- 1). Turn off the circuit breaker that feeds power to the GFCI that will be replaced. Make sure the GFCI's "Reset" button is pressed and plug in a portable electrical appliance (radio, table lamp). Turn on the appliance. If the appliance turns on, the wrong circuit breaker has been turned off. Turn off the correct breaker and test the circuit again.
- 2). Remove the screws and take off the GFCI's faceplate. Also remove the two screws holding the GFCI to the wall box. Pull out the GFCI. Loosen all terminal screws on the back of the GFCI -- one set of black and white wires will be marked "Load," the other set will be marked "Line." Pull out all wires, including the bare ground wires.
- 3). Cut off the bare copper ends of the wires, using wire cutters. Strip off 1/2 inch of plastic coating from both sets of black and white wires. Bend the ends of all wires into a hook shape, using long-nosed pliers. Attach the black "Load" wire to one brass-colored terminal, and the white "Load" wire to the silver terminal on the other side of the receptacle. Tighten the screws to the wires. Attach the black "Line" wire to the remaining brass terminal and the white "Line" wire to the remaining silver terminal. Tighten the screws to the wires. Attach the ground wires to the ground terminal.
- 4). Push the wires into the back of the box and attach the receptacle to the box with the two screws. Install the new faceplate to the front of the receptacle with the screw. Turn on the circuit breaker.
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