Adding an Electrical Outlet

I've talked about making simple electrical repairs before, but this is a different case - if you need to add an additional outlet, there's a few other things you need to do to complete this task.

If you're inexperienced in working with electricity, take a few minutes to read my previous post.  Everything in there applies - you'll want to make sure you've killed the power before working on anything.  As always, if you're not comfortable doing the job yourself, consider asking for help from  some knowledgeable person, or hiring an electrician.

In my case, I needed to install an outlet next to the dryer which would provide power to charge a small battery-powered vacuum.  This was an easy project, since there was an existing outlet on the other side of the wall.  Regardless of where you're getting your power, the steps are the same:

• Make sure you've got your supplies.  At a minimum, you'll need a box, receptacle, wire, plate cover, and wire nuts.  Assuming you're installing the outlet in an existing wall, you'll want an "Old Work Box". 

This is a typical old work box

• Choose the outlet you're going to use for power.  Make sure it has adequate capacity, and that it is not controlled by a switch. 
• Plan how you're going to route the cable to your new outlet.  In my case, it was easy, since I was just going through the wall.  In some cases, it will be difficult or impossible to avoid running the wire on the surface of a wall - if that's true in your case, you'll need to enclose your wire or cable into conduit.
• Verify that the power is off at the outlet from which you're pulling the power.
• Remove the existing outlet.  Disconnect the wires, making note of which wires go to the brass (hot) side.  This should be the black wire, with the white wire going to the silver screws.  If it isn't correct, verify with your meter which wire is hot, and mark it with black electrical tape.
• Mark out the outline of your box in the desired location, making sure you'll miss studs, pipes, or electrical cables.
• Cut the hole in the drywall, using a hand saw or oscillating multi-tool.  Check to make sure the box fits the hole.
• Route your wire from the source to your new outlet hole.  In my case, it was easy to push the wire through.  If you have a long run, you may need to use a fish tape reel to route the wire.
• Connect your wires at the source - hot to black, neutral to white.  Connect a third small wire ("pigtail" about 6" long to each, to hook back up to the outlet you removed in the earlier step.
  
• Connect the old outlet (hot to brass screw, neutral to silver screw), and re-install it in the outlet box.
• Route the cable through your new box, and install it in the hole you cut in the wall.  Strip about 6" off the end of the cable jacket, and hook up the receptacle (once again, making sure you put the black, or hot, wire on the brass screw).
• Install the receptacle in the box, install the outlet covers, and turn the power on.  Check to make sure you've got power at both outlets, and you're done!

  

  Wire pulled through, ready for the outlet.

  
  

  

  All done!

This is an easy do-it-yourself job - the hard part is routing the wire.  If you've got power close, like I did, it takes only a few minutes.  After rounding up all the parts, this job took me about a half hour to complete.