How do I change a (2) prong electrical outlet, to a (3) prong outlet?
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Answers:
You just need to install a ground wire on the new 3 prong electrical outlet (the hole by itself is the ground). The three prong outlet has three wires, they are the positive, neutral, and ground wires. Try checking out http://www.electricaloutlet.info... for more information.
u can go to the store and buy a 3 prong one and plug it in the 2 pron one or you might have to get a electritian to come in and do it
Get the new face turn of the electricity to that socket and change it its pretty self explanitory.
Get an adapter at any hard-ware store. I got 3 for a $1 at Dollar General.
You could just replace the outlet so that you will be able to plug in things w/ 3 prongs, but the outlet wouldn't be grounded. In order for it to be grounded, you would have to run a ground wire from your electical panel to the outlet before replacing it. I strongly suggest hiring an electrician rather than doing it yourself unless you have some experience (which apparently you do not, else you wouldn't have asked this question...).
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-buy a 3 hole outlet
***switch off the electricity supply and off circuit breaker****
-unscrew the screws at the electrical outlet
-when u loosen the electrical outlet cover, u will see 2 wires connected to the switch which is fasten to a screw each, live and neutral
-unscrew them and fix them to the new 3 hole outlet live to live, neutral to neutral.
- now is the difficult part, the earth socket>
-u have to get wire of the same safety approved ratings by authorised whatever and connect it from the earth of ur socket to the ground/earth of ur home electrical circuit/system. ( if u dont understand what the f**k im talking, u better get a qualified electrician to change)
- check all the connection are correct live to live, neutral to neutral, earth to earth
- screw back all the screws
-switch on all the breakers and supplies
- DONE
Depends on what kind of wiring you have. If you have armored cable you can just swap the plug. Wire the black and white to the receptacle and leave the ground off. That's what I did at my house.
Armored cable has two wires inside a metal sheath. The metal sheath serves as the ground and it runs all the way back to the fuse panel. Of course all the boxes on the circuit must be metal so the ground 'wire' is continuous. When you are done test it with one of these.
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/homemaint...
They are inexpensive and will tell you if you have an open ground or other problems.
I would suggest putting in a gfci outlet this will give you better protection on a ungrounded circuit, now when you change out the outlet use a volt meter and test each wire to a ground to see which one reads 120v this will be your common ,(hot wire) you will install this wire with its partner the neutral to the line side of your gfci. the other wires you will put on the load side of the gfci. p.s. when you are doing this turn of the power in your breaker box. when you get all the wires disconnected from the outlet separate them so there not touching each other or anything around them, then turn on the power and test for your common when you have identified the line or common mark it and turn the power back off for installation.
The only time you should consider doing this is if you already have a ground wire present in the outlet box. If you do you will be able to measure 120 volts between this ground and the narrow slot in the two prong outlet.
If you do have a ground turn off the power to the outlet, remove the old outlet and replace it with the 3 pronged unit, connecting the ground wire to the green terminal, the black wire to the brass terminal and the white wire to the white terminal.
If you do not have a ground wire it is a code violation to put in the 3 prong outlet. Hire an electrician to get you a ground and do the job right.
Stick a fork in the receptacle to see if it is hot. If it is, turn the power off. Then drill a small hole big enough for the three prong plug to fit in the receptacle.
Pull out your phonebook, call a few electricians for estimates, don't touch anything. Painting a door and building a deck you can do yourself, plumbing and electrical work are the 2 DIY projects best left to the pros.
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