Installing USB wall outlets

I have slowly been going stir-crazy at the house because I have put myself on a strict budget and have no more spending money until next month. 

On one of my major Costco runs, I had come across these Feit Electric Wall Receptacle with USB Ports product in a 2 pack for $19.99. My dad had put these in their home and I found them super convenient so I'd had my eye out for some for awhile. I had seen these way back in October and bought them for whenever I got a chance to install them.

So, as I was looking around trying to figure out what I can do, I realized that I had these sitting around for awhile. My dad had told me changing out wall receptacles was really easy, but I've been putting off because quite frankly I am intimidated/scared when it comes to electrical.

Today seemed like a good day to conquer that fear. 

 

NOTE: ALWAYS make sure the power is disconnected before attempting anything like this. ALWAYS take precautions. This blog is not a comprehensive guide.  Be safe. If in doubt, call a professional. 

Before doing anything else, I experimented with the circuit panel to figure out how to disconnect the power to the outlet. After accidentally knocking out all power to the internet, I walked away with a much better understanding of what things are on what circuits in my home.  This led me to relabel some things in the circuit panel. 

I don't have a voltage meter, so I used my phone charger as a test to see if power was out. I also double and triple checked my outlet wasn't working with my Kindle charger. I wore rubber soled shoes and used tools with rubber handles just to be extra cautious. 

Once I was sure that the power to the outlet was off, I started by removing the wall plate that I had previously replaced (don't get me started on how the previous owners had painted those like three times instead of unscrewing them and replacing them once painting was done). I then unscrewed the outlet from the box, removed the receptacle from the wall, and unscrewed the green grounding wire. 

This outlet was interesting in that the wires were secured inside the receptacle by a spring. I tried to get this out using a screwdriver, but ultimately was not successful and ended up cutting the wires to be able to use them. 

I then stripped the protective coating from the wires in order to have a sufficient amount to expose to the new receptacle. I followed the instructions carefully, and secured all three wires to the appropriate places on the receptacle. I double and triple checked they were secure and that I had them in the correct locations before moving on. 

Not gonna lie, I felt pretty nervous about all of this.

I then carefully replaced the receptacle into the wall outlet box. I screwed it in tight, and made sure that everything was secure.  

I then replaced the new wall plate on the wall. I needed an assist from Bob with a flashlight to get this on correctly, but eventually got there. 

I then turned power back on via the circuit box and plugged in some electronic devices. Sure enough, it worked! 

Voila!

Ta-da! We have one of these in the master bathroom so we can keep our phones charged when we listen to music or watch Youtube as we get ready for work, and one in the master bedroom so we can charge our phones on our nightstands. 

That's all for today! I am really glad I conquered my fear, and I think we will get a lot of use out of these in the future. Until next time.

~ Kimie