Home Improvement

Questions tagged [receptacle]

Ask Question

A contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug.

1,011 questions
Newest
Active
Bountied
Unanswered
Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
2
votes
1answer
18 views

Powered, semi-permanent furniture - what's the code?

I like to build things, and I've been drafting up plans for a headboard for quite a while now. One of the things I want my headboard to have is a number of outlets, since laying on my bed is where I ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views

Can this junction box wiring be used for a duplex receptacle?

! Hi - this junction box was covered with a plug cover That had no openings in it, just a blank cover over the wall box. As you can see from the image we have two cables entering the box from the top ...
0
votes
2answers
92 views

Can a cooking oil spill-over cause a burnt-out outlet?

A cooking stove with electricity and natural gas has been in place for 20 years. Last month I did deep frying, some of the oil went overboard, touched the electric plate, and some of it instantly ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views

Dedicated 20 amp outlet tripped twice

In 2017, I had a new 20 amp circuit (with dedicated GFCI outlet and AFCI breaker) installed by an electrician, which is right below my then two-year-old Square D electrical panel box (with aluminum ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views

Crooked (Not Parallel with Wall) Electrical Receptacle

I recently replaced an electrical receptacle. It was old and the device box was also recessed. So, I added the 1-Gang Outlet Box Spacer Extenders from Home Depot. Now, the receptacle is held ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views

Want to put a switch in for light that has a pull chain, and also want to Add outlet

Putting a switch for light and adding outlet
0
votes
1answer
62 views

Switch outlets to permanently hot. Switch to control new recessed lights

I have a small room with one switch outlet and 3 Hot outlets on the same circuit. The work is old and ungrounded. I’m looking to make the switched outlet permanantly hot and use the switch location to ...
2
votes
2answers
94 views

How can I extend a cable to move an outlet inside a kitchen island cabinet?

Due to remodeling, I need to move an outlet in my island. The current system is wired as follows: a 12/2 NM wire comes from the circuit breaker box to the first (non-moving) outlet, and a 12/2 wire ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views

Best method up to code to project an existing electrical outlet to a interior media built in cabinet face 3 1/2" farther out

I am constructing a media built in and due to the framing one of the interior walls of the cabinet will lay across an existing electrical outlet and will be 3-1/2 inches out from the existing wall. I ...
2
votes
1answer
167 views

How to use 30 AMP wire to make 120 outlet

He we had a hot water heater that is on 2 25 amp breakers. We took out the water heater and use a boiler with boiler mate for hot water. The wire that use to go to the the hot water heater is capped ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views

Exists: power to outlet1 to outlet2 to switch - can't change wiring, would like switch to control only outlet #2

Not sure how I would make the connections at outlet #2 and switch to control outlet #2?? Any help appreciated.
5
votes
2answers
901 views

GFCI lights have gone crazy

Disclaimer: I know nothing about electrical things. House is 4.5 years old. GFCI in wet bar had red light. Refrigerator was off. Hit RESET button and refrigerator turned on and light indicator ...
0
votes
2answers
26 views

3-prong to 2-prong extension cord/dimmer connections

I have a lamp with a 3-prong transformer. I have those small 3-2 prong adaptors available to use. I want to use a dimmer switch cable (in the form of an extension cord with a sliding switch at the ...
2
votes
3answers
59 views

Adding an outlet to the dishwasher/disposer circuit

I have switched garbage disposal, like many people do. The switch is on a wall w/o any outlets. I'd like to convert the switch to a switch/outlet combo. I read that you shouldn't add an outlet to ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views

How to connect one set of wire (+ ground wire) to outlet

So I've been going through the house and have been updating our outlets and it usually involved connecting two sets of wires and a ground wire. Today however, I ran into a set up that consisted of one ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views

Unsure why GFCI outlet is showing orange indicator

I replaced an old outlet with a new GFCI. Well upon replacing it, it now has an orange light when the one directly below it has something plugged in; also neither outlets are working. I tried to reset ...
2
votes
2answers
94 views

Why am I getting 24 volts in kitchen outlets, unless TWO breakers are on?

I have 6 power outlets in my kitchen. Two 20amp breakers in my panel supply power to them. I wanted to update my GFCI outlets, with new ones (old ones were installed when the house was built, 1994). ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views

How should I connect a new outlet cable to a box with two existing cables?

I have a outlet that supplies a garage door opener. It has two black wires and two white wires. One black is hot. I want to use this outlet as a power source to install outdoor spotlight. I ran new ...
3
votes
1answer
54 views

Are “pigtailed” conductors at an outlet required to comply with the length requirements of 300.14 for conductors that are spliced in the box?

I normally make any pigtails at an outlet or switch box about six inches, same as the requirement found in 300.14 for spliced conductors that emerge from their cable or raceway into the box, but an ...
5
votes
3answers
730 views

Tap Oven Electricity for Outlet

I just purchased a new house that has the oven in the island in the middle of the kitchen. Not the stove, just the oven. But there are no electrical outlets on the island. Can the oven electrical ...
1
vote
0answers
66 views

Attaching a ground wire to a prong that plugs into an outlet adapter

The outlet shown in the image below doesn't have a ground wire connecting to its receptacle. A friend of mine is helping me setup a ups that requires ground wire, however what he did was run a ground ...
14
votes
3answers
5k views

How can an outlet with only 2 wires (hot and neutral) be grounded?

I live in a home that was built in the late 1930s with some old electrical wiring and some new wiring. As I was identifying which outlets and lights are controlled by which wires I discovered a ...
1
vote
2answers
202 views

Garage wiring puzzle

I'm trying to figure out the wiring in my finished garage. It has two ceiling junction boxes, with attached porcelain lights, and three wall outlets. I'll say up front that all of this was done ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views

Wiring ceiling light from switch that controls outlet [duplicate]

I am trying to add a ceiling light to a switch that currently controls a floor outlet (top plug only). Coming into the light switch are a ground, a hot and a switched hot. I have pulled an ...
0
votes
2answers
56 views

gfci outlet to switch for garbage disposal

I wanna start by saying I'm learning I'm by no means an electrician. with that said I would.like to know if I hooked this gfci to switch up correctly for a garbage disposal. the garbage disposal is ...
2
votes
3answers
115 views

How to fix an electrical outlet where the threaded mounting hole is stripped?

The threaded mounting hole in my electrical outlet is stripped; please refer to where the top flat-head screw is in the photo. As a result, the electrical outlet is not physically stable. How should ...
14
votes
1answer
2k views

Is this box bonded properly to the ground?

The receptacle is from the mid-1950's and my multimeter shows that it is grounded. There are a solid 120 volts when testing between live and ground. I noticed a bare copper wire coming from the cloth ...
12
votes
7answers
3k views

Outlet screwed directly into stud

I was replacing old outlet in my house and came across an outlet that is screwed directly into the studs. Also the stud and the junction box were cut to fit the outlet. The new outlet is too big to ...
3
votes
5answers
135 views

How do I know if this switch box has a neutral wire?

This outlet is two rocker switches. Left controls my bathroom light (4), right controls my bathroom fan (3). I am trying to install a timer switch so the fan is only on for ~30 min at a time. The ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views

Help/Advice Half hot receptacle

Half hot receptacle and the regular receptacle: always hot receptacle controls (powers) other power receptacles down the line . What's throwing him off (Mr) is there are black and white wires crimped ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views

Does it violate US wiring code to have non-standard outlets?

Note: this is entirely theoretical. I have no (current) plans to actually do this. Would I violate any state/national building/electrical codes if I installed BS 1363 (UK plug/socket) sockets on a ...
1
vote
2answers
48 views

AFCI Breaker tripping

hoping to pick your brain about some electrical issue I'm having. The outlets in 3 of my rooms stopped working - the AFCI breaker (15 a) for that circuit is tripping and won't reset. The lights are on ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views

electrical outlet problem

I just moved into a new place. I plugged my vacuum into an electrical outlet, my vacuum won't turn on. So I tried the other side, my vacuum turns on. I then plug in a lamp to the side that won't work ...
6
votes
3answers
707 views

Replacing a power outlet safely

I want to replace some power outlets in my condo with ones that have built-in USB ports. The condo was built in 2008. My thinking is I can simply turn off the breaker for those outlets and get to ...
1
vote
3answers
80 views

Outlet turning on ceiling fan

I have two switches in my kitchen for the ceiling fan. One red, white, black and ground wire. It was replaced with a receptacle but the fan and other lights on that circuit only work when you plug ...
2
votes
5answers
134 views

Using non-metallic cable with this metal box having armored cable attached?

I'm planning to using this existing outlet to add an additional outlet for a TV directly above. The kit I purchased has a plastic old work receptacle box. Can I use building wire (Romex) into this ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views

What range of heights are allowed for wall receptacles?

I need to mount a receptacle on a basement wall. If I can mount it high enough, it can go on the wood cripple wall instead of having to drill into the concrete and risk the excellent watertightness ...
7
votes
5answers
1k views

Adding an outlet above this metal box

I'm trying to install a new outlet about 3 feet above an existing outlet (for a wall-mounted TV). It appears that the existing outlet is in the middle of the run, so I'm not sure how I would add the ...
2
votes
2answers
75 views

Can I convert a wall lamp into a usb socket?

I've recently moved house, and there is a wall lamp, see picture, which we never use, and i was wondering if i could put a usb socket there instead so i could charge bike lights and similar ...
0
votes
4answers
69 views

Have a weird light switch issue happening

Trying to set up a new pantry light. I want to tie this into the outlet that is controlled in the switch in the pantry. However when I rigged it like in this image it's all reversed. When I turn the ...
3
votes
2answers
79 views

Moving electrical outlet 3 feet to the left

this is my first post here. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I recently bought a new home and basically I need to move an electrical outlet 3 feet to the left so that it is hidden by ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views

Outdoor outlet lost power

Christmas decoration lights were plugged into outlet while sprinklers were running. Came to find out lights were out, outlet had no power, and all other outdoor outlets around the house lost power. ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views

All my outlets seem to be dead

So after an overload from a power tool, I completely lost all my outlets but the breaker didn't trip. I pulled that outlet and even removed the box to inspect as much wire as I could but there was no ...
2
votes
2answers
110 views

Does an existing unprotected conductor need to be immediately rewired?

While cleaning up under the sink, I noticed that an existing owner wired the disposal outlet as shown: It has a red conductor traveling into the crawlspace without a plastic or metallic sheath. I ...
0
votes
3answers
83 views

When GFCI trips, metal enclosure becomes energized

Sooooooo, the box is grounded to the receptacle. Also the outlet has no power coming out of it, though when I hit the test button the metal box becomes energized. But the outlet lets me test/reset at ...
1
vote
2answers
72 views

Add double outlet to existing circuit

I can't find a question like this, but I might not be using the right terms. I am in the US. I need to add a double outlet to an existing circuit. I have all the wires in place, but I don't know how ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views

power to outlet until something is plugged in

I have a single item on the line. I have power on that line until I plug something in and then I lose power to that outlet. I replaced both the circuit breaker and outlet. Suggestions please.
0
votes
3answers
32 views

USA Mains black to device black & Mains red to device white

First of all let me get this out of the way: Some things are not designed to work with the higher voltage and if that's the case then obviously you wouldn't attempt it with that specific device. ...
3
votes
2answers
71 views

Is this outlet wired to a switch correctly?

I have been upgrading to grounded outlets in my 1950s house and I just want to make sure that this particular outlet was wired appropriately by the previous homeowner. This outlet is controlled by a ...
2
votes
2answers
137 views

Are AC-DC 5V power supply modules legal in USA if mounted inside an outlet box?

I'm wall mounting a tablet and need to supply 5V. I've seen posts on how this can be achieved but my question is specifically about these types of power supply modules: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i....

1 2 3 4 5 … 21