Plug socket problem.

[b00ned]

Hi there,

My partner and I have recently purchased a new home. Upon moving some old furniture we found a plug socket hanging off the wall.

Initially I thought it would just be a case of fixing it back onto the wall, however, upon further inspection I discovered a problem.

The socket itself is a double socket, but the casing in the wall is only for a single socket.

What should I do!

 

[Aragorn84]

either swap the socket out for a single, or swap the backbox out for a double...

 

[b00ned]

I realise those would ultimatley be the end results, and would probably go back to a single socket as tearing apart the wall to fit in a double backbox seems a bit messy.

I am an absolute idiot when it comes to electrics so please bear with me while I try to explain this.

The socket has 2 grey wires each housing the usual red, black / brown, and green. So there are 2 of each wire. I am assuming that with a single socket, I would only need one of each wire, so what do I do with the unwanted wire and how should I do it?

 

[rjm2k]

Nope, just connect ALL wires in exactly the same way as they are currently connected.

I suggest you photograph the wires BEFORE you do anything and also make sure you plug a lamp into the socket, turn it on then turn the power off at the consumer unit AND check that the lamp is no longer lit before you do anything with the wires.

If you aren't interested in learning about home electrics and can afford it, you may want to get a sparkie in, at a guess a 5 minute job like this should cost far less than £50 including the socket.

 

[b00ned]

Thanks!

I will have a go myself, if for some reason it doesnt work or I kill myself, I'm sure my partner will ask the nice man who is fitting out cooker next week to do it for us!

 

[rjm2k]

If you've got someone coming, ask them to do it and watch/learn from them.

 

[Johnmelad]

Fit one of these and keep a double socket