Earth connection on wall sockets

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

I've just moved into a house and am decorating a room. I unscrewed the sockets to decorate, and noticed that the earth wires are not connected to where the earth part of the socket (where the earth prong from the plug goes in), but rather to the pattress box. Just wanted to check whether this is normal or not. It's an old house and nothing everything has been done to spec!

On another note, on two of the sockets some wires were loose. I had to push them fully in and then tighten the little screws. Not good! The sockets had been working, but was still not best pleased to find that and am thinking now to go around the whole house and check them all. But I'm curious to know when an electrical safety check on the house would have picked this up or not. I'm presuming not but ain't sure.

Cheers

 

[Tigercubrider]

if you look at the back of the socket, the pattress screws generally go through a metal strip and the screw links the front of the socket to the back electrically, although some go into the earth on the wall plate

 

[fluorescence]

There should be a link fitted between the cores in the earth terminal of the backbox to the socket front.

I would strongly advise you get an EICR completed on your property. This will not have been done with a basic inspection for your mortgage

 

[oldbutnotdead]

As above. The earth cores should be terminated on the socket, then a link wire used between socket and backbox.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The above is adviseable and good practice but not actually a regulation.

 

[Michaelsf90]

The earth should 100% go to the socket. As a fully qualified electrician I'd sooner have an earth at the socket and be relying on the socket screws to earth the back box than vice versa. It is ok to take the earth to the back box and have a link from the backbox to the socket but personally I'd say even that's a bit rough. The earth should always go to the socket. Cables popping out isn't good but with solid core cable it can be tight when you connect it but once the socket is pushed back it can make them slightly loose and when the socket is pulled back off they can pop back out. Even a full test and inspection doesn't check every single socket and light fitting but if a cable had popped out it would show on a continuity test.

 

[plugwash]

The above is adviseable and good practice but not actually a regulation.

My understanding is that provided the back box has at least one fixed lug it is deemed sufficient to use the plate screws to Earth the back box (which is relatively low risk), but not to use them to carry the earth to the socket like the OP has.

 

[Michaelsf90]

Earthing the backbox isn't required but is definitely good practice. Even more important if the circuit isn't rcd protected. If I was the poster as difficult as it is I would check every soket. Cables popping out can happen. With it being solid core and not very flexible as you push it back it moves and wiggles. I would turn off the circuit and move the earths into the socket providing they are long enough. If not at least make sure their is a link from the backbox to the earth terminal. Some of the things I've seen in houses is unreal. One I went to change a single socket that had four cables going to it. It was a miracle I could even get it to screw back!

 

[crystal ball]

Another thing, earth terminals on back boxes are not usually the most reliable connection especially with multiple cores

 

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

Many thanks for the helpful replies. I'm going to go round the house and check all the sockets and light switches myself. Before doing so though, I wondered if I could clarify a couple of things and ask some more questions...

1. So where ever I find the same, I need to remove the earth from its current position and re-attach to the socket?

2. At the same time, I then put a fly lead into THE SAME earth socket connector and attach the other end to the back box.

3. If so, what do I need for the fly lead? And I presume I sleeve it?

4. As a DIYer, is there anything else I need to be aware of in doing all this? Obviously I now know to check for lose connections whilst in there!

5. Some of the sockets in the house do not have switches? Should I install these at the same time and if so is it good practice or a requirement?

6. If the house ends up needing a rewire, I guess all of this will need redoing anyway will it? So should I wait? A lot of the wiring in the house is not chased in and I've had a few floor boards up and can see the wiring there too. I've no idea why or when a house needs a rewire. I'll do some reading on that now, but any information in the meantime would be great.

Sorry for all the questions and thanks again for all the help.

PS - I also have a question regarding phone chargers in our house, but will save that for another post which I'll write now.

Cheers

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If you're going to start reterminating all the sockets in the house you might want to treat yourself to one of these https://www.directtradesupplies.co....NQ4A90Za9medeLMSJPvZ4m7Uq-5aI31EaAhgoEALw_wcB (other suppliers available) - this will let you do before and after tests to ensure polarity, continuity etc are correct and the earth is functioning properly.
Unswitched sockets- in locations where stuff is rarely unplugged (fridge, freezer, oven etc) leave them be.
Linking socket to backbox- assuming standard 2.5mm T & E has been used you need 1.5mm earth. If you have some spare 2.5 kicking about them use the bare earth conductor and sleeve with green/yellow sleeving (not insulating tape, big faff, looks rubbish, will fall off). If you have to buy some cable, get some 1.5mm flexible single earth wire.
You may find some of the earth wires have been clipped too short to reterminate on the actual socket- if there's no way to get any slack through then leave them terminated on the backbox and just link to the socket
Full rewire - if there aren't enough sockets or they're in stupid places as are light switches then think about it. Chasing cables in isn't hard (just messy).