Installing Ground Fault Outlets - Tools and Process

Installing a ground fault outlet isn’t that much different from installing a traditional outlet, but there are a few special considerations that should be followed.




Removing the Existing Outlet

Of course, the first step before performing any electrical work is to turn off the circuit breaker that powers the branch circuit you will be working on. Use the voltage tester to check the existing outlet for voltage before removing it.

Unscrew the screw that holds the cover plate in place and then remove the two screws that secure the outlet to the wall box. Carefully pull the outlet out of the box.

Loosen the screws on both sides of the outlet that have wires attached to them and disconnect the wires. Separate the circuits if there are two sets of wires, meaning bend one circuit (black and white wire) to one side of the wall box and the other circuit to the other side of the box.

Installing the Ground Fault Outlet

Loosen the ground screw and the two pairs of side terminal screws on the ground fault outlet. Wrap the ground wire around the green ground screw and tighten the screw down.

Check the wires for any corrosion or damage. If necessary, trim off the exposed copper and strip away about ¾-inch of new insulation with the wire strippers to expose some fresh copper.

Take the “line side” wires (meaning the circuit that is delivering electricity to the outlet) and connect them to the line side terminals of the GFCI outlet. The black wire is connected to the dark-colored terminal and the white wire is connected to the silver terminal. The outlet will have markings that will indicate which set of terminals are for the line side and which are for the load side (the wires that travel to the next outlet in the series).

Connect the load side wires to the load side terminals following the same color scheme as the line side connections. Wrap electrical tape around the outlet’s terminals and push the wires back into the wall box so the outlet fits comfortably inside.
Secure the ground fault outlet to the wall box using the top and bottom screws and install the outlet’s cover plate to finish the installation.

Testing the Ground Fault Outlet

Turn the circuit breaker back on and test the GFCI outlet for power using the voltage tester. Since ground fault outlets are shipped from the manufacturer in their tripped state, the voltage tester should not read any voltage.

Press the “Reset” button on the front of the outlet until it clicks in. Test the outlet for power again and this time it should have power. Press the “Test” button and the Reset button should pop out. Test the outlet for power again and it should be off. Lastly, press “Reset” once more to restore power to the outlet.

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