How to Install a Surface Mount Receptacle Part 2

Are you planning to remodel your home or finish a basement and plan to add surface mount receptacles to your walls? When you follow good rules of safety, when you have the right tools and materials, and when you have a reliable set of instructions to follow, you can add these receptacles to a room without concern of injury or damaging an electrical circuit in your home. Below, you will find a list of materials and tools you'll need, along with instructions for installing your receptacles.

Step 1 - Working Safely

You'll be connecting your new receptacle to electrical wires that can potentially cause injury or that can open a circuit breaker switch if a short in the electrical circuit is created. To avoid this, be sure to locate the circuit breaker switch and turn the switch to the off position. Use a voltage tester to be sure there is no power to the electrical wires you'll be connecting.

Step 2 - Mounting Your Electrical Box

Before purchasing your boxes, you'll need to decide which types of boxes will work best for your application. If you plan to have 4 receptacles in one box, you'll need a 2-gang box into which you can fit 2 double receptacles. For 2 receptacles (1 double receptacle) you'll need a single-gang box. You'll need to attach your box to something solid, such as a wall stud. If your wall is open, position your box onto the side of a wall stud with the outer edge of the box extending 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch past the outer edge of the wall stud. This will bring the box edge near the surface of the drywall you will install on this wall. If the drywall is already installed, use a drywall saw to cut a hole in it to match the size and shape of your electrical box. Bring the box's outer edge flush with the drywall surface, and attach the box to the wall stud with large nails or screws. 

Step 3 - Connecting Receptacle Wires  

When you have your electrical box installed and the power turned off, feed your electrical cable through one of the knockouts in the box and strip off the cable insulation to expose the wires inside the cable. Use you wire strippers to strip the insulation from the white and black wires. If you see a yellow wire, this will be your ground wire. Strip the insulation from it, also. Locate silver screws (terminals) on the left side of your receptacle and brass screws (terminals) on the right side. Connect your white wire to the silver terminal, connect black wire to the brass terminal, and connect the ground to the ground screw on the box. If you are installing 2 double receptacles, connect the first and second receptacles by installing an electrical wire between the silver terminals on each box. Run another wire between the brass terminals on each of these same receptacles.

Step 4 - Finishing

When you've connected your wiring, screw on the face plate, turn the power back on, and test the receptacles by plugging in a lamp, radio, or other appliance.