Double and single pole

[Syrphus]

What's the difference between a double pole double socket and a single pole double socket?

Which one should I use if I am adding a new socket to a ring main?

As far as I can see the double pole has two conection points for an earth whereas the single has one. How does this effect how the socket is wired up. I thought you needed to join the 2 neutrals togther and stick them in the same connection point. If this is the case - what do you stick in the other earth connection point? Do you need to use it at all?

 

[sterose]

What's the difference between a double pole double socket and a single pole double socket?

Which one should I use if I am adding a new socket to a ring main?

As far as I can see the double pole has two conection points for an earth whereas the single has one. How does this effect how the socket is wired up. I thought you needed to join the 2 neutrals togther and stick them in the same connection point. If this is the case - what do you stick in the other earth connection point? Do you need to use it at all?

Frankly, I'm not sure if there is such an animal.

"As far as I can see..."
Do you mean you have the items in front of you?

Normally, 'double pole' equipment involves both live and neutral. A double pole isolator would turn off both poles (i.e. live and neutral), whereas single pole only turns off live.

A single pole socket would be, at best, impractical - obviously a live feed only would not provide a circuit.

 

[Syrphus]

B & Q sell 'double pole' and 'single pole' double swithed sockets, so whether poorly named or not, there is such an animal.

I am thinking 'double pole' justs means dual earth. How do you wire a dual earth socket? If the socket is placed in the ring main does 1 earth wire go to each of the earth connectors (while the 2 lives are joined and the 2 neutrals joined and put in their respective connectors)?

when I said neutrals in my original post I actually meant earths

 

[IanDB]

All the earth connections are joined in the socket anyway. This here is what it should look like (disregarding the spur cable in this picture).

Don't forget to run an earth wire to the casing of the box and sleeve it with green/yellow insulation.

 

[Big_Spark]

There are two standards within BS1363, one covers sockets with a SINGLE POLE switch, so it only turns off the live conductors, the other covers DOUBLE POLE switches on the socket that breaks both the Live and Neutral conductors.


Good quality sockets are normally always DOUBLE POLE, all MK, MEM amd Crabtree units are. Single pole are normally cheap and nasty imports and I would not touch one with a barge pole (single or double )

 

[Syrphus]

Thanks FWL_Engineer - I think you just about cleared things up there.

The socket I have is double pole. It has two connection points for the earth - is one of those for the joined earths from the ring main and the other for an earth connection with the casing of the box?

 

[Big_Spark]

Thanks FWL_Engineer - I think you just about cleared things up there.

The socket I have is double pole. It has two connection points for the earth - is one of those for the joined earths from the ring main and the other for an earth connection with the casing of the box?

You can use them like that, or if all the cables fit into one terminal you can do it that way.

Many socket faceplates have two connections, it is not uncommon, but they are electrically and mechanically connected together.

 

[securespark]

What's the difference between a double pole double socket and a single pole double socket?

Which one should I use if I am adding a new socket to a ring main?

As far as I can see the double pole has two conection points for an earth whereas the single has one. How does this effect how the socket is wired up. I thought you needed to join the 2 neutrals togther and stick them in the same connection point. If this is the case - what do you stick in the other earth connection point? Do you need to use it at all?

Frankly, I'm not sure if there is such an animal.

"As far as I can see..."
Do you mean you have the items in front of you?

Normally, 'double pole' equipment involves both live and neutral. A double pole isolator would turn off both poles (i.e. live and neutral), whereas single pole only turns off live.

A single pole socket would be, at best, impractical - obviously a live feed only would not provide a circuit.

I assume Sterose has been on the nefarious substances again? Normally I'd laugh, but this is serious stuff....

 

[sterose]

I assume Sterose has been on the nefarious substances again? Normally I'd laugh, but this is serious stuff....

Funny.

Either way, I think the issue has been cleared up - that is, the single pole socket was obviously poorly named.

 

[Big_Spark]

I assume Sterose has been on the nefarious substances again? Normally I'd laugh, but this is serious stuff....

Funny.

Either way, I think the issue has been cleared up - that is, the single pole socket was obviously poorly named.

Not sure how you work out the single pole was poorly names Sterose?

The switch of any single pole device ONLY breaks or makes a single POLE, namely the Live conductor, so to call it a single pole switched double or single gang socket is correct.

Jo hum..that's life

 

[securespark]

Single Pole Socket is a poor name for a single pole socket, Sterose.

OK, I will mock you no more.

Just tell me what better name you have for it, bearing in mind what FWL has previously written here.

Otherwise, you are showing incredible arrogance - your attitude seems to be, "because I don't understand it, and I think it is confusing, it must be the nomenclature that is to blame, not my poor understanding of things."

Perhaps your name for a single pole socket could be

"Device for connecting power to a 3 pin plug top that has live, neutral and earth connections, but whose switch only operates in the live conductor."

Seriously, what WOULD you call it?

 

[sterose]

OK, I will mock you no more.

Please, don't.

I could call them maybe "switched live only sockets".