On Aug 13, 2:26*pm, Goog wrote:
I bought an old condo after moved out from my parents' house. *I would
like to replace all almond-color electrical plugs with white plugs.
The plug and the cover are pretty cheap at HD.

I pulled out one and it doesn't seem too complicate but I'm not sure.
What do I need to know before I will give it a shot?

You advice is greatly appreciated.

Angela

Don't buy the cheap outlets in the bulk 49 cent bin at the end of the
aisle. Look for "spec" or "commercial" grade ones, they'll be a few
dollars each, but will last longer and your plugs won't fall out of
them.

Some outlets let you just plug the wires into spring-loaded holes in
the back. Don't do that. Wrap the wires around the screws and tighten
them. (Some outlets let you insert wires into slots and then tighten
them with screws. That's ok, providing you can feel the wire fastened
tightly in the slot when the screw is tight.)

And get a 3-light outlet tester so you can make sure they're all
hooked up right. Use it on the old outlets *before* you disconnect
them, so you can see if the connections are right to begin with (and
then again to make sure the outlet is dead before you open it up.)

If you have any outlets where one plug is controlled by a wall switch,
look very carefully: you'll see the metal tab connecting the two hot
screws has been broken off. You'll need to duplicate this on the
replacement. Make sure to remember which hot wire is which (one of
them comes from the switch) when you reconnect it, so you'll know
which half is switched. If you forget to break the tab, you just won't
be able to switch the outlet off. You *may* find this also on some of
your kitchen outlets, where one of the hot wires will be red. If you
forget to break the tab on that one, expect rather more spectacular
results when you try to put the breaker back on.

If the old wiring doesn't have a ground, you *should* replace the
outlets with GFCI's, and use the "no equipment ground" sticker that
comes with them. Also any outlet near a sink, any outlet in the
bathroom and any outlet outdoors (in the U.S., maybe any outlet
anywhere in the kitchen?) should be GFCI.

As you work, keep notes of which outlets are on which breaker. This
will come in very handy someday.

If you find that some of the outlets are in holes in the wall without
boxes, or have multiple wires connected to one screw, or just plain
don't work ... well, you know where to find us.

Chip C
Toronto