How to Install New Power Outlets in a Room

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    • 1). Turn off the power at the circuit breaker box to the circuit to the existing outlet to which you're going to wire the new outlet. Test the outlet with a voltage tester to make sure you turned off the correct circuit.

    • 2). Take the plate cover off the outlet. Remove the screws holding it in place, and remove the outlet from the wall and disconnect the wiring.

    • 3). Locate the wall studs in the area where you're installing the outlets and mark their location on the wall. The electrical boxes that contain the outlets will be attached to the studs.

    • 4). Hold the electrical box face down on the wall where you are installing the outlet and trace the outline of the box onto the wall.

    • 5). Cut a hole in the drywall, following the lines that you traced, using a drywall saw.

    • 6). Run an electrical cable from the outlet you disconnected to the hole in the wall.

    • 7). Punch out one of the knockout holes in the back of the electrical box and slide the end of the electrical cable through it. Screw the electrical box to the side of the stud.

    • 8). Cut about 2 inches of sheathing off the end of the cable with wire strippers and 1/2-inch of insulation off the wires inside the cable.

    • 9). Bend the ends of the wires into a hook with needle-nose pliers, and hook them onto the screws on the side of the outlet. Attach the green wire to the green screw, the white wire to the silver screw and the black wire to the brass screw. If the screws are the same color, follow the diagram provided by the manufacturer. Tighten the screws with a screwdriver.

    • 10

      Wrap electrical tape around the sides of the outlet to cover the screws and bare wires.

    • 11

      Place the outlet into the electrical box and attach it with the mounting screws.

    • 12

      Put the plate cover over the outlet and screw it into position.

    • 13

      Strip off the cable sheathing and wire insulation from the end of the cable that leads out from the hole for the original outlet, following the process you used for the other end of the cable.

    • 14

      Connect the outlet to both the cable leading to the electrical box and the cable leading to the new outlet. Attach the wires from the electrical box to the top screws, and the wires leading to the new outlet to the bottom screws. (Remember: the black wires get attached to the brass screws, and the white wires get attached to the silver screws.) Attach one end of a 6-inch piece of copper wire to the grounding screw on the outlet, and the other end to both grounding wires leading from the cables with a plastic connector cap.

    • 15

      Slide the outlet into the wall and screw it into place, then put the plate cover back on.

    • 16

      Install the other outlets in the room, using the same process.

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