wiring a grounded outlet?

Question

a DIY remodeling project - I yanked out a nasty old range-top microwave - and in doing so noted the wire was direct wired to the wiring in the wall -

in a pinch i just shut-off the fuse, undid the splices in the three wires, separately, and replaced the wire-cap twist things and taped them on a bit with black elec. tape

I'm no electrician... but this seems like a no-brainer (using all due caution of course...)

now the question- I mean, i assume the three wires are the +/-/ground... black ground- white and whatever-

I believe I have the know-how to just go to the hardware store and get a friggin outlet and just wire the thing- i've wired lamps, simple things... I weld, woodwork, sculpt - i know how things work ya know

whatdy'a say?

any suggested online tutelage?

Answer 1

the wire colors should be black(hot), white(neutral), bare copper(ground). next remember this pattern; black to brass, white to silver, bare to green. on the back side of the outlet the screws will be brass(gold), silver, and green. that's all there is to it. strip the wire back about 1/2" and bend it like a fish hook, and put it on the screw so the hook faces clockwise. that kinda tightens the wire as you tighten the screw. make sure the breaker or fuse is off/ out and give er a go! any troubles use tape and get back on and ask more ?'s. oh, one added bit of protection; when done tightening the screws, tape around the screws all the way around the outlet twice. it is just a bit of extra protection if you touch it or have the old metal box in the wall. good luck

Answer 2

No on all counts. Yes, the neutral is at or close to ground potential, but it is not a real safety ground. The reason the microwave manufacturer has that warning is to prevent electrocution if some part of the hot side of the AC power comes into contact with the housing of the microwave. To properly ground the outlet, you would need to run a third wire having green insulation back to the service panel, and connect that to the ground, which should be connected to the box. If you wish to ground more than one outlet, you would need to run a separate wire for each one back to the box, and install a ground bus. Operating the microwave without a grounded outlet (that is, using one of those 3-prong to 2-prong adapters), is possible, but there is a risk to doing that. Actually, there's a risk to operating any device that is not properly grounded, that is the reason the electrical codes all require 3 wire systems. Whatever you do, don't just install a 3 wire outlet and leave the ground lug hanging in space (or wired to a non-grounded box as one hardware store jock advised me). While the likelihood is slim, that could lead someone to believe it was a grounded outlet and result in an electrocution.

Answer 3

As an electrician, most of these answers are correct..Wrapping the conductor around the screw is the best bet. Wires stabbed in the back of the outlet can and will come loose. As current flows, the wire will expand and contract due to heat. A wire under the captive screw is there for good.

Many appliances now have a polarized plug. The cord will only plug in one way. This means the "hot" wire and "neutral" wire position must be kept constant to the appliance from the power panel. A recept. I recently saw, (made in Mexico) had 4 copper/brass colored screws instead of two silver and two brass.A quality control issue from the factory. What to do then for the average homeowner? Look at the receptacle face on. The smaller of the 2 slots is always where the "hot" wire will go. Hope this helps

Answer 4

You have several good answers already.

You do not need a EE degree to wire an outlet, but you really should know enough to know the terminology and the basics. Please do some reading before doing this project.

There is no plus or minus for AC power, like in a house or other building. There is for DC, as in a vehicle. In AC there is a hot and a neutral. A ground is not required for usage, but is for safety.

The hot is supposed to be black or red. The neutral is supposed to be white. The ground is supposed to be green or bare. I intentionally used the word supposed because you cannot assume it was done as it should be.

Home power has the ability to kill. It can, and does start fires, even if used properly. Play it safe. Do some reading before starting this project. From what you said, I'm sure you can easily learn enough to do this job properly, you seem pretty sharp.

Answer 5

Make sure that when you wire your plug you keep the polarity correct. The black wire goes to the brass screw and the white to the silver. The green goes to the green ground lug On the receptacle. It's best to wrap the wire around the terminal screw on the side instead of using the stab-in connectors on the back. If you use a metal receptacle box, I like to wrap the terminal screws with electrical tape.

Answer 6

Previous suggestions for wiring to the colored screws hold true. However, there's also outlets that have little holes in back. Instead of bending the wire to fit the screws, just tighten all 4 screws, remove about 1/4" of insulation from the wires, and push them into the holes! Just make sure you get them in the right holes. Black wire into the hole on the side the bronze screws are, white in the hole closest to the nickel screws. Ground wire will still have to be bent around the green screw, though. Double-check that the wires are seated and don't pull out of the holes (there's a little catch inside the hole for this) before screwing the outlet in place. Finally, when everything's back together, remember to turn the fuse box back on.

Answer 7

Black (hot) to black, white to white (neutral), whatever to whatever (I assume this is bare), ground. Your information indicates that you want to "bury" this wiring. As a DIY'er you can get away with it, but a qualified electrician would have to leave this wiring accessible. At least, use electrical tape on the "twist things" (wire nuts) to secure any non-accessible connection (this does not meet code), and cap. If possible, cut a hole into whatever you are covering this outlet with and cap it with a blank cover, that way any future DIY'ers will know what's available to them.

Answer 8

i would go with backyard he got my vote..(still can fig out why someone gave him a thumbs down) actually the 2 juice wires can be wired to either screw and the green/bare copper to the ground and it will work.. it might be reversed polairty but would still work.. very few things give fits when wired reversed. but do hook it up correct. there a a couple testers(10$) out that can tell you which is hot.

Answer 9

you habe to match the amp rating of the existing wirign with the amp rating of the recepticle. You cannot wire a 15 amp recepticle to a 20 amp circuit. Also, the "hot" side gets wired tot he brass terminals and the neutral side gets wire to the silver terminals. ground to the greeen terminal.

Answer 10

black is power / white is common / and green is ground .please don't hurt yourself. black goes on one side of you recep. white goes on the other side pigtail your ground frombox & outlet to feed in wall. OH YEAH turn off your power to that cicut first.