# Replacing an outlet with 6 wires but the new outlet only needs 4



## Slaylock (May 29, 2017)

I recently purchased a power outlet with USB ports to replace an existing outlet.

The new outlet has holes for two white and two black wires, with a screw on the side for the ground wire.

However, the existing outlet has three white and black wires plus the ground.

So how do I know which two white and black wires to connect to the new outlet, and what do I do with the extra white and black wire?


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## Slaylock (May 29, 2017)

The new outlet:










The existing outlet:










The wires:


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I'd use short pieces of white and black wire (pigtails) and a couple of wirenuts. Attach the 4 whites together, and the 4 blacks together. Attach the other end of the black pigtail to the brass screw, the white pigtail to the silver screw.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Agree. ^^^^^^^^^
If there is a screw I would use it for sure instead of the push in connector. The pushin back stabs are a common source of bad connections.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

You need all 6 connected if you want all the circuit to work. None of them are extra.


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## Slaylock (May 29, 2017)

So I should combine all three whites in a wirenut and lead a fourth wire to the white screw, and then do the same for the black, kinda like this (only with three wires instead of two)?


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Yes, a pigtail is what you want to use.


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## jeffmattero76 (Jan 4, 2016)

Slaylock said:


> So I should combine all three whites in a wirenut and lead a fourth wire to the white screw, and then do the same for the black, kinda like this (only with three wires instead of two)?


Actually, to be clear, it would be 4 wires under each wirenut. The 3 that are existing and a 6" pigtail (4 wires total) would be connected under the wirenut and the other end of the pigtail would connect to the appropriate screw on the receptacle.

Sent from my LG-D415 using Tapatalk


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