Adding an electrical outlet

1,051 Views | 5 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by 62strat
Tex_Ag_2017
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7:26a, 4/18/18
AG
My fiance and I got a cordless dyson vacuum from our wedding registry. Whenever we registered for it, our idea was to keep it in our closet under the stairs, using the mount that comes with it to hang it on the wall. I was looking and our closet has no outlets for the vacuum to charge. I thought about using a different location such as the pantry, the master bedroom closet, or another closet in the house but none of them have an electrical outlet. For the wall that we would want to charge on the vacuum on, it has an outlet on the opposite side of the wall. Can I add an electrical outlet opposite of the current one. Obviously offset from the other one so that I don't run into when cutting a hole in the wall. Is this something that a handy man can tackle or something I should hire out to do?
Thanks in advance.
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Martin Q. Blank
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7:40a, 4/18/18
Don't be scurred, do it yourself. We'll walk you through it.

1. Get an "old work" 1 gang electrical box, receptacle, and cover plate.
2. Trace hole using box as a template.
3. Cut hole with drywall saw.
4. Turn off breaker to existing receptacle.
5. Take off plate, pull out receptacle.
6. Run wire from receptacle to new box:
a. use #12 wire.
b. cut sheathing back and strip white and black wires
c. unscrew wires on existing receptacle.
d. "pig tail" wires to existing receptacle and new box.
e. put everything back.
7. screw wire to new receptacle. Black goes to the brass screw, white to the silver screw, and bare wire to the green screw.
8. screw receptacle to box.
9. screw plate to receptacle.
10. Turn on breaker.
11. Charge vacuum.
12. Get fiance to vacuum while you eat the sandwich she made you.
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Marvin_Zindler
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8:27a, 4/18/18
AG
Plenty of good examples of how to do this on YouTube. Spend an hour watching a few videos and you will be set.
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hurricanejake02
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In reply to Martin Q. Blank • 10:42a, 4/18/18
AG
Martin Q. Blank said:
Don't be scurred, do it yourself. We'll walk you through it.

1. Get an "old work" 1 gang electrical box, receptacle, and cover plate.
2. Trace hole using box as a template.
3. Cut hole with drywall saw.
4. Turn off breaker to existing receptacle.
5. Take off plate, pull out receptacle.
6. Run wire from receptacle to new box:
a. use #12 wire.
b. cut sheathing back and strip white and black wires
c. unscrew wires on existing receptacle.
d. "pig tail" wires to existing receptacle and new box.
e. put everything back.
7. screw wire to new receptacle. Black goes to the brass screw, white to the silver screw, and bare wire to the green screw.
8. screw receptacle to box.
9. screw plate to receptacle.
10. Turn on breaker.
11. Charge vacuum.
12. Get fiance to vacuum while you eat the sandwich she made you.
Very good instructions, but for someone with this level of experience, I'd make one change - turn off the breaker before you start cutting holes.
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Gary79Ag
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In reply to hurricanejake02 • 12:00p, 4/18/18
AG
hurricanejake02 said:
Martin Q. Blank said:
Don't be scurred, do it yourself. We'll walk you through it.

1. Get an "old work" 1 gang electrical box, receptacle, and cover plate.
2. Trace hole using box as a template.
3. Cut hole with drywall saw.
4. Turn off breaker to existing receptacle.
5. Take off plate, pull out receptacle.
6. Run wire from receptacle to new box:
a. use #12 wire.
b. cut sheathing back and strip white and black wires
c. unscrew wires on existing receptacle.
d. "pig tail" wires to existing receptacle and new box.
e. put everything back.
7. screw wire to new receptacle. Black goes to the brass screw, white to the silver screw, and bare wire to the green screw.
8. screw receptacle to box.
9. screw plate to receptacle.
10. Turn on breaker.
11. Charge vacuum.
12. Get fiance to vacuum while you eat the sandwich she made you.
Very good instructions, but for someone with this level of experience, I'd make one change - turn off the breaker before you start cutting holes.
Was going to say the same thing.

One other note, the current outlet box is most likely attached to a stud. So, remove the cover plate first, look to see which side of the stud the box is located on and be sure to cut a hole in the wall on the same side as the outlet box so you can route the wire between the 2 outlet boxes. Other side of the stud and you'll have sheetrock patch work to do as well...
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Marvin_Zindler
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In reply to Gary79Ag • 12:04p, 4/18/18
AG
Very good and important point.
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62strat
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In reply to Gary79Ag • 3:20p, 4/18/18
AG
Gary79Ag said:
hurricanejake02 said:
Martin Q. Blank said:
Don't be scurred, do it yourself. We'll walk you through it.

1. Get an "old work" 1 gang electrical box, receptacle, and cover plate.
2. Trace hole using box as a template.
3. Cut hole with drywall saw.
4. Turn off breaker to existing receptacle.
5. Take off plate, pull out receptacle.
6. Run wire from receptacle to new box:
a. use #12 wire.
b. cut sheathing back and strip white and black wires
c. unscrew wires on existing receptacle.
d. "pig tail" wires to existing receptacle and new box.
e. put everything back.
7. screw wire to new receptacle. Black goes to the brass screw, white to the silver screw, and bare wire to the green screw.
8. screw receptacle to box.
9. screw plate to receptacle.
10. Turn on breaker.
11. Charge vacuum.
12. Get fiance to vacuum while you eat the sandwich she made you.
Very good instructions, but for someone with this level of experience, I'd make one change - turn off the breaker before you start cutting holes.
Was going to say the same thing.

One other note, the current outlet box is most likely attached to a stud. So, remove the cover plate first, look to see which side of the stud the box is located on and be sure to cut a hole in the wall on the same side as the outlet box so you can route the wire between the 2 outlet boxes. Other side of the stud and you'll have sheetrock patch work to do as well...
Yep.. also, the outlet in the closet can go at any height, so raise it up a foot compared to existing so they don't interfere with each other.
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