Replacement of Sockets and Light Switch.

[jaypay]

Hi,

Quick, and hopefully very simple question.

Have recently had house rewired and electricion put white plastic lights sockets and light swithes on.

Have just bought metal ones to replace and wanted to check my understanding before going ahaend.

Currently, the light switch has a live and neutral wire, and the back box is earthed. Do i need to get a new earth cable from the back box in to the metal light switch as it states it has to be earthed. Will the screwed connection on the back box be sufficients?

With regards to the sockets, current set up has the earthe from one of the cables going to the back box. The other cable is going to the plastic socket, with a piece of cable going from the back box into the same earth terminal on the socket.
The new metal sockets i have, actually have two earth places rather than the existing one. With the existing set up (described above) be sufficient or will both need to be earthed (and would that be by another piece of cable from the back box to the spare eather terminal of the socket ?

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Currently, the light switch has a live and neutral wire

It probably doesn't.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting


The earth wire in the cable should go directly to the earth terminal on the switch. Ideally you should then take a connection from there to the terminal on the back box.

With regards to the sockets, current set up has the earthe from one of the cables going to the back box. The other cable is going to the plastic socket, with a piece of cable going from the back box into the same earth terminal on the socket.

That's wrong. Both earths should go directly to the socket, and again, ideally, a short piece of wire going to the box.

You can use just one terminal on the socket, or both, whichever is easiest.

 

[jaypay]

Two wires at least on the lights ... Perfect... That sorts out the flow of wires.
Do you know about the plug sockts ? Do both earth terminals need to have wires in them, or is one sufficient ?
Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was too slow with the edit...

 

[jaypay]

Thanks for the quick reply !

This site is proving very helpful and useful !