How to Switch a Light Fixture to a Three Prong Outlet

Turn Off Current

• 1

  Locate the breaker box containing all circuit breakers for the home. The breaker box is a large metal cabinet typically set into the wall of a garage or basement room. Find the particular breaker controlling the outlet within the breaker box. Turn the breaker to the "Off" position. If the home has a fuse box instead of a breaker box, locate the correct fuse controlling the outlet. Remove the fuse by unscrewing it completely from its housing.

• 2

  Confirm the power is off by plugging the light fixture in question into the outlet. Turn the fixture on. If there's no power running from the breaker, the fixture can't operate. If the fixture turns on, turn off the fixture and unplug it from the outlet. Repeat Step 1 until the correct breaker or fuse is off.

• 3

  Check for proper ground using the circuit tester. Connect the circuit tester's red probe to the outlet's short or "hot" prong. Connect the circuit tester's black probe to the screw that fastens the outlet's cover plate. If the tester lights up, the outlet has proper grounding. If the tester doesn't light up, the outlet doesn't have proper grounding and can't accept a three-prong outlet. Contact a licensed electrician to rewire the outlet.

Replacing a Two-Prong Outlet

• 4

  With the flat-head screwdriver, unscrew the plate holding the outlet in the receptacle box. Set the receptacle plate aside, along with its screws. Using the Phillips-head screwdriver, remove the two screws holding the outlet in place within the receptacle box. Set these screws aside. Gently pull the outlet away from the receptacle box. Disconnect the outlet from the home's wiring by removing the four terminal screws connecting it. Remove each wire from the two-prong outlet. Set the disconnected two-prong outlet aside.

• 5

  Spread the wires apart so no wire touches another wire. Return to the breaker or fuse box and restore power to the outlet by flipping the breaker switch or screwing the fuse back into place. Using the circuit tester, touch the red probe to a black-coated wire and touch the black probe to a white coated wire. If the the circuit tester lights up, these wires run directly into the breaker box and carry an electrical current. If the circuit tester doesn't light up, repeat the process on the other set of wires. Once the tester identifies the wires carrying electrical current, return to the breaker or fuse box. Turn off power to the outlet as you did previously.

• 6

  Using the four screws from the two-prong outlet, loop each electrical wire around each screw in a clockwise fashion one time. Using the Phillips-head screwdriver, attach the two screws identified as carrying electrical current to the terminals of the GFCI outlet labeled "line." Attach the screws holding the other two wires to the GFCI terminals labeled "load."

• 7

  Wrap electrical tape once around the GFCI outlet covering all four terminal screws.

• 8

  Using the two screws taken from the receptacle box in Step 1 of Section 2, attach the GFCI outlet to the receptacle box. Use the flat-head screwdriver to accomplish this task. Place the GFCI receptacle plate to the face of the receptacle box. Fix the plate to the receptacle box using the screws from the previous receptacle plate. Turn power back on to the outlet.

• 9

  Push the red button on the GFCI faceplate to trip the device's internal breaker. Press the white button immediately above the red button to reset the outlet. Plug in the light fixture to the outlet and turn the fixture to the "On" position.