How To Replace an Outlet

[@surferdude642]

You should add metal spacers to bring the receptacle out flush to the wall for a solid tight fit. Unless you know already, I'd be suspicious of the ground wire. Since the older cable doesn't include the ground wire, it would have to be run separately from the electrical panel to each metal box. This is possible, but unverified by anyone watching your video. Someone could have run a ground wire to an ungrounded box, accomplishing nothing. You can verify this with a receptacle/gfci tester, not very expensive and good to have. You can also verify with a multimeter set to AC. With the cover off and the power on, one probe on the metal box or receptacle yoke and the other on the hot slot or hot screw. If you have a good ground, you'll measure appropriately 120v, if it shows very low voltage there's no ground.

[@jimmylipps8845]

@@surferdude642 that's great info about the grounding, thank you! I don't think that box is grounded seeing as it's older. I like to use the little soft plastic spacers to shim boxes out, I have not seen the metal ones.

[@surferdude642]

@@jimmylipps8845 I mentioned metal spacers assuming that the box is grounded, thereby giving an an additional ground contact. The metal ones are basically thick washers available at any hardware store or big box store. If the box is not grounded, then the material doesn't matter. You can use delrin, coil some 14 gauge wire around the screw threads, or use the soft plastic spacers that you mentioned. Longer screws would be handy. You may want to consider using a plastic box extension in addition to the spacers, or instead of, depending on which type you use. If you verify that the box is not grounded, then it's a do over if you want to be compliant. You can use a 2 prong receptacle or preferably a GFCI receptacle. A GFCI receptacle is a code compliant method when there's no ground, as it will still protect users from electrocution. If you use a GFCI receptacle, you are supposed to apply the supplied sticker "No Equipment Ground" to your cover plate. The other sticker "GFCI protected Outlet" is only for downstream protected outlets which is not the case here. Use a 15 amp receptacle regardless of whether it's a 15 or 20 amp circuit, however you can use a 20 amp receptacle if it is a 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire but there's no advantage.