Two earths in external double socket

[LozM]

Hi,

An old external garden socket finally gave up the ghost, it had cable coming up with single live, neutral and earth and was cabled into one of the sockets and the other was simply chained on with 3 wires to its own live, neutral and earth. Bought a replacement socket thinking was either going to be the same or have a single live neutral and earth shared between them but seems to have 2 earths and an earth on the plastic case (will be using plastic 20mm round trunking up to it), I am a bit confused on how this should be wired, here are some pictures of the socket and back box:

How would that be wired given I have a single live neutral and earth coming in ?

Many thanks in advance,

Lawrence

 

[flameport]

Use one of the earth terminals on the socket.
The other one is linked to it, and the terminal in the plastic case isn't needed.

 

[LozM]

Thanks for quick reply, so I don't need to loop them together by sounds of it which was leaning towards, thanks for help,


Lawrence

 

[Adam_151]

Thanks for quick reply, so I don't need to loop them together by sounds of it which was leaning towards, thanks for help,

No, and if you look there is a metal bar linking them already, there is two because sometimes it might be needed due to number of earth conductors, or theres specific instances (which wouldn't occur domestically) where on a ring cirucit you'd have to put the two earths in separatly (which you would be free to do so in other instances as well, if you wanted to)

The earth terminal is in the plastic box is just a parking terminal for when you don't need the earth, realistically in a double sized external socket box its never going to be needed, but if the item was a weatherproof light switch, you might have earths which you need to terminate somewhere

 

[LozM]

Thanks again - can now see bar joining the two and makes sense so looks like a simple job to fit, great forum and thanks both for replies,

Lawrence