How to Wire a Gang Duplex

Switch off the electricity to the circuit you plan to wire. Test the circuit with a volt meter to ensure it is off. If you can't find the circuit breaker switch, switch off all the power to the building. Inform everyone in the building that you are working and tell them to not switch on the power until you're done.

Unscrew the face plate off of the 2-gang outlet.

Determine if this outlet is at the end of the circuit or in the middle. If it is at the end, one set of wires will be coming in. If it is in the middle, wires will be both coming in and going out.

Cut a 6-inch piece of wiring, remove the outer layer of insulation to separate the wires, and then strip an inch of insulation from either end of each wire. If your outlet is in the middle of the circuit, repeat this step one more time.

Remove any tape or wire nut on the wires inside the 2-gang duplex box. If there is just wire running through with no break, cut the wire in the middle. Pull some of the wire out of the outlet and bend it outward so that it doesn't slip back into the wall.

Strip an inch of insulation off the ends of any wires in the outlet.

Bend the bare end of all the stripped wires into a hook shape with the pliers.

Add pigtails to the wires if it is in the middle of the circuit. Take the bare ends of the two black wires in the outlet, match them with the bare end of one of your 6-inch black wires, and then twist a wire nut onto all three. Repeat for the white and green wires. If the outlet is at the end of the circuit, skip this step.

Connect the black wire coming into the gang box to the top brass screw on the first outlet. Loosen the screw, slip the hook around the post, and then tighten the screw down firmly. If the outlet is in the middle, connect the first outlet to the pigtails.

Connect the white wire to the chrome screw on the top of the first outlet. Connect the green or bare wire to the green screw.

Connect the 6-inch sections of wire from the terminals on the bottom of the first outlet to the terminals on the top of the second outlet. Black goes to brass, white goes to chrome and green goes to green.

Push the outlets into the gang box, and then screw them to the brackets.

Attach a face plate with holes for the outlets.

Switch on the power and test the outlets.