[HMimprover22]

I recently demo’d a wall with a single receptacle that had two Romex wires going into the box and if I recall only two of the four wires actually connected to the receptacle. The ground wires were coiled and connected to the metal box not the receptacle (old house). I usually take a pic to remember how it was configured, but forgot this time. Now that I’m reconnecting it in the new wall/location I can’t recall how the wires were. Any guidance on how to put it back correctly the way it was/should be? It was a GFI receptacle that an electrician had put in a bedroom about 10 years ago to address the fact that it wasn’t a grounded outlet.

 

[joed]

Connect the two black wires to the two gold screws.
Connect the two white wires to the two silver screws.
Connect the ground wires to the metal box and to the green ground screw of the receptacle.

 

[HMimprover22]

Tempted to do that but hesitating because it wasn’t like that previously. Only two of the four (two black/two white) were connected.

 

[joed]

Then connect it how it was before. One of the cables must not be needed.

 

[huesmann]

Do you know where the other end of the unconnected romex is?

 

[HMimprover22]

Then connect it how it was before. One of the cables must not be needed.

I don’t remember how it was before and forgot to take a picture. one wire from each of the two Romex was used. I don’t know why it was done this way originally.

 

[joed]

one wire from each of the two Romex was used.

That does not sounds correct. You need to trace where those two cables go and find out what is going on.
Could the receptacle have been controlled by a switch?

 

[seharper]

A "cable" has a sheath wrapping 2 or more "wires". Very important here.

Were there any other connections inside the box? Were any wires from one cable connected to wires from the other cable?

 

[chetwisner]

As seharper said: you have two "cables", each of these cables have two "wires". Call them cable A and cable B,

If you have a voltmeter, try and find 120v between the black and white wires from cable A, and then try cable B.

Report the result.

 

[HMimprover22]

As seharper said: you have two "cables", each of these cables have two "wires". Call them cable A and cable B,

If you have a voltmeter, try and find 120v between the black and white wires from cable A, and then try cable B.

Report the result.

I just checked and both have 120v in the black wires.

 

[joed]

120 volts compare to what?
Test between the two wires from each cable.

 

[HMimprover22]

120 volts compare to what?
Test between the two wires from each cable.

see pic

 

[chetwisner]

see pic

The cable on the left: between the black and the white. What's the voltage?

The cable on the right: between its black and white. What's the voltage?

 

[daveb1]

Are you using a volt meter?

If you are using a non-contact tester, a positive reading is not necessarily 120 volts.

 

[HMimprover22]

see pic

The cable on the left: between the black and the white. What's the voltage?

The cable on the right: between its black and white. What's the voltage?

is this what you mean. See pics

 

[HMimprover22]

see pic

The cable on the left: between the black and the white. What's the voltage?

The cable on the right: between its black and white. What's the voltage?

is this what you mean. See pics

Both left and right have this same reading

 

[joed]

By those readings only one cable is required.
Connect the black and white from one cable to the new receptacle.
Put a cap on the other black.
Put another cap on the other white.

Does the same breaker kill power to both cables?

 

[huesmann]

Seems weird for both cables to have juice.

 

[Chris130]

Could it be that (at some point in the past) the outlet there had split tabs and was powered by 2 diff circuits?

 

[justinthehandy]

hmmm I am just wondering if the pre gfci setup was a "half hot" set up and then when the gfci went in, the guy removed the line that was coming from a switch.