move a receptacle


Hi Dominick,

I wish to move a receptacle, and have an issue.

Coming into the box are four wires, red, black, white and ground. Also three wires black, white and ground leaving the box going somewhere else, plus the three wires I wish to connect to new receptacle.

How do I simply connect to this. As this outlet pictured, will be blanked off, as I will be using the new outlet I wish to install?

The breaker is a double 15 amp, I have no idea where else it might go to?

Your help on this would be much appreciated.

Thank you






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Bob Wagstaff 4 years 3 Answers 955 views

Answers ( 3 )

  1. Here’s how it works. This is all going to depend on how they ran this. Or why really. If I were to run two 120 volt circuits from like 90 feet away to something like a kitchen I would use a 3 wire. Which has one black (hot) and a red (hot) makes things cheaper than running two 2 wire. But if I needed a 220 line with a return neutral I would run a 3 wire.  So what do you have is the big question.

    But you said it’s on a two pole breaker. And that would more than likely mean 220. So, ya see not so simple.

    Run a voltage tester across the white and the black and you should have 110-120 volts. Run the tester on the black and red wire and you may have 220 volts.

    If that red is not being used for anything see if that breaker (two pole) has that red on it. If so pull the red off of it and just use the black and white.


    Keep in mind, I’m not there. This is only what I would do.

  2. thank you.

    what would the red be used as? It was previously hooked up to the receptacle, but if I can simply tie into the black and white then that would be simple…..



  3. Two add another outlet you would just run the wire into the existing box connecting to black (hot) white (Neutral) and the ground. However being that the breaker is a double and you have a red wire in the box I’m thinking that could’ve been for a 220.  By the looks of it the red wire doesn’t look like it’s being used. Is that right?

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