How to Move Electrical Sockets

Table of Contents

• • How do I stay safe when moving a socket?
  • How do I locate wall studs for a new socket?
  • How do I remove an old electrical socket?
  • How do I install a socket in a new location?
  • How do I secure the new electrical socket?

   
  If you’re refurbishing your home, or installing a new electrical device such as a mounted plasma television, then it may be necessary to move your wall sockets around or add in new ones for easier access. This job is not as daunting as you may think, and can be done on your own as long as you follow the right guidelines for how to move an electrical socket safely.

   

  How do I stay safe when moving a socket?

  You should never take risks with electrical safety. Before you begin any sort of electrical work in your home you need to turn off the power to the circuit which the outlet is connected to. In order to confirm that the power is really off, use a tester to test the voltage. This is a very vital step which should not be ignored.

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  How do I locate wall studs for a new socket?

  Once you’re ready to get started, the first thing you’ll need to do is locate the studs in the area of the wall where you’ll be moving the electrical outlet to. This can be done by using an electronic stud finder to locate the exact position of the wooden beams.

  The electrical box which usually holds the outlet inside the wall is attached to one side of the stud. The next step after you’ve located the studs is to hold the electrical box against the drywall close to the stud. After tracing the box on the wall, you then cut a hole into the drywall using a drywall saw.

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  How do I remove an old electrical socket?

  To remove the old socket from the wall, take out the screw from the plate cover of the outlet then use it to carefully take it off the wall. You should unscrew the mounting screw that holds the socket to the wall.

  After successfully doing so, pull the socket off the wall then loosen the terminal screws on the sides of the outlet with wires attached. Finally, ensure you separate the socket from the wires.

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  How do I install a socket in a new location?

  After having removed the previous socket, cut the hole where you will place the new socket. Pull one end of the cable from the original hole then take it out of the original hole. If it turns out to be excess, cut it so that it reduces to be reasonably long enough to fit into the new location. Next, slide the end of the cable through the knockout hole of the new electrical box. Insert the box into the hole in the wall then screw it to the stud.

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  How do I secure the new electrical socket?

  After inserting and fastening the box, bend the ends of the wires into hooks using a pair of pliers. Hook the end of the black wire on top of the terminal that’s brass coloured on the outlet, hook the end of the white wire on the silver coloured terminal and hook the bare wire made of copper to the green screw found at the bottom of the outlet. While doing this, ensure that you tighten the screws during all the steps.

  Finally, slide the outlet and wiring and right into the electrical box while keeping it secure, then mount it with screws. After screwing the plate cover onto the outlet, you’re free to turn on the circuit again. Finally, remove the initial electrical box then patch a hole in the wall of the original location of the outlet.

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