Elecricity Socket Probem

[nickldn]

I see the point.

OK I'll do it tomorrow.

Can I use 1mm wire, or shall I go and get 1.5mm wire to be extra safe?

 

[ColJack]

it is considered good practice to do so by many schemes.

It's also considered good practice by people who aren't members of any schemes

never said they didn't.. and I'm one of them..

I was just pointing out that many schemes insist on it and as such, members of said schemes quote it as an absolute necessity, like it was written in the regs somewhere..

 

[nozspark]

ColJack,,

Shouldn't be working live

If you are removing any accessory you should be isolating the circuit

 

[ColJack]

ColJack,,

Shouldn't be working live

If you are removing any accessory you should be isolating the circuit

quite true, but how many DIYers will turn off the lighting circuit when they are wallpapering the lounge late one evening and it's dark outside?

 

[nozspark]

I'd say that the fly lead is only there to earth the backbox in the event that you crush a wire between the plastic part of the accessory and the back box and not nipping the wire with a screw..

 

[bernardgreen]

is it me or does everyone else hate the t*****s who wind the earths together

I always twist them, gives a better chance of a continuous CPC if the screw in the earth terminal comes loose.

also if the switch has 2 earth terminals then the ring wires must go 1 to each and the back box earth can go to either which ever is easier.

Why MUST there be one in each, the terminals are almost always joined by a metal strap in the socket. Using separate terminals means both screws have to remain tight to ensure continuous CPC.

 

[nickldn]

Right, I've earthed everything. It all looks good.

Feeling a bit safer now.....

Many thanks for your help, I may well have been fried without you.

Now I need to check the rest of the sockets in the house, oh there's only about 30 of them!

 

[securespark]

All the wires can go to the same earth terminal.

It makes no odds on a standard domestic circuit.

[cower]Don't go there![/cower]

 

[securespark]

I always twist them, gives a better chance of a continuous CPC if the screw in the earth terminal comes loose.

Bad practice with single strand conductors, as it increases the chance of fracture.

 

[RF Lighting]

And it's a right royal PITA when it comes to testing

 

[Adam_151]

I always twist them, gives a better chance of a continuous CPC if the screw in the earth terminal comes loose.

Bad practice with single strand conductors, as it increases the chance of fracture.

True that, seen it before where live and neutral had been twisted as well and neutral had fractured, neutral end to end on the circuit was more than twice what it should have been

 

[ColJack]

I'd say that the fly lead is only there to earth the backbox in the event that you crush a wire between the plastic part of the accessory and the back box and not nipping the wire with a screw..

at which point the backbox would already be earthed through the screws to the frontplate...

 

[bernardgreen]

Perhaps "twisting" was the wrong word. Wrapping the conductors around each other without twisting the conductors themselves so not straining the copper of the conductor.

There is a more common reason for wires to snap at the teminals.

Last night I went to a friend's house to sort out a loss of power to one socket, It was a spur from the ring and the live to the spur had snapped at the terminal in the socket on the ring. Clear visible signs that the insulation had been removed with a pair of cutters and the wire had been cut into from two sides at the time of installation.