How to Change a Wall Outlet With No Ground Wire

Ungrounded wall outlets, identifiable because they have only two prong inlets, are commonly found in homes with older wiring. In 1962, changes to the electrical code required grounding for all branching electrical circuits, such as wall outlets. Creating a grounded circuit from an ungrounded circuit is cumbersome, although not overly difficult. Many homes still possess ungrounded wall outlets because of this problem. Replacing a faulty ungrounded receptacle with another ungrounded receptacle is allowed, and is the repair of choice for many homeowners.

Screwdriver
Multimeter or voltmeter

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the electrical circuit controlling the wall outlet. Electrical circuits are controlled by breakers found in the home's electrical service panel.
- 2
  Test the the outlet with a multimeter or voltmeter to verify that there is no electrical energy running through the outlet. If there is, the circuit breaker is faulty or the wrong breaker was turned off. (See Reference section for multimeter information.)
- 3
  Remove the wall outlet's cover by removing the screw or screws attaching it to the wall outlet and pulling it away from the wall.
- 4
  Remove the screws holding the two-prong receptacle to the wall outlet and pull it away from the wall carefully, because the electrical wires are still attached.
- 5
  Note the position of the two wires connected to the rear of the receptacle. Although there is no "set in stone" standard for wire coloring, the most common convention is to use black wires for "hot" or load-bearing wires and white for neutral wires. If this is not the case, load wires are often connected to the receptacle with a brass-colored screw, while the neutral is connected via a silver-colored screw.
- 6
  Remove the two wires, taking note of their color and orientation. Loosen the two screws holding their bare ends in place and pull the outlet receptacle away.
- 7
  Connect the wires to the screws on the new two-prong receptacle with the load and neutral wires in the same orientation as in the original installation.
- 8
  Replace the receptacle and outlet cover, securing them in place with the screws.
- 9
  Restore the electrical energy to the circuit and test the voltage with the multimeter or voltmeter. The voltage should read within a few volts of the outlet's specified rating. For reference, a standard 15-amp outlet should read approximately 120 volts.

How to Check a Lamp with a Multimeter

How to Check if an Electric Wall Outlet Is Grounded

Electrical Repairs