How to securely install an outlet in an old socket

Outlets are part of our daily lives. When they are in order, we simply don’t notice them. But then a problem arose - the socket fell out of its socket.

One solution is to contact a professional electrician. You can cope on your own. Change the socket and box. This is a good option. Everything is new, perfectly suits each other, and it is unlikely that the outlet will fall out of the wall. You may encounter a problem when installing the socket. You need to remove the old box, hollow the wall. As a result, dust, dirt and damaged wallpaper, which is not aesthetically pleasing. Plus, the new boxes are deeper. Making a nest under them in our thin walls, you can see your next room or say hello to neighbors who are unlikely to be happy about this.

The decision was made: we leave the old box and change only the outlet. In new outlets there are spreader legs, which, when installed, move apart and rest against the socket. But in the old boxes, there is nothing for the paws to catch on. A new outlet after two or three uses will hang out again. There are tons of tips on the Internet for this case. You can straighten the legs, or put sandpaper under them, or, alternatively, cover them with alabaster. This may be suitable for the circuit breaker - no one will pull it with effort. We need reliability.

Installation sequence

Before attempting to replace the outlet, turn off the power. To do this, chop off the machines on the electrical board. Some do not. Then for work you will need special tools, and it is better not to risk your life.

Now remove the cover of the old outlet. The ends of the wires became visible. We check the absence of voltage and carefully remove the old outlet. It is important not to damage the aluminum ends - they are difficult to replace.

We take a new outlet. First you need to disassemble it - remove the front part. We fasten the wires to the terminals. We insert the socket into the socket. We check that the wires do not stick out and the outer metal part of the outlet fits snugly against the wall. You can fix it with paws. But this is a temporary measure.

Now we need screws and an electric screwdriver or screwdriver. Different self-tapping screws may be needed: length from 20 to 35 mm, depending on the quality of the wall, diameter 3 mm.

We screw the screws into the holes of the flange (metal outer part). There are eight holes on the panel, but it is better to use four corner ones. If before starting the installation it is clear that the wall is not very reliable, remove the mounting tabs on the outlet. We screw screws 40 mm long into these holes. Now the socket is fixed firmly. We attach the external panel. Turn on the power. The work is done in good faith.