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How To Wire Electrical Outlets
Electrical outlets are also called receptacles and are places where you can plug in various electrical appliances. Some appliances, such as electric stoves and water heaters, need heavier receptacles and wiring than others. The outlets installed in modern homes have a half-round hole for the grounding plug on a cord. Older receptacles do not have this third hole and only have two long narrow openings. However, most appliances now have the grounding plug. When you replace one of these older receptacles, you will have to install a grounding box. Check first to see if there is one already there. To find out, turn off the power to this outlet from the main panel use a circuit tester to make sure there is no power on the outlet and remove it from the wall. If it is grounding box, it will have three differently colored screws - brass, white and green. The green screw is for the ground wire. When you connect the receptacle, connect the green screw to either a bare wire or to a metal electrical box to make sure it is properly grounded. Always make sure you have the proper receptacle for the type of plug the appliances uses. You should never try to force a plug into an outlet. You also have to check the amps and voltage of the outlet and always replace them with receptacles of the same kind. Outlets differ all over the world. In North America, the plug of an electrical appliance contains two long narrow prongs and a third narrow, rounded prong. In Europe, most plugs consist of two long, narrow and rounded prongs.
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