• Know your plugs and receptacles.electrical outlet image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Electrical wiring jobs in the house inevitably mean dealing with outlets, plugs and receptacles. Technically, the outlet is merely the point at which the electrical current is being supplied, so outlets and receptacles can be used interchangeably in most cases. Your electrical appliances all depend on these conduits to your home's power supply and if the occasion arises when you need to replace or repair them, it is wise to know the difference. Polarized plugs have one wide prong and one narrow prong and can be plugged into the receptacle in only one way.
  
  

Standard Plug

• The standard plug has either two or three prongs that plug into the receptacle. The most common standard plug for household use is flat cord plugs that are used to power lamps and small appliances. Black rubber plugs are typically used on appliances while plastic plugs are used on devices that require minimal consumption of electricity.
  
  

Round Cords

• Round cord plugs come in both standard and heavy duty form. These are the larger three-prong plugs that supply power to larger appliances like the washing machine or dryer. The configuration of the prong can be arranged so that it is specific to the appliance to which it is connected.
  
  

3-to-2 Adapter Plug

• A 3-to-2 adapter plug allows the use of a three-prong plug into a two-slot receptacle. Also known as a grounding adapter, this plug is usually cube-shaped with a plastic or rubber plug with two prongs located at one end and three openings located in the other. A U-shaped metal piece attaches directly to the plug.
  
  

120-Volt Duplex Receptacle

• The 120-volt duplex receptacle has an upper and lower outlet with three slots each. This allows the receptacle to accept the three-prong plug, the standard plug and the U-shaped grounding plug.
  
  

240-Volt Receptacle

• The 240-volt receptacle is a singular model that contains two hot slots and a third grounding slot. This receptacle is configured for specific plugs and is not interchangeable. The point of this design mode is to disallow you from plugging in a device with too high an amperage.
  
  

GFCI Receptacle

• The ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is a receptacle that offers protection against accidental electric shock. It is designed to replace the standard duplex receptacle and contains a monitoring device that cuts off the juice whenever the amounts of incoming and outgoing current are not equal. GFCI receptacles are most often found in damp areas where ground faults are most likely to be found, such as bathrooms and kitchens.
  
  

120/240 Volt Receptacles

• The 120/240-volt receptacles have four different slots. Two slots are hot, one is neutral and the other is the grounding slot. Each of these receptacles has a slot pattern that is designed for a specific plug and so is not interchangeable with other plugs.