RDesign

In the Philippines, the usual plugs are Type A,B,C. which applies to pretty much every appliance and gadget we have excluding ACU since it has its own socket. So why would they provide this type of outlet??? The round prongs socket was poorly designed, it doesn’t even fit and supply the right amount of amp for our electronics, so we always had to buy an adapter and use the flat prongs. Imagine the dilemma of having to charge your laptop, your phone and bedside lamp at the same time.

AFTER 12 YEARS OF BURDEN, I can finally replace our outlets with a universal one, this lessens the use of extension cords in our house and avoid accidents. 

TOOLS: screwdriver, cutter, electrical tape or wire nut, and pliers!

STEP 1. ALWAYS TURN OFF THE ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. Plug an ON/OFF adapter or a lamp to see if there’s still a current running through the outlet.

as for our house, the stupid electrician connected ALL outlets into one circuit breaker. Welcome to the Philippines.

STEP 2. UNSCREW UNSCREW

when we (my manang and I) opened the outlet, I thought I would see wires with different colors but to my dismay, it was all black and the hot copper wire was exposed. I had to vacuum the electric box since they (carpenters) didn’t even thought of cleaning it after drilling.

STEP 3. We had to see for ourselves where the hot wire, neutral and ground wire were located by putting it on the new outlet. 

Black - HOT WIRE attach to outlet in gold or brass colored screw. Usually located at the right side.

White - Neutral Wire to silver screw. Usually located at the left side.

Bare Copper - Ground Wire to green screw

STEP 4. Cut wire to strip gauge, every outlet has one now.

I used Royu since it’s the cheapest (Php134) and it works for our house. I think, the downside of brands that sell outlets and even switches is that they don’t educate their users how to properly handle (safety or warning) what their selling, and they just immediately think their buyers already know what to do with it. Welcome to the Philippines no. 2

Anyway, we actually experimented with this one, using the circuit breaker and an ON/OFF adapter since all the screws were color gold. I don’t have any pictures of the interior construction of the ROYU outlet but I do have this LINK for your information.

STEP 5 Insert wire and screw. Plug in an adapter (or lamp or cellphone), turn on the circuit breaker, check if the device lights up and then check on BOTH sides of the outlet. if it doesn’t work, insert the neutral wire in the other hole and do it again.

STEP 6 check for anything that needs electrical tape/wire nut. as for us, we didn’t need the other wire which was grounded.

STEP 7. Screw in place and clip on the face plate.

of Php150 for 2 (TrueValue Hardware Store)! Since our kasambahay also needed one for her house in Iloilo, I was able to save Php75. Filipinos seldom blog about DIY in the Philippines, so I taught, I should make one starting with a simple doorknob change.

Just to inform you, I don’t have a video changing my doorknob because of reasons. However I do have this link so you don’t have to search for the right video. This video can be applied to every type of doorknob with no visible screws. If the video is too long for you, you can watch this one. Push the tab in with a slotted screwdriver, then pull the knob slowly, IT IS THAT SIMPLE!

It was designed that way!

I DO NOT recommend what this guy did  because the wrench will mangle the doorplate and the shank  (which is a nono for designers like me).

For the TOOLS, you actually just need 2: 

(+)(-) screwdriver and a crochet hook* (or a different kind)

The crochet hook is an ALTERNATIVE for your slotted screwdriver if it cannot fit in the slot to push in the tab (tab - spring clip, locking the doorhandle so you don’t pull it off, locking yourself inside,)

then