How to Splice Electrical Outlets

Whether you're installing a 120 volt or a 240 volt receptacle, installing a new electrical outlet in your wall will require stripping and splicing wires. Your electrical outlet must be wired and connected to a breaker on your service panel in order to make electricity available to your electrical appliances and devices, and splicing makes this connection possible. Before installing an electrical outlet, make sure to turn the circuit breaker off at the service panel.

• 1

  Turn the breaker off at the service panel for the electrical outlet that you're working on.

• 2

  Strip about 1 inch of the insulation off the wires on the receptacle using the combination stripper. In order to strip successfully, insert the wire into the correct hole size on the combination stripper and squeeze the handle. Twist the stripper and pull the stripper away from the wire in order to remove the insulation.

• 3

  Strip the source wires that you want to splice with the electrical outlet.

• 4

  Place the stripped wires side by side and, using the lineman's pliers, hold both wires. Twist the wires together clockwise to form a tight spiral. Cut approximately 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch off the two joined wires using the lineman's pliers.

• 5

  Place the wire nut firmly onto the joined wires and twist the wire nut clockwise. Wrap the electrical tape around the bottom of the cap to cover any exposed wire.