one. (There may be some electrical contractor stores that have good stuff, but I didn't find any.)

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Bob F 16 years ago

Fortunately, they are not correct. If you actually read it, you'd know that.

Do you really think asking your doctor questions about options for a terminally ill family member is the same as a "death panel"? Really? If so, I feel sorry for your family.

This kind of scaremongering makes the right wing look really psycho. And it's all they are doing.

Top posted, to not break the previous responders form.

Storm> I read the subject line. Conservatives read the House bill

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