Connecting the outlet to the electrical wiring will not be difficult if you have an elementary understanding of the principle of operation of the power supply system and remember the safety rules during work. In addition, the quality of the work done is of particular importance, because improper connection of the outlet will lead to malfunctions and breakdowns of electrical appliances, and the outlet itself may fail. But, one way or another, from time to time it is necessary to repair various connections in the power supply network, and therefore it is worth learning how to properly connect the outlet.
Tool for work
Before starting installation work, it is necessary to prepare the following tool:
- Construction level.
- Nippers
- Hammer drill.
- Insulation tape.
- Pencil.
- Screwdriver.
Outlet device
Before connecting the power outlet, you should understand its structure. The socket consists of a block assembly having a front decorative panel and a frame attached to the block with a screw. The back has pins for the plug, which is inserted with the back into the socket. It is used if the outlet is mounted on a wall. When wiring is laid on the surface, wall sockets are connected. In general, the outlet consists of:
- Housings.
- Two contacts into which the plug of the appliance is connected. One contact is phase, the other is zero.
- Two terminals used to connect the contacts to the mains.
- Grounding contact (not available on all outlets).
- Movable feet for attaching the outlet.
Once the outlet device is clear, you can begin to figure out how to connect the outlet to the power supply.
Connecting an electrical cable to a power outlet
A standard outlet is designed to connect a cable with a cross section of up to 2.5 mm. It is this wiring that is often used in apartments of multi-storey buildings. Differences in cable thickness may relate to lighting connection points. In this regard, in places for connecting chandeliers or sconces, as well as switches, a cable with a cross section of 1.5 mm is often laid.
Now step by step we will understand the rules of how to connect the outlet:
- First, turn off the power supply to the room where the work will be carried out. It will not hurt to check the absence of voltage with a special device after turning off the automatic machines, because the automatic machines can also fail. Double control will help to avoid serious consequences.
- The socket is disassembled to a state where there is free access to the terminals for attaching the power cable and further fixing the socket. The terminals are a metal connector with a screw, where the wire is inserted and tightened securely.
- If a wall outlet is connected, then the general insulation should start about half a centimeter inside the box.
- The cable wires are stripped and placed in each of the terminals, which provide contact between the outlet and the cable. It does not matter which of the wires to which contact (phase or neutral) will be connected. If there is ground in the socket, the corresponding wire is connected to the ground terminal. It is imperative that you comply with the rule so that none of the wires can touch the other. Only the part of the wire that will directly be placed in the terminal should be cleaned. Usually it is 1 cm.
- After the wires are fixed in the terminals, the socket is fixed.
Ways to mount the outlet
Before connecting the outlet, prepare the place for its placement on the wall. In order to connect the outlet both inside the wall and outside without extra efforts, you need to take care of the presence of about 20 cm of free wire on the surface of the wall.
If the wiring is external, then the back of the socket for external mounting is securely fixed to the wall with dowels or screws, depending on the material of the wall. Then the process of connecting the cable to the contacts of the outlet occurs, after which its front side is screwed to the rear part mounted on the wall.
Otherwise, the procedure for connecting the outlet when the wiring is inside the wall. Here you have to punch a recess in the wall and install a socket box in it. After the wires are tightened in the terminals, the back of the outlet is placed in the socket and each of the metal tabs is screwed against the wall. The legs should be extended fully until the stop, performing several revolutions to avoid skewing. It is better to hold the body with the other hand in a position parallel to the floor.
How to connect a ground outlet
Often this type of outlet is not used. But there are times when, for the sake of our own safety, we simply cannot do without them. For example, if you use an electric water heater located in the shower, the risk of electric shock while taking a shower increases significantly due to the excellent electrical conductivity of the water. Near such a place, grounding devices must be placed. At the same time, neither people nor animals should have access to the grounding place.
To connect outlets with grounding, a three-core cable should be connected. Typically, the ground cable is yellow. Red or brown indicates phase, and blue indicates zero. If the appliance consumes a large amount of electricity, such a connection should only be made directly from the switchboard.
Connection types
There are two main ways how to connect the socket: serial or "loop" and parallel or "star".
The first method involves the alternate connection of all outlets, including grounding, supplying voltage to each subsequent outlet through the previous one.
In the second way, you can connect the sockets in parallel in the form of a "star", when each socket is connected directly to the junction box and is independent of the others.
The advantages of each method are obvious: a “cable” will economically consume a cable, but will not provide such a network with great endurance. That is, connecting high-power appliances to such a network is not recommended. An unavoidable disadvantage is the unreliability of the entire circuit, since the appearance of a problem in the contact of one of the outlets will affect the operation of all subsequent ones.
Zvezda will ensure the independent operation of each outlet with the maximum load on the network and increase the safety of the entire wiring, however, the cost of installing it will significantly exceed the first budget option. It should also be noted that the main cable that is routed to the junction box must have a larger wire cross section than the wires connected to it from outlets.
Socket height
The generally accepted rules establish the optimal distance for placing outlets in the range from 30 to 80 cm from the floor. Of course, there are cases that do not allow to observe exactly these parameters. Then it is important to know that it is not recommended to install the outlet at a height below 15 cm from the floor slab and less than 10 cm before the start of the window. For your own safety, it is recommended to keep any electrical nodes away from atmospheric exposure in any of their manifestations.
Double outlet
This type of outlet has two sockets for connecting plugs of electrical appliances, however, one connection to the network. Connecting a double outlet, as in the case of a single, is not difficult, following the above instructions. It is important to understand that when two high-power devices are activated, the entire load falls on one line. Since it is not possible to connect a double outlet with a load sharing method from each device using the “star” method, it is not recommended to simultaneously turn on powerful devices in such an outlet.
Two sockets
Since it is possible to connect two sockets located nearby and having separate terminals for connecting to wiring in a parallel way, the simultaneous inclusion of powerful electrical appliances will be safe for the power supply system. It is important to choose the right distance between the sockets , so that the decorative strips of the outlets fit freely.
Connection of three outlets
Three sockets, as well as two and four, can be connected in a serial or parallel way, depending on the requirements for the mains. When connecting three outlets in series, contacts play an important role in the network. In this regard, it is recommended to purchase sockets with high-quality components. Also, the peculiarity of connecting with a "loop" is the need to maintain an inextricable ground line. Therefore, you should connect the ground wire by branching from the wire, rather than breaking and connecting to the terminals. Thus, the reliability of the wire will be achieved not on the socket mechanisms, but on its own connection, and a guarantee against line breaks will be provided.
Connect four outlets
Before connecting 4 sockets in a sequential manner, you should carefully consider which devices you plan to use with them. After all, if the maximum cable section for which a standard outlet is designed is 2.5 mm with a rated current of up to 16A and can withstand the load of up to two powerful devices, then the simultaneous connection of such devices to all four outlets will simply disable them. Thus, the use of four outlets with the "loop" connection method is allowed only with low-power devices. In this case, you should think about connecting at least two independent power lines to these outlets, or connect them to the mains in parallel.
General rules for installing the outlet block
Regardless of the number of outlets, installing their blocks has certain nuances and rules. To figure out how to connect the outlet block, consider the following instructions:
- The generally accepted distance between the centers of the sockets is 72 mm with a depth of 42 mm. However, there are non-standard forms of front panels of sockets. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the distance between them before making seats in the wall for the sockets.
- It is recommended to use the building level when drawing markings on the wall before ditching the recesses for the socket.
- The right terminal of the first outlet must be connected to the right terminal of the second outlet and so on.
- Due to the need for special reliability of contacts, it is recommended to solder them.
Useful Tips
There are a number of mistakes that are usually made by beginners. With little experience, they do not know how to connect an electrical outlet in an optimal way and with the least effort. Consider some features of connecting outlets:
- You should immediately pay attention to the material from which the wiring is made. If it is aluminum, then such a wire easily breaks at the bend. Therefore, you need to work with metal carefully - more than 3-4 bends, he can not stand it. Then the connection process will have to be started anew, in addition, breakdown can occur at the base in the wall, which will make it extremely difficult to reconnect the outlet.
- Aluminum wire has much lower conductivity than copper. Accordingly, when connecting the sockets, it is necessary to correctly calculate the load distribution on the power supply in advance and replace the cable if necessary.
- When tightening the terminals do not bother. Of course, the wires must be securely fixed, which is especially important for large power consumption. But you should not pinch them either, since this will directly affect the quality of the connection of the socket contacts with the wiring, which can lead to burning of the contacts, their overheating and malfunctioning of the socket.
- The quality of podrozetniki should be given special attention. Over time, the contacts of the sockets can overheat, weaken or burn out for various reasons. Today, many sockets are made of refractory material, and their cost is available to everyone. Do not save on your own safety and purchase low quality materials.
Observing these rules, you can easily monitor the status of the mains, replace sockets and switches as necessary. But it is imperative to remember and comply with all safety rules for working with the electrical network and devices for their own safety.