Gfci Outlet Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

GFCI Outlet
19 steps

Flags

Featured Student Guide

This guide has been the hard work of our awesome students and is found to be exceptionally cool by the iFixit staff.

BackElectrical
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              GFCI Outlet

Find the breaker box and switch off the breaker that is labelled “GFCI receptacle”
If not sure, switch off all breakers.

Find the breaker box and switch off the breaker that is labelled “GFCI receptacle”

If not sure, switch off all breakers.

1024

Step 2

Push the “Test” button once.

Push the “Test” button once.

Step 3

Using #2 flat-head screwdriver, remove the outlet cover by unscrewing the top and bottom screw.

Using #2 flat-head screwdriver, remove the outlet cover by unscrewing the top and bottom screw.

Step 4

Using #2 flat-head screwdriver, unscrew the top and bottom screws holding the outlet onto the wall.

Using #2 flat-head screwdriver, unscrew the top and bottom screws holding the outlet onto the wall.

Step 5

Pull the outlet out from the interior outlet box, exposing the wires that are inside the electrical box.

Pull the outlet out from the interior outlet box, exposing the wires that are inside the electrical box.

Step 6

Remove the 5mm Phillips #1 screw for the white wire (neutral wire) and free the wire from outlet.
The white wire (neutral wire) is typically located on the left side of the outlet.

Remove the 5mm Phillips #1 screw for the white wire (neutral wire) and free the wire from outlet.

The white wire (neutral wire) is typically located on the left side of the outlet.

Step 7

Remove the 5mm Philips #1 screw for the copper wire (ground wire) and free it from the outlet
The copper wire (ground wire) is typically located on the bottom of the outlet.

Remove the 5mm Philips #1 screw for the copper wire (ground wire) and free it from the outlet

The copper wire (ground wire) is typically located on the bottom of the outlet.

Step 8

Remove the 5mm Phillips #1 screw for the grey wire (hot wire) and free it from the outlet.
The grey wire (hot wire) is typically located on right side of the outlet.

Remove the 5mm Phillips #1 screw for the grey wire (hot wire) and free it from the outlet.

The grey wire (hot wire) is typically located on right side of the outlet.

Step 9

Push the “TEST” button on the new outlet.

Push the “TEST” button on the new outlet.

Step 10

Retrieve the copper wire (ground wire) and slip it into the copper hole which is attached with the green screw located bottom of the outlet.
Tighten the screw down with flat-head screwdriver.
Make sure to use the original equipped screws that come with the new GCIF outlet.

Retrieve the copper wire (ground wire) and slip it into the copper hole which is attached with the green screw located bottom of the outlet.

Tighten the screw down with flat-head screwdriver.

Make sure to use the original equipped screws that come with the new GCIF outlet.

Step 11

Locate a hole that is labeded white wire.
Slip in the white wire (neutral wire) into the hole located on left side of the outlet.
Tighten the screw down
The white wire (neutral wire) is typically located on left side of the outlet.
If there are two holes available, use the bottom hole.

Locate a hole that is labeded white wire.

Slip in the white wire (neutral wire) into the hole located on left side of the outlet.

Tighten the screw down

The white wire (neutral wire) is typically located on left side of the outlet.

If there are two holes available, use the bottom hole.

Step 12

Locate a hole that is “HOT WIRE”.
Slip in the grey wire (hot wire) into the hole located right side of the outlet.
Tighten the screw down.
If there are two holes available, use the bottom hole.

Locate a hole that is “HOT WIRE”.

Slip in the grey wire (hot wire) into the hole located right side of the outlet.

Tighten the screw down.

Step 13

Push the outlet and wires back into the wall.

Push the outlet and wires back into the wall.

Step 14

Tighten the screws on the top and bottom tabs, positioning the outlet so that it is vertically straight.
Make sure to use the original equipped screws that come with the new GCIF outlet.

Tighten the screws on the top and bottom tabs, positioning the outlet so that it is vertically straight.

Step 15

Install the outlet cover by tighten the top and bottom screws.

Install the outlet cover by tighten the top and bottom screws.

Step 16

Turn on all the breakers that you turned off in step 1.

Turn on all the breakers that you turned off in step 1.

Step 17

Push in the “RESET” button until you hear “click” sound.
If no “click” sound, check and make sure that the correct breaker is switched to on position.
If still not getting “click” sound, start over from step 1 and make sure all three wires are inserted fully into the correct holes.

Push in the “RESET” button until you hear “click” sound.

If no “click” sound, check and make sure that the correct breaker is switched to on position.

If still not getting “click” sound, start over from step 1 and make sure all three wires are inserted fully into the correct holes.

Step 18

Plug in the circuit tester into one of the plug.
Two yellow led lights will light up if the new outlet is installed correctly.
If two yellow LED lights does not light up, go back to step 1 and make sure the wires are fully inserted in the correct spots.

Plug in the circuit tester into one of the plug.

Two yellow led lights will light up if the new outlet is installed correctly.

If two yellow LED lights does not light up, go back to step 1 and make sure the wires are fully inserted in the correct spots.

Step 19

Congratulations, enjoy your functional GFCI outlet receptacle!

Congratulations, enjoy your functional GFCI outlet receptacle!

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      6 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor

                    Kee Choi

Member since: 02/04/2020

478 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       6







                                                        +3 more badges

Team

                       Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Team S19-G2, Ives Spring 2020                        

                                                  Member of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Team S19-G2, Ives Spring 2020 



                    ERAU-IVES-S20S19G2                     


                                            3 Members                     


                                            1 Guide authored

Skylar Ittner - Jan 5, 2021

If the GFCI outlet has two sets of white and black wires, keep track of them. One set will be coming from the breaker and plug into the LINE labeled screws, and the other set (labeled LOAD on the GFCI) goes to other “downstream” outlets that also benefit from the GFCI outlet’s protection.

RMA - Jan 6, 2021

Thank you! This was very helpful. I hired a certified electrician who I thought was going to do the work himself. Instead, he dropped off a crew of three non-English speakers to do the work. They screwed up the power to my kitchen doing substandard work in the garage. They left before I got back to the house, realized what they did, but the electrician’s response was, “It wasn’t me!” The kitchen lights were working properly BEFORE they did the work. I wish I had never hired this guy. He has only positive ratings on one of the “ratings” services, unfortunately.

Featured Student Guide#

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Featured Student Guide

Introduction

What you need

Team