Re: Electrical socket plates

OK, to change a socket
Before you do anything, plug something into the socket ( a lamp is best)and turn on, locate the fuse that controls that particular socket, turn on and off so you are ABSOLUTELY SURE the power is off, remove old socket and look at the cables if its an older house the wire colours will be .red =live and , black=neutral green yellow is earth. A newer house or if its been rewired recently it will be .brown= live and blue= neutral, earth will be unchanged. Now at the socket you will see two red wires and two black wires( I'm assuming you have the older colours if not it will be brown /blue) don't worry if you only have one red and one black wire, this only means it has been spurred off the ring main or is a radial socket( don't worry too much about this) at the new socket you will see the terminals marked L and N , obviously live and neutral, connect red wires to live and black wires to neutral, make sure both wires go in and make sure they are tight, the earth wire/green/yellow goes into the E/earth terminal and again make sure you tighten fully, carefully refit new socket and turn on power ,

Re: Electrical socket plates

Thank you Primus1, I would take a photo of connections, and Meg, a good idea of a drawing too.

I'm not a wimp. As said before, I have wired up plugs before, so guess this is just a step up. Good idea to use a lamp or something to test the socket.

Re: Electrical socket plates

Jazzi, can you change a plug?

If so, you can change a socket.

It is really no more difficult. All you need to remember is to turn off the power at the circuit breaker or remove the fuse and check with a lamp that there is no power at the socket (check that it did work before turning off the power!), as Primus1 explained.

Then, when you remove the socket from the wall just make sure you make a note of which wire(s) goes into which marked connector at the back of the socket. These will invariably be marked L, N, and E (or a symbol with three horizontal lines). Then connect the same wire to each of the equivalent connectors on the back of the new socket. Make sure the wires are connected nice and tightly so you can't pull them out.

Whist you're at it, just make sure that the green/yellow wire (or one of them if there are two) is also connected to a connector attached to the metal box in the wall behind the socket. This is important, as if there should be a problem, the small metal screws that attach the socket to the box (and wall) could become live and if you touched them you'd know about it! If you're not sure, get an electrician to have a look.

I've done this a number of times and I'm not an electrician.

Re: Electrical socket plates

You can do it as suggested as long as you are happy you have switched of the power supply to the socket, make sure you have all thee bare wire in the terminal and you get a tight connection as a loose one will cause heating.

When you reconnect the socket plate make sure you dress the cables first so the wont snag on the back of the box and that they wont fall behind the fixing bolts, these will cause a short circuit when you restore the power.

I am an Electrician.

Re: Electrical socket plates

Thank you JBR and Nom. I did see on the video to tidy up the wires behind the plate. But good points also.

Re: Electrical socket plates

On your head be it, but if you are not that confident, don't do it. I have been on this Earth a long time and am a silly old fool, so take no notice of me. II

Re: Electrical socket plates

I am both confident, and competent. After all, I CAN fly a light aircraft! After that, anything else should be a doddle.

And I don't know where I gave the impression I wasn't confident.

Re: Electrical socket plates

I have a certificate that says I am clever enough to climb a ladder. So there!

Re: Electrical socket plates

So what! I have a BSc.
(Bronze swimming certificate.)

Re: Electrical socket plates

So do I and I still wear it on my trunks.