How to Wire Multiple Electrical Receptacles

Wiring one electric socket may be nerve wracking enough, so how much more multiple electrical receptacles? As long as you have the electricity under control, doing so shouldn’t be any more complicated than wiring a single electrical receptacle. But before we dive in, just a short lecture in electrical wires. Electrical wires are often called Romex. These wires come in these specifications: 12/2, 12/3, 14/2 and 14/3. The first number is gauge number (bigger wires have small gauge numbers) while the second number is the number of wires inside the Romex without the ground wire.

Step 1 – Make a Floor Plan

In your floor plan, sketch the location of your electrical receptacles and the wall studs in the room. This will allow you to route the wires in straight lines for ease. You can use a stud finder to make the task of looking for studs easier.

Step 2 – Install the Electrical Junction Boxes

Measure the height of the electric receptacles you have in your house. When you get this information, you can cut out holes where your electrical receptacles will be. Use the junction box to trace the right shape and size onto the wall. With the use of a drywall saw, cut these boxes out and install the junction boxes. You can purchase junction boxes in any hardware store.

Step 3 – Drill Stud Holes

Cut out access holes on top of studs. With a drill, make a hole through the studs. Keep the stud holes of the same height as the junction boxes.

Step 4 – Connect the Wire to Breaker

Before you proceed, make sure that you switch off the circuit breakers in the electrical panel. Make an access box where the nearest breaker is located. Strip the Romex wire and connect the black wire to the breaker. The other 2 must be connected to the bus bar. Fish out the Romex wire from the breaker through the studs to the first junction box. Let at least 8 inches of Romex wire to dangle from the junction box before cutting.

Step 5 –Fish Wires to the Remaining Junction Boxes

With an 8 inch allowance, fish a new Romex wire line through the first junction box to the second. Observe the same allowances as the first junction box before cutting the wire. Fish another wire line from the second to the third junction box. The third junction box should not have any outgoing wire.

Step 6 – Strip the Wires

Strip 6 inches of the ends of the wires and separate the different colors from each other. Gather the same colored wires from the 2 ends in junction boxes 1 and 2 together and twist all of them separately in screw of their corresponding outlet. Do the same with junction box 3 so that you have just one wire end. Follow the plan: black wire to gold screw, white wire to silver screw and ground wire to ground screw.

Step 7 – Install the Electrical Receptacles

Screw the electrical receptacles to their individual junction boxes.