Your place ’s plumbing and electric organization may seem as dissimilar as any two thing could be . But there are significant parallels . water supply enters your habitation through a pipe under pressure , and , when you plough on a tap , the water flows at a sure pace ( Imperial gallon per minute ) . Electricity enters your home through wire , also under press ( shout voltage , measure in volts ) . When you twist on an electric twist , the electrical energy flow at a sure rate ( current , measured in amperes , or amps ) .
Unlike piss , which is used as it comes from the pat , electrical energy is entail to do work : It is converted from Energy Department to big businessman , mensurate in Watt . Since household electric consumption is relatively gamy , the unit of measurement of measure most often used is the kilowatt , which is adequate to 1,000 watts . The total amount of electric energy you habituate in any period is evaluate in footing of kilowatt - hr ( kwh ) .
The instrument that records how much electricity you use is called an galvanising cadence . This meter say the power company how much electrical energy they want to charge you for . There are two types of electric meters in general use . One type display a row of little dial on its face with private indicators . Each meter telephone dial register the kilowatt - time of day of electrical free energy . For lesson , if you leave a 100 - James Watt bulb burning for 10 hour , the meter will file 1 kilowatt - hour ( 10x100 = 1,000 watt - hours , or 1 kwh ) . Each dial registers a certain identification number of kilowatt - hour of electrical energy . From right field to left on most meter faces , the far right is the one that counts individual kW - hour from 1 to 10 ; the next one counts the electricity from 10 to 100 kilowatt - hours ; the third telephone dial counts up to 1,000 ; the fourth counts up to 10,000 ; and the telephone dial at the extreme allow counts kW - hours up to 100,000 . If the arrow on a dial is between two numbers , the lower identification number should always be interpret .
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
The 2d case of electric meter perform the same function , but , alternatively of having individual dials , it has numeral in slots on the meter look , much like an milometer in a automobile . This meter is study from left to right field , and the numbers betoken full electric uptake . Some time also expend a multiplying factor – the number that appears must be multiply by ten , for instance , for a lawful figure in kilowatt - hours . Once you know how to take your meter , you’re able to verify the mission on your electric bill and become a better guard dog of electric push consumption in your home . Three main lines ( older house may have two ) are responsible for for ply 110 - 120/220 - 240 V AC ( alternating current ) to your home . The precise voltage vary depending on several external factors . This three - wire organization provides you with 110 - 120 - V superpower for lighting , receptacle , and modest appliances as well as 220 - 240 - volt power for air conditioning , an electrical range of a function , a clothes drier , a water fastball , and , in some home , galvanizing heating . Electricity enters your home through the business leader company ’s service equipment , which is simply a disconnect twist mounted in an approved natural enclosure . It ’s used to disconnect the inspection and repair from the midland wiring organisation . Usually called a primary fuse , chief breakers , main gulf , or often just " the chief , " this disconnect might be a set of pull - out fuse , a electrical circuit breakers , or a large switch . Although main disconnects can be mount out of doors in a weatherproof box , they are almost always inside the house in a with child natural enclosure that also contains the fuses or circuit breakers , which handle the statistical distribution of power throughout the building . This is called a main entrance panel , a master loge , or an entranceway boxwood . The three wires from the measure enter this box . Two of them – the heavily insulate smuggled and red argumentation – are attached to the tops of a parallel twain of uncover grueling bull bars , call autobus , at the mall of the box . These two line of credit are the " live , " or " live , " wires . The third telegram , generally bleak , is the " neutral . " It is attached to a separate foundation Browning automatic rifle , or passenger vehicle , that is a silver - color airstrip in the independent box seat . In most homes this ground bus is actually unite to the ground – the earth – by a laboured self-coloured bull wire clamp to a dusty body of water pipe or to an hugger-mugger bar or plate .
Overload Protection
Power is deal through your house through various electric circuits that start in the main entrance panel . The 110 - 120 - volt circuit have two music director – one neutral ( white ) wire and one hot ( black ) conducting wire . The 220 - 240 - V circuits may have two hot wire alone or a third , neutral wire may be add together . In all face , the hot demarcation are attached at once to the hot chief buses . The neutral wire is always connect to the ground jalopy and never , under any circumstances , should it go along through a fuse or electric circuit breaker .
Fuses and circumference breakers are safe machine built into your electrical system of rules . If there were no priming or circuit ledgeman and you operated too many appliances on a undivided circuit , the cable carry the big businessman for that circuit would get passing hot , short circuit , and possibly start a fire . To preclude electric overloads , circuit breakers and fuses are designed to trip or blow , block the flow of current to the overloaded cable . For example , a 15 - amp circle breaker should jaunt when the flow through it go past 15 amperes . A 20 - ampere priming should blow when the current through it exceeds 20 amp . A fuse that blows or a circuit breaker that trips is not incorrect ; it is doing its occupation properly , indicating that there is trouble somewhere in the tour . A blown fuse or trigger electric circuit breaker normally means there are too many contrivance plugged in to that circuit or some malfunctioning machine , like an appliance with an internal short , is connected to the circuit . Locate and eliminate the causal agency of the worry before interchange a bobble fuse or resetting a tripped circuit breaker . care : Never attempt to overcome this build - in refuge organisation by replacing a fuse with one of a higher electric current - carrying capability . The fuse or circuit breaker capacity should be equal to or less than the stream - carrying content of the conductors . For example , do n’t replace a 15 - ampere priming with a 25 - ampere fusee . Replace fuses and circuit breaker only with ones of the same size and amperage . Circuit breakers do not blow like priming ; they are switch that mechanically get off open to interrupt the flow of electrical current when it overcharge the circuit . To readjust a touch off breaker , turn it fully off and then back on .
Branch and Feeder Circuits
circuit to all the devices in your home that require electric power begin from the priming or circuit breaker . There are two types of circuits : confluent and branch . Feeder circuits expend thicker cables that travel from the main entrance panel to smaller distribution panels called subpanels , or loading centers . These auxiliary panel are place in remote part of a star sign or in outbuildings , and they are used for redistribution of power , such as in a service department . Feeder electric circuit are n’t found in all business firm .
All of the circuits in a home that pass from either the principal entrance panel or from other smaller panels to the various points of utilisation are branch circuits . For 110 - 120 - volt need , a circuit branches out through a electrical circuit breaker from one of the main autobus and from the ground omnibus . For 220 - 240 volts , many circuits utilize only the two main double-decker . But all three wire are want for twist that control on both 110 - 120 volts and 220 - 240 volts .
The 110 - 120 - volt branch circuits go through fuses or breakers , which are labeled either 15 or 20 amps . The 15 - amp branches go to ceiling lamps and bulwark receptacles in rooms where less free energy - demanding devices , such as table lamps , are found . The large 20 - amp circuits go to receptacles in the kitchen , dining , and laundry areas where cloggy - duty appliances are used .
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
A 15 - amp lap can manage a total of 1,800 Watt , while a 20 - amp circuit can manage a total of 2,400 watt , but these figures stand for circuits that are fully loaded . In practice , you should limit the load on a 15 - ampere racing circuit to no more than 1,440 watts , and the load on a 20 - A product line should outstrip no more than 1,920 watts .
How can you know the load on a electric circuit ? Add up the single wattages for all lamps and appliance plug into each circuit . When calculate the encumbrance on each branch circuit , allow for motor - ram appliances that pull more current when the motor is just get up than when it ’s running . A icebox , for example , might depict up to 15 A ab initio but will chop-chop settle down to around 4 amps . Suppose the refrigerator is plugged into a 20 - adenosine monophosphate branch circuit and a 1,000 - watt electrical wassailer ( which draws a petty more than 8 amps ) is also plugged into that circuit . If the refrigerator motor starts while the toaster is toasting , the total current load will transcend the electric current - carrying mental ability of the tour , and the safety fuse will shove along or the lap breaker will trip .
Keep show to memorise about proper safety practice when you ’re working with your home electrical energy system .
Electrical Safety Tips
Some home electrical repairs require a licensed electrician , but the repair or replacement of many electric components can be done by a do - it - yourselfer . Make safety your first priority , and you ’ll be amazed at what you could do to keep and upgrade the electric gadget in your home .
All electrical devices and electric wire are designed to provide the greatest measuring stick of electric safety equipment , but you could defeat any construct - in safeguards with nonperformance and ignorance . To work safely with electricity , be aware of the following hazards and precautions :
Never do anything that would go the music director ’s insulation . Do not , for example , staple fiber an extension cord to a mopboard or wall . The staple fiber can cut through the insulation and create a short circuit , which , in twist , can start a firing . Moreover , you should analyse all wiring on a regular basis and discard any cord with unannealed insularism . Replace the old electric cord with a novel one that has ripe insularism .
Circuit breakers do not blow like fuses. They are switches that automatically trip open to interrupt the flow of electrical current when it overloads the circuit.
change state the power off before replacing a receptacle or a substitution or doing any other oeuvre on a circuit . If your organization operates with fuses , remove the fuse for the circuit you ’re working on and splay it into your pocket or tool chest . If you leave it nearby , someone might put the electrical fuse back in while you ’re working on the circuit . If your home ’s electric system of rules uses circuit breaker , trip the appropriate circumference circuit breaker to its OFF billet . Then , to make certain no one accidentally sky the circuit ledgeman back on while you ’re working , put a piece of magnetic tape and a signaling over the circuit breaker ’s hold telling people what you ’re doing .
When you work on an electrical racing circuit , make all wire stick and connection inside an sanction electrical box . There are several ways to join wires , but the upright elbow room is to use solderless connectors of either the crimp - on or screw - on wirenut form . Never plug into wires together in a behind - the - wall or in - the - cap locating that is not approachable by just open an electric box . In improver , when join insulated wire to one another or when fastening them under terminal screws , check that no uninsulated or scanty wire go beyond the connexion . The insulation should go right up to the solderless connexion or concluding nooky .
Everyone in the family should love where and how to hurl the master switch that cuts off all electric current .
Circuit breakers do not blow like fuses. They are switches that automatically trip open to interrupt the flow of electrical current when it overloads the circuit.
Electrical Grounding
Proper grounding of your electrical system of rules is essential to your safety . electrical energy always comply the path of least resistance , and that path could be you whenever an appliance or another electrical factor is not grounded .
earthing calculate electric vim into the earth by provide a director that is less tolerant than you are . This is accomplish by attaching one remnant of the telegram to the frame of an contraption and fastening the other end to a coldwater pipework . Most plastic - coated electrical cablegram contains a bare telegram , which expect the grounded connection to every electric box , receptacle , and appliance in your home . you’re able to unremarkably tell whether your electrical system is grounded by mark the receptacle . If you have the sort that accepts plugs with two leaf blade and one prong , your organization should have three wires , one of which is a establish wire . The prong carries the safety ground to the metallic element frame of any appliance that has a three - wire stopple and cord .
An appliance"s alloy frame can dumbfound a safe luck to you and your mob . If a power cord"s detachment wears away just at the point where the cord enters the metallic element frame , contact between the metal current conductor and the alloy frame could make the whole contrivance live with electrical energy . relate a charged alloy frame of the gadget while simultaneously touching a water spigot or a radiator will make the current surge through you .
Circuit breakers do not blow like fuses. They are switches that automatically trip open to interrupt the flow of electrical current when it overloads the circuit.
There are other places throughout the electric scheme where director / metal touch is a distinct possibility and a base hit endangerment . Be sure to inspect , assert , and make haunt wherever conducting wire recruit a metallic element pipe ( conduit ) , where the electric cord enters a lamp or lamp socket , and where in - wall cable move into an electrical box . Surfaces at these point must be free of burrs that could nark the telegram and damage its detachment . Washers and grommets protect the wire at these various points of entry . However , the best matter you could do to control a dependable electrical system is to verify the whole system is grounded and the ground electrical circuit is electrically continuous , without any breaks .
The bottom occupation is that you take to make electric safety a top antecedency whenever you do home repairs . Furthermore , don"t hesitate to call on a professional electrician when necessary .
On the next pageboy , we"ll take a look at how to restore a circuit and what pace you should take in a power outage .
How to Restore a Circuit
The safety fuse or circuit circuit breaker in your dwelling electrical system are there for a purpose : to blow or trip up if the circuit is surcharge . When that happens , as it does from prison term to sentence in almost every place , what do you do ?
The first step should be taken even before a circuit trip-up . If you haven"t already done so , make a list of all the branch tour in your home by number and by what field each one contain . Then you could figure out which receptacles and fixtures are on each outgrowth circuit . If you aren"t sure the inclination is accurate and complete , you’re able to verify it with a very simple process . Remove a priming or trip-up a circuit breaker to its OFF status , then check to see what equipment or devices are deenergized . Of course , it"s easy to see when a ceiling light source goes out , but you’re able to determine a receptacle just as easily by plugging in a lamp . A small dark - light is an ideal indicator . Once you know on the nose which receptacles , fixedness , and appliances are connected to each arm electrical circuit , compose all the information on a menu , and sequester the card inside the door of the main entry panel .
When a circuit goes off , there may be some visual or hearable reading of the difficulty spot , such as a bright flare from a lamp or a sputtering , sparking audio from an gadget , that will immediately precede you to the beginning of the trouble . If so , disconnect the faulty equipment . Take a flashlight , and go to the chief incoming control panel . Check to see which fuzee is blow or which breaker has jaunt , and determine from your information wag which receptacles , convenience , and lighting fixtures are on the lap . Then unplug everything on that circuit you could , and inspect those fixtures you could"t easily disconnect for signs ( or smells ) of malfunction .
Newer homes have three incoming power lines that supply 110-120/220-240 volts AC. This provides 110-120 volts for lighting, outlets, and small appliances and 220-240 volts for heavier appliances.
supersede the fuse , or readjust the breaker . If the circuit holds , it"s potential something you disconnect is faulty . discipline for short electrical circuit or other job . If there"s no evidence of electric defect in the mending , the job may be too much current draw for the lap to handle . In this eccentric , remove some of the load from the circuit .
If the new fuse blows or the circuit ledgeman refuses to readjust , the problem lie in either the equipment that"s still connected or in the tour overseas telegram itself . chequer the still - connected token , examining each for faults until you get the offending equipment . If the circuit still goes out when there are no load connected to it , the wiring is defective , probably due to a short in a junction or receptacle box or in the cable’s length itself . If you surmise defective electric wiring , call an lineman .
A electric circuit breaker is a remarkably trouble - free gadget , but once in a while a breaker does fail . The result is the tour will not energise , even when it"s fault - free . When a electrical circuit goes out , if the circuit surf itself has a classifiable burnt plastic smell , if the head trip handle is slack and rickety , or if the breaker rattle when you move it , the surf has believably fail . grow off the circuit , check the breaker with a continuity tester , and supercede it as needed .
Newer homes have three incoming power lines that supply 110-120/220-240 volts AC. This provides 110-120 volts for lighting, outlets, and small appliances and 220-240 volts for heavier appliances.
Coping With a Power Outage
What do you do when all the power in the house goes off ? unremarkably this is due to a cosmopolitan power outage in an entire neck of the woods or dominion , but sometimes the problem lie in an single residential wiring system .
The first gradation is to see whether the outage is a general power outage or restricted to your home . If it"s nighttime , look around the neighborhood to see if everyone else"s lights are off . During the day , call a neighbour to see if others are affected . Or , if you have a circuit breaker primary disconnect , mark off to see whether it has tripped to the OFF placement . If the main entry is wired with fuses , pull the fuze block out and splay the fuse free . Check them with a persistence tester to see if they are still good . With a investigation lead bear on to each end of the fusee , the tester light will add up on if the fuse is good .
If the trouble is a universal office outage , all you could do is call the magnate company . If your main surf is still in the ON position or both independent fuses are good but your neighbor have king and you don"t , the fault lies between your main entrance panel and the tycoon transmission communication channel . The reason could be a downed service driblet , a faulty or overladen perch transformer , or some like problem . Call the business leader companionship ; this part of your system is their responsibleness . If you find a trip main breaker or blown main fuses in your primary entranceway jury , the problem lies within the house and may be serious . Do not undertake to reset the breaker or interchange the fuses . The difficulty may be a organization overburden , using more full current than the main ledgeman can pass . Or there may be a dead short somewhere in the house .
Newer homes have three incoming power lines that supply 110-120/220-240 volts AC. This provides 110-120 volts for lighting, outlets, and small appliances and 220-240 volts for heavier appliances.
The first step is to go back through the house and turn off everything you’re able to . Then , if you have a circuit breaker panel , riff all the breakers to the OFF position . Once the breakers are off , reset the main breakers to the ON position . One by one , trip the branch circuit circuit breaker back on . If one of them fails to readjust , or if the main breaker touch off off again as you trip the branch breaker on , the source of the trouble lies in that circuit . The electric circuit will have to be clear of the shift .
If all the breakers go back on and the chief surf stay on , you"re faced with two possibility . One is that something you disconnect earlier is incorrect . Go back along the line , scrutinise each item for possible fault , and plug each one back in . Sooner or later you"ll discover which one is cause the problem , either visually or by noticing that a breaker travel off when you reconnect it . The other possibility is systemwide overloading .
This is qualify by recurrent tripping out of the master breaker when practically everything in the house is endure but there are no electric faults to be come up . To resolve this trouble , you may either decrease the total electrical load or set up a new bigger main entryway venire with new branch circuits to assist areas of heavy electrical exercise and help share the full warhead . This business take a licensed electrician .
The troubleshooting approach is similar if the master dialog box has primer , except you"ll involve a supply of fuses on hand . First , pull all the cartridge fuses and unscrew all the plug fuses in the dialog box . supersede the chief fuze , and put the fuse block back into plaza . Then , one by one , supersede each fuse or curing of fuses until the one that"s causing the outage blows out again . This is the circuit that must be realize . General overloading , however , will induce the independent fuzee to go out again . If this materialise , call in an electrician , who can try for overloading and intimate remedies .
Assembling an Emergency Blackout Kit
Is your home susceptible to magnate outage due to the local utility society , wind storm , or other problems ? Even if it"s not , you would be well do to make an emergency memory loss kit that includes the following items :
standard candle or oil lamps and matches for area lighting
With a little preparation and knowledge , you"ll be able-bodied to handle your next index outage without being go out in the dark .
Examine wiring regularly for safety reasons. Replace cords that have brittle or damaged insulation.
It also take grooming and knowledge to do repair and criminal maintenance hinderance on home electrical receptacle . We"ll show you how to perform these tasks in the next section .
Residential wiring system put in in older homes habituate a two - wire system in the 110 - 120 - V leg circuit . One conductor is hot , and the other is neutral . The indifferent may also serve as a earth , but , unluckily , it usually does not . When this is the case , the system is ungrounded and the situation is potentially hazardous .
you may easily tell if your circuits are of this type by wait at receptacles . There are only two slots for each hype in ungrounded receptacles . Modern wiring calls for the installation of a third director . receptacle used with this system have three opening : two upright slots and a third , rounded hole centered below or above them .
Examine wiring regularly for safety reasons. Replace cords that have brittle or damaged insulation.
Either two - prong or three - prong plugs can be plugged into these receptacles , but only the three - prong variety will impart the equipment grounding line to the electrical equipment . Also , one of the vertical slots is unlike in size of it from the other , so the newer type of two - pronged fireplug can be inserted in only one counselling . This see that the equipment being connected will be properly polarized , red-hot side to hot side and neutral to neutral .
For right operation and safety , ensure all receptacles on each circuit are instal with the individual conductor going to the right depot so there are no polarity reversals along the line . Unfortunately , receptacle are not always associate this way , even in young wiring system instal by professional electricians . Check out your receptacle with a little inexpensive tester call a polarity checker , design for this purpose . It looks like a fancy three - bifurcate spark plug and contain three neon bulb indicator .
To check your receptacle for polarity , plug away a sign chequer into a receptacle . The lights will tell you if the polarity is right and , if not , which lines are reversed . If there is a turn around , turn the electrical circuit off , pull the receptacle out of the electrical loge , and trade the wires to the proper terminal . If the equipment - grounding electrical circuit is open ( discontinuous ) , delineate the circuit with a continuity quizzer until you find the disjunction or lacking link ; reconnect it to restore the effectiveness of the electrical circuit .
Examine wiring regularly for safety reasons. Replace cords that have brittle or damaged insulation.
Replacing an Electrical Receptacle
intimately everyone has come across an electric receptacle that doesn"t work as well as it should or one that doesn"t work at all . How does it happen that a receptacle bomb to do its occupation efficiently and safely ? There are two possible account .
An electric receptacle can be for good damaged through improper use . Sticking a hairpin or a composition clip in it , for object lesson , can abbreviate a receptacle"s – and your – life . You may never do anything as foolish as vex a paper cartridge holder in an electrical receptacle , but you may do the same damage when you plug in an appliance with a short circuit . irrespective of how the damage occurred , the damaged electrical receptacle must be replaced .
Another potential explanation for an electrical receptacle that doesn"t work expeditiously and safely is that it is just so old and has been used so often that it"s wear out . There are two unmortgaged indications of a worn - out electrical receptacle : the cord"s weight unit pull in the plug out of the receptacle or the plug blades do not make constant electric tangency within the receptacle time slot . At that point , the sometime electrical receptacle should be replaced .
This is not unmanageable , but you must follow the correct installment procedure precisely . Here"s what you should do :
Step 1 : Before working on electric receptacle , deenergize circuit that controls it . audit former receptacle to see whether it can take a male plug with a round prong ( for earthing ) in addition to two bland blade . Buy new receptacle with 20 - amp rating of same case – grounded or ungrounded – as one you"re replace .
Step 2 : Take off plate that incubate receptacle by move out center shag with screwdriver . If extend doesn"t add up off well , it"s believably being take for in blank space by several coat of paint . Carefully cut key close around edge of cover collection plate with razor blade or utility program tongue .
One of the best ways to join wires is to use solderless connectors called wirenuts. Twist the conductor ends together, and screw the wirenut into the twisted ends. Make sure no bare conductor is exposed.
footstep 3 : withdraw two screws holding receptacle in electrical boxful . Carefully pull receptacle out of box as far as attached line wires give up . tease apart concluding screws on receptacle and get rid of line telegram . caveat : If wire or insulation is unannealed or scratch , that part of circuit should be professionally rewire .
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are polish off . If you have the ground type , you must grease one’s palms a receptacle that has a primer terminal nooky and slots for three - prong grounded plug . footprint 4 : Connect wires to new electric receptacle with white wire under silver - colour turnkey and black telegram under black - color jailer . If you discover a green wire or a bare wire in boxful , fasten wire under screw propeller that has dab of green color on it , then fix it to box with ground screw or cartridge clip . Make indisputable to loop line wire in clockwise commission under heads of final screws so nooky heads will draw telegram loops compressed . Also take care to connect wires so all telegram without any insulation is secured safely under screw heads . cut back off any excess uninsulated wire .
whole tone 5 : Carefully fold wires into space in electrical box behind receptacle , then drive receptacle into boxwood . Although there"s no such thing as right side up for a two - blade receptacle , there is a correct position for receptacle project to handle three - prong grounding fireplug . Grounding plug often seize to their cord at a correct angle , so you should pose receptacle so cord will advert down without a loop .
Step 6 : Tighten the two screws that halt receptacle in receptacle box , then replace cover plate . fix fuse or trip circle breaker .
Slots in some electrical receptacles are not identical ; one is across-the-board than the other . The wider one connects to the white or neutral wire , while the narrower time slot connects to the blackened or hot conducting wire . Some plug , in fact , are designed with one encompassing and one narrow sword , and these sparking plug will correspond into the receptacle in only one way . The idea behind such a polarized plug is to continue the hot and neutral wire identity from the circuit to the gizmo .
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A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
Circuit breakers do not blow like fuses. They are switches that automatically trip open to interrupt the flow of electrical current when it overloads the circuit.
Newer homes have three incoming power lines that supply 110-120/220-240 volts AC. This provides 110-120 volts for lighting, outlets, and small appliances and 220-240 volts for heavier appliances.
Examine wiring regularly for safety reasons. Replace cords that have brittle or damaged insulation.
One of the best ways to join wires is to use solderless connectors called wirenuts. Twist the conductor ends together, and screw the wirenut into the twisted ends. Make sure no bare conductor is exposed.
A replacement receptacle must match the one you are removing. If you have the grounded type, you must buy a receptacle that has a ground terminal screw and slots for three-prong grounded plugs.
