- 1). Turn off the circuit to the room you're wiring at the breaker box.
- 2). Remove the face plate to the outlet you're going to rewire by unscrewing the screws with the flathead screwdriver. Remove the screws at the top and bottom of the outlet box with the Phillips screwdriver. Put the screws in a safe place, where they will not be lost.
- 3). Remove the outlet from the electrical box.
- 4). Unfasten the three or four wires attached to the switch terminal. There are one or two black or dark-colored hot wires, one green grounding wire and one white neutral wire. (If there is only one black or dark wire, only follow the instructions for the hot wire.)
- 5). Cut the ends of the wires with the wire cutters. Strip the ends of these wires with the wire cutters until you have one-half inch of exposed wires.
- 6). Loosen the ground screw at the end of the new outlet-switch combination box with the Phillips screwdriver. Wrap the exposed ends of the ground wire clockwise around the exposed portion of the ground screw. Tighten the screw with the Phillips screwdriver.
- 7). Loosen the brass screw on the new outlet-switch combination box with the Phillips screwdriver. Wrap the exposed ends of the black or dark-colored hot wire clockwise around the exposed portion of the brass screw. Tighten the screw with the Phillips screwdriver.
- 8). Loosen the silver screw on the new outlet-switch combination box with the Phillips screwdriver. Wrap the exposed ends of the white wire clockwise around the exposed portion of the silver screw. Tighten the screw with the Phillips screwdriver.
- 9). Loosen the remaining screw on the new outlet-switch combination box with the Phillips screwdriver. Wrap the exposed ends of the final black or dark-colored wire, which will be impacted by the switch being turned on and off, around the exposed portion of the remaining screw. Tighten the screw with the Phillips screwdriver.
- 10
Place the light switch and outlet combination back into the electrical box. Screw the mounting screws back into their proper holes. - 11
Place the new face panel on top of the newly installed outlet and light switch. Screw the screws that hold the panel back in place. - 12
Turn on the circuit to the room you're wiring at the breaker box.
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