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How to Install an Electrical Outlet from Scratch
HOW TO 
Tags: Electrical Outlets, Electrical Repair, Electrical Projects
If you are running out of outlets maybe you would like to consider installing another one. Below is how you can do this from scratch
| 1. | You need a wire from the circuit breaker panel to your outlet. |
| 2. | Based on how much load (meaning how much power will be drawn from the outlet) you can go with a 14-2 Romex cable(good for lights, TVs, standard outlets and small appliances) which is a thinner cable, or... you can go with a 12-2 Romex cable (good for heavier appliances along with outside, garage, bathroom, or kitchen outlets) which is a bit of a thicker cable. |
| 3. | If a 14-2 cable is run from the panel to the outlet, then a 15 amp circuit breaker is required to protect that circuit, however if a 12-2 cable is run from the panel to the outlet then a 20 amp circuit breaker is required to protect the circuit. |
| 4. | After running one end of your cable back to the main circuit breaker panel, you must staple your Romex neatly back to the outlet applying a staple every two feet from the next, and including a staple six inches from every box location. |
| 5. | After running one end back to the panel, the other end of the cable needs to run to wherever it is that the outlet is to be located and the wire to be put into an old work/new work box which is to be cut in or nailed to the wall/stud. |
| 6. | The end of the cable which is coming out of the box needs to be stripped down to a black, white, and copper wire. |
| 7. | The white wire (being your neutral wire) needs to be tightened down under either silver screw on the same side of the receptacle as the green (ground screw). |
| 8. | The black wire (being your power or "hot" wire) needs to be tightened down under the opposite side of the neutral wire and the ground screw, under the gold screw. |
| 9. | The copper wire (being your ground wire) needs to be tightened down under the green screw (ground screw). |
| 10. | Once your wire is correctly connected to the outlet at one end, the opposite end is ready to be tied into the circuit breaker panel. |
| 11. | Your white and copper wires are both to be secured under the neutral bar in the main panel which is located on both the left and the right side of the main circuit breaker panel. |
| 12. | Your black wire is to be screwed under a 15 amp breaker (being a 14-2 Romex cable) or a 20 amp breaker (being a 12-2 Romex cable). |
| 13. | Once both ends of your cable are secured properly, you may turn on your circuit breaker (it may be a 15 or 20 amp breaker) and it will power up your electrical socket that you have just installed. |
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