The location of the wires in the outlet. Wiring diagram in the junction box

Before connecting the outlet, you need to decide how exactly to connect it to the existing network. To do this, you need to imagine exactly how it will be used in the future: for one electrical appliance of low power or for several devices.

Open and closed wiring

The difference between the methods and visible to the naked eye. The closed wiring is located inside the wall, for which grooves (grooves) are punched or cut in it, in which the connecting wire is hidden under a layer of putty. Open wiring is laid along the surface of the wall, on which it is held in special fasteners or laid in plastic guides - cable channels.

Accordingly, if you can see the wires that fit the outlet, then the wiring is open. Otherwise, closed wiring is used, for the laying of which the walls were cut.

These two ways in which the outlet is connected can be combined with each other - if the old points are connected in a closed way, then nothing prevents you from connecting a new one open. There is no choice in only one case - in wooden houses, the outlet can be connected in an exclusively open way, as well as all other electrical wiring.

Open wiring - advantages and disadvantages

An analogy with the most common extension cord (surge protector), which is essentially an additional branch of the electrical network, but is connected not to a junction box, but to an outlet, will help to understand what is good about open wiring.

Benefits:

You don't have to cut the wall to install a new outlet. This is especially true for those premises that have already been renovated.
For installation, you do not need tools such as a wall chaser or a hammer drill.
In the event of a breakdown, you don't have to open the wall - all the wiring is in front of your eyes.
Installation speed. Even after all the work has been completed, adding another point to the existing layout is a matter of a few minutes.
If you want, you can completely change the wiring quickly enough - ideal for temporary connection schemes.

Disadvantages:

There is a high probability of external influence on the wiring - children, pets, you can simply accidentally hook them. This disadvantage is leveled by laying wires in cable channels.
Open wires spoil the entire interior of the room. True, it all depends on the design skills of the owner of the room - cable channels will perfectly fit into modern design solutions, and if the room is made in a retro style, then special wires and other accessories are produced for this.
The need to purchase special fasteners, even if cable channels are not used - in wooden houses, open wiring should be laid at a distance of 0.5-1 cm from the wall surface. Often, wires are laid inside iron pipes - all these requirements are aimed at increasing the safety of using open electrical wiring.

As a result, this method of connection justifies itself if, for some reason, there is no point in laying wires to the outlet inside the wall. In addition to the fact that the wiring will be visible, there will be no differences in the operation of the outlet.

Hidden wiring - pros and cons

Despite some significant disadvantages, it is used almost everywhere - the advantages of using it still outweigh.

Benefits:

The wires to the outlet fit in the wall, so wallpaper is freely glued outside or other finishes are made.
Meets all fire safety requirements (in concrete buildings) - even if a short circuit occurs, there is no need to be afraid of a fire from the wires in the wall.
Very low probability of damage to the wiring - it can only be damaged while drilling the walls.

Disadvantages:

For installation, walls must be cut.
Repair work is difficult.
If the walls are finished, then after laying an additional outlet, you will have to redo it.

The disadvantages are leveled by preliminary calculations - if you plan in advance where and which block of outlets you need to install, then problems in the future usually do not arise.

Existing connection methods

Two or more sockets can be connected relative to each other and other circuit elements in only three ways: in series, parallel or mixed connection. In other words, the first two methods are called daisy chain and star connection.

Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be taken into account before deciding which circuit for connecting the sockets will be used in each specific case - it mainly depends on which cable is needed and its number.

No less attention should be paid to what wiring is already installed in the apartment - if the connected device is of high power, then it is likely that to connect the outlet, you will have to pull a new wire from the switchboard near the meter.

The most important rule that in all cases must be taken into account when connecting outlets into circuits is that each twisting of wires together is a weak link in the electrical circuit - the more there are, the higher the likelihood that the wiring will fail over time.

Parallel connection - star connection

The essence of the method is that the connection of several points occurs in one place on which the entire load falls while simultaneously turning on electrical appliances. In practice, parallel connection of sockets means that one main cable comes into the junction box of the room, from which the remaining sockets are powered. An important point is that with this method, a separate wire goes to each point from the junction box.

The advantages of the method are obvious - each outlet works autonomously and if one of them fails, the rest will continue to work. The disadvantage is that if the central contact, from which all points are powered, burns out, then there will be no voltage in any of them, but this is also an advantage, since with a high degree of certainty it will be known where to look for a break.

The next drawback, which stands out for the parallel connection of sockets, is the high consumption of the wire, because a separate core must be laid from the central contacts to each point. The problem is partly solved by the fact that a wire of a larger cross-section can be laid to the central contacts, and a thinner wire can be run from it to the sockets, but in this case, an already mixed connection is used.

Serial connection - daisy chain connection

Connecting the sockets with a loop means connecting them one after the other, and instead of twisting wires, the contacts of the sockets themselves are used. Those. phase and zero come to the first outlet, and from it the wires are thrown to the second, third and so on - to the last point.

In its pure form, the connection of sockets with a loop is used only if it is necessary to connect a block of outlets or move the point a certain distance. In the latter case, the old socket is not always removed - it is often left, because if there is a rearrangement, then it is inappropriate to pick the wall again.

The next feature that stands out is the connection of sockets with a loop - you cannot connect powerful devices such as air conditioners, washing machines, microwave and conventional electric ovens to them. This prohibition is dictated by the large number of connections that distinguish the daisy chain connection, and each of them is a weak link in the electrical circuit.

Connecting a block of outlets with a loop is described in detail in this video:

Mixed connection and ground in daisy chain

To increase the reliability of the wiring when using a series connection of outlets, you can use a mixed connection. Its essence is that the main cable comes into the junction box of the room, and then the farthest outlet is connected from it. Further from this wire, branches are made to the rest of the sockets, which are located between the far point and the junction box.

With this connection, the cable for wiring is saved, and the reliability of the network increases, since if one of the outlets fails, the rest will work (unless the twist near the main cable burns out).

ground connection through the branch, the twist is hidden in the box

When a serial connection of sockets is used, therefore, grounding is mandatory - if you just draw a ground wire from terminal to terminal, then if it burns out on one of them, the remaining sockets remain unprotected. If you run one cable through all the sockets, but make a branch near each of them, then the reliability increases.

The most correct way to correctly connect the outlet with a mixed connection, which is used in most cases, is to run the main wire under the ceiling and branch off from it down to the outlet boxes. If the cross-section of the wiring allows, then there you can already connect several points with a loop to one descending wire.

The disadvantage of such a connection is the same as that of a serial connection - a large number of twists (plus, on each branch, you need to make a small junction box). In order not to think once again whether it is possible to plug powerful electrical appliances into such sockets, it is necessary to carefully calculate the wiring, and it is better to use a parallel connection.

In this video, you can see how a mixed connection is made: the ground is connected through a branch, and the phase and zero are connected with a loop.

Ring connection

A somewhat exotic connection scheme for post-Soviet countries, but, undoubtedly, has its own advantages. Its meaning is to lay a full circle of the main cable from the main electrical panel throughout the apartment, which will return to its beginning. In each room, cuts are made into it, which will be junction boxes, from which its ring is already laid around the room, and from it the branches already go to individual sockets or their loop groups.

In this case, if the wire burns out anywhere, then the subsequent part of the wiring remains working, since the current will come to it from the other side of the ring. Thus, in terms of reliability, this method is practically no worse than a parallel connection. On the other hand, if the wiring burns out, then in any case it must be repaired, and the wire consumption is still higher than that of a standard connection.

How to choose the right way

Everything depends on the amount that you can afford to spend, the power of the device that will be connected to this outlet, as well as the presence or absence of decoration on the walls (desire and ability to spoil it).

In any case, the most reliable way to connect any outlet is a separate (parallel) connection directly to the main panel or junction box in the room (if the cable size allows). If the outlet is planned only for connecting a TV or similar not very powerful devices, then a daisy chain connection is also quite suitable.

If wiring is planned in a new house or modernization (replacement) of an old one in an apartment, then first of all it is necessary, without undue modesty, to imagine what electrical appliances one would like to have - what can be connected to the network in principle. Based on this, it is already possible to calculate the required cross-section of wires and the method of connecting them.

You do not know. So you come here. This article provides detailed information on installation and connection, with photos and comments. Nothing complicated, if you follow the step-by-step instructions, after reading which the question will be

completely exhausted.

So, you have an outlet to plug in. In our case, the socket has a separate frame, and this is no longer an innovation, so now almost all modern sockets are being manufactured, only the cheapest category of this product has a single frame. A separate frame is convenient in that you can pick up the original design of the outlet, the color palette is simply huge. For example, a white key, a green frame, or a brown one, whatever you like.

Before you start installing the outlet, you should have at least a general idea of \u200b\u200bits design. In this section, we will take a closer look at its design. In the course of our acquaintance, we will carry out pre-assembly preparation.

First of all, you need to remove the plastic protective frame, which in the operating mode protects the live parts of the mechanism from people touching them. To do this, unscrew the cover fixing screw located in the center of the socket.

Before us is the socket mechanism.

It has contact and spacer screws. The contact ones are designed for fixing the cores of the wires in the terminal clamps, and the spacers for fastening the socket mechanism in the socket box.

There are two types of sockets, with and without a grounding contact. Our example shows a socket with a ground contact. What is grounding and what it is intended for is described in detail in the next article.

The socket has three contacts for connecting wire cores:

phase;
zero;
ground contact.

Consider the location of the contacts on the socket mechanism. On the left and right of the mechanism there are two identical screw contacts, they are designed to connect the phase and neutral conductors of the wires.

In which of the contacts the phase will be connected, and in which zero it does not matter.

The middle contact is intended for connecting the grounding conductor. This contact has the form of a screw terminal connected to a metal strip that runs through the entire body of the mechanism and has hook-like curves at the ends.

Two side screws located on the left and on the right are spacers; they set in motion the metal paws, which, when the required position is reached, fix the mechanism in the socket. Also, for fixing the mechanism, special holes are provided along the perimeter of the metal frame.

We pass to the place of installation of the outlet, in which must be present, a socket, two wires and an electric current.

We connect the outlet

Before carrying out all work on connecting the outlet to the wires, you must turn off the electricity suitable for this outlet. Disable. Checking.

We carry out the check with the help, after checking its operability on the outlet where the current is present. Alternately, we touch the voltage indicator, first one wire, then the other.

After making sure that there is no voltage, we proceed to connect the outlet.

We unscrew the terminal screws. There are holes for connecting wires at the top of the socket outlet. Two for each contact. The terminal screw moves the pressure plate, which fixes the wire in the clamp.

We prepare the wires. Using a knife, remove the required amount of insulation. Typically, the average contact depth is no more than 7 mm.

We insert the wire into contact. The bare part of the wire should not look out of the contact for a lot, 2-3 mm will be the very thing. We fix the wire with the terminal screw. We check how well the wire is clamped in contact, pull the wire towards ourselves a little, swing it from the left to the right. If the wire remains motionless, the contact is good.

We clean the second wire and also insert it into contact, tighten, check.

If there is a ground wire in the socket, we connect it to the middle contact.

How can you tell if your outlet is grounded? Well, first of all, there should be three wires in the outlet. In new homes, this wire should be yellow with a green stripe. If all the wires are the same color, then you can only determine if you have a ground wire using a megohmmeter. We find the phase wire with the voltage indicator. We measure the remaining two relative to it. As a rule, on the ground, the readings should be less than 220 volts, and at zero 220 and higher.

After connecting the wires, we install the mechanism into the socket.

We set the socket exactly horizontally and tighten the spacer screws. If the mechanism is not fixed, and this is possible, since the old socket boxes (iron) were made of a larger diameter than required for new sockets, then an additional installation of a new socket box will be required.

Second option. Installation of an outlet with replacement of the socket

Modern socket boxes are mainly manufactured with a standard diameter of 67 mm.

What we need to connect:

Material

socket - 1 pc.
socket (required in some cases) - 1 pc.

Tool

flat screwdriver
crosshead screwdriver
pliers
wire cutters
voltage indicator

A master who knows how to connect the outlet without errors will save residents from electric shock. This is the main thing, but not the only one. An incorrectly connected outlet will not supply power to various devices at the proper level. It will be inconvenient to use, completely unreliable and will not last long.

The information contained in this article can be studied quickly. But valuable information about the features of work with a home electrical network will come in handy for many years. Sockets, switches, circuit breakers and other fittings from time to time have to be repaired, reinstalled or installed in a new place. It is better to do this so that the safety and reliability of the device is not in doubt.

The main units of the socket are the assembled block, protected by a socket on the back side, and a decorative box with a fixed screw on the outside. The box in most cases consists of a bezel and a frame. The socket is used only for those sockets that will be installed on the wall, and not in the recess. The block includes:

body;
phase and zero contacts, into which the plug is connected;
terminals for connecting electrical wires;
grounding contact;
movable or rigidly fixed feet for mounting in a box or on a flat surface.

Grounding is not provided for all outlets; the simplest devices do not have it. When screwing in the screws, the movable legs are spread apart, fixing themselves on the walls of the plastic boxes. The double-tongue tabs hold the joint more securely as they are sharper and deeper into the plastic.

If the terminals to which it is connected are screw, they must be greased before use, for which cold solder is used.

Common types of sockets

Connecting an outlet starts with choosing the right one. There are hundreds of types and subspecies of sockets, they all differ from each other in design and purpose. But the most common devices in everyday life are not so many, GOST 7396.1-89 recommends their use, depending on further operating conditions.

Type C 1a. The socket is not grounded. In operating mode, it must withstand up to 10A DC, up to 16A AC and voltage up to 250 V. Such a socket can provide the operation of simple devices that do without grounding;
Type C 2a. This outlet has two grounding prongs on the sides. The operating parameters are the same as for the first type, but a high-power electrical appliance can already be connected to such an outlet. We are talking about washing machines, electric ovens, water heaters, water pumps and similar appliances;
Type C 3a. The same device as C 2a, but with a pin-type grounding;
Type C 5. Sockets of the Soviet period, well suited for equipment left over from the same time. Withstand up to 6A;
Type C6. The so-called Euro-sockets with wider plug holes and a housing protruding from the wall. Suitable for electrical appliances with a suitable plug.

Before installing the outlets, you must select the cable. For options with grounding, it must be three-wire, without grounding - two-wire. Usually, a core with yellow insulation is intended for grounding, red or brown - for a phase conductor, blue - for a neutral conductor. The cross-section of the wire is selected depending on the forthcoming load.

Waterproof and dustproof are indicated, for example, IP44. This marking indicates that a device is installed in the network, protected from solid particles larger than 1 mm and from circular splashes.

It is undesirable to install sockets in the bathroom or in the bath, but often it is difficult to do without it. If there is no other way out, you need to pick up a waterproof device equipped with a special cover.

Installation method of wiring and socket

Usually, to install a socket into a concrete wall, it is envisaged to make a special channel (gutting), drill holes for a socket box, install a wire and a box, and then install a socket.

Installing outlets in drywall requires similar work with the only difference that you will have to make much less effort.

On wooden or adobe walls, the wiring is fixed in an open way, since it is unsafe to deepen it from the point of view of fire safety rules. A socket with a socket is installed on such a wall. If we are talking about, for example, a steam room, then the installation of the wire must be carried out using special plastic boxes.

Connection type

How to properly connect the socket (s), based on the number and characteristics of electrical appliances that will be connected to them? First you need to choose the type of connection. There are two of them:

"Loopback", or serial connection;
"Star", or parallel connection.

"Loopback" - connection of each next socket actually from the previous one. This applies to zero, phase and ground. In this way, it is convenient to collect up to five or more sockets in one row, vertical or horizontal. The disadvantage is that it is not recommended to connect powerful equipment to such outlets.

"Star" - with this connection scheme, the outlet is connected directly to the junction box. It is done like this:

Using special caps, ordinary electrical tape or other devices, the required number of wires leading to the sockets are connected to the power wire in the junction box;
Each outlet receives its wires from a junction box, which allows you to connect devices with high power consumption without risking the outlet itself;
To make such a connection, you should choose wires that are smaller in cross-section and capabilities than the wire connected to the junction box. For example, if a 25A cable with a cross section of 2.5 sq. mm, you can connect 16A wires with a cross section of 1.5 sq. mm.

At what height to install the sockets

The installation height of the sockets is determined for purely practical reasons. Consideration should be given to the convenience for users, the length of the power supply cable for heavy devices (refrigerator, washing machine) and safety. Sockets from time to time fail, they need to be changed or repaired. Keep this in mind when preparing the installation.

The distance to the sockets from the floor is usually between 30 and 80 cm. When installed at a low height, you should take care of the safety of children by choosing devices with special curtains. The upper point of the outlet is not determined by the norms.

But you need to know that from the floor slab to the outlet there should be at least 15 cm, and from the edge of the window opening - at least 10 cm.The block of sockets, installed farther from the window, is better protected from temperature extremes, from water, dust and others atmospheric factors.

Installation process

We have one hard and fast rule that the official safety standard complies with. When performing any work on the network, it is necessary to turn off the power supply. Moreover, double control will not be superfluous: after the circuit breaker is turned off, from time to time it is necessary to check the wiring for the presence of current. Scrupulousness in this matter will help you avoid many troubles.

Stage one: preparatory work

The socket tends to be disassembled into parts, and this should be done at the preparatory stage. It is necessary to unscrew the housing, which is secured with a non-removable screw. If the outlet has a socket, it must be removed as well. The point is to gain access to the terminals to which the wires will be attached.

It should be clarified here that not all socket boxes are removable. There are those that are one with the block. In this case, the disassembly process is somewhat simplified.

If the outlet must be mounted on top of a concrete wall, it is recommended to use plastic dowels. For them, it is necessary to drill the wall in advance according to the diameter of the dowel and the location of the mounting holes on the socket. If we are talking about a wooden wall, it is quite possible to do with self-tapping screws.

The hidden installation of the socket is somewhat more complicated. A hole of the corresponding diameter and depth in a brick or concrete wall will have to be drilled under the flush box. A core drill for concrete, a hammer drill or impact drill, a chisel and a hammer are useful for work. A round groove is cut with a core drill.

Anything inside this groove is removed using the tools mentioned above. The wire leading to the junction box will also have to be hidden under plaster. To do this, you need to make a groove with a hammer drill, drill or wall chaser, if any.

Also required for the power cable in the junction box.

Each master chooses his own method, but there are three most demanded:

Use of PPE caps. The insulation from the wire should be removed 3 cm, twisted with the power cable, put on the cap on top and screwed on;
The use of VAGO terminal blocks is more promising, since the process is simplified to the limit, and you can connect the required number of wires by creating several parallel lines. The wire is stripped one and a half centimeters and inserted into the terminal block. A click is heard when installed correctly;
The same as in the first method, but instead of caps, electrical tape is used.

For all types of connection, care must be taken that adjacent conductors do not touch with cleaned parts. Otherwise, a short-circuit will follow when turned on.

Stage two: connecting wires to the outlet

A double or triple cable must be connected to the socket terminals, positioning it so that all the wiring is separate inside the case. The connection must be reliable, but the contact of the cleaned parts of the conductors must not be allowed.

The general insulation is removed. If the outlet is not overhead, experts recommend leaving up to 20 cm of the cable for future use. The general insulation must be removed one and a half centimeters more;
There is nowhere to place the supply of the wire in the overhead socket, so the cable length should not be more than the required one. It is recommended to bring the general insulation into the socket housing by about half a centimeter if the wire is mounted on a wall without a box;
To connect the wires to the terminals, they must be stripped of insulation by about a centimeter;
The contact between the wire and the terminal should be as large and reliable as possible. It is recommended to twist the cleaned wire into a ring and then clamp it with a screw to the contact pad. An aluminum or copper ring can be additionally flattened with a hammer;
The screws are tightly but not over-tightened. Excessive efforts can damage the outlet, which contains many fragile plastic parts.

Stage three: plugging in the outlet

The socket box or socket box in the case of an overhead socket is prepared in the previous steps. It remains only to fix the block, and then screw on the decorative box.

The legs are screwed in alternately, each for several turns, otherwise a skew will inevitably occur. In this case, it is necessary to control the position of the block so that the line between the legs remains parallel to the floor line. The block itself must go deep into the box to the desired depth. Otherwise, the decorative box will also be uneven. The legs are screwed on until they stop. If the box is selected correctly, the structure will hold securely.

When the assembly is complete, it remains only to connect the circuit breakers and check the functionality of the outlet. But you should not make a common mistake and be the first to turn on some household appliance. Use a multimeter to check for voltage.

Important! To protect your home from fire, and family and friends from electric shock, the home craftsman must constantly remember the safety rules during the work.

Conclusion

Replacing the socket with your own hands is carried out in the same way as installing it, but some steps are skipped.

In private buildings and newly built apartments, the electrical wiring of which is carried out using three-core wiring, the problem of grounding, as a rule, is easily solved. But not everyone knows how to connect a grounded outlet in old buildings.

In such houses, the wiring is made in the form of a two-wire line, because of this, the task is somewhat complicated. To solve it, you will need to take a number of additional steps. These operations are usually reduced to the organization of another (grounding) conductor, stretched from the apartment panel to the grounded access electrical panel.

Grounding options

When carrying out electrical work that allows you to easily connect a grounded outlet to the network, the following options are possible:

The insulation of the wires supplied to the apartment for easy connection is made in different colors. The earthing wire according to the standard has a mixed yellow-green insulation, while the phase wire is usually in a brown or red sheath. The "zero" wire, in most cases, is made in blue or blue insulation.

If there are junction boxes in the apartment, the connection can be made directly to them (if there is a third grounding conductor, of course).

Connection procedure

Immediately before connecting the double grounded outlet, you will have to perform the following preparatory steps:

strip the ends of the wires supplying power to the outlet;
remove the decorative cover from the mounted product;
loosen the fixing bolts on the terminals to which the wiring conductors will subsequently be connected.

Further manipulations associated with connecting the outlet are usually reduced to the following operations:

The ends of the wires, brought out of the plastic landing box, are brought to the contacts and tucked into the corresponding terminal holes. You can connect the phase and neutral wires without taking into account their functional purpose (i.e. they can be interchanged). In contrast, the grounding conductor must be connected to a terminal block with a special designation representing the grounding symbol.
After connecting the wires, the socket housing without a cover is fixed with self-tapping screws to a plastic mounting box (socket); the supply wires are neatly tucked into its body.
Old-style rosette products are equipped with special legs that allow you to fix its body by tightening the screws.
After fixing the socket in the socket box, check the tightening of the bolts on the terminal blocks again and only then reinstall the decorative cover.

In conclusion, it is necessary to warn you that before carrying out the entire complex of measures to connect the outlet, be sure to remove the power supply from the entire apartment. Such a shutdown is usually done by turning off the corresponding machine or unscrewing the plugs.

Video

In the following video, you can see how a grounded outlet is professionally installed:

Photo

Schemes

Our proposed schemes will help you to correctly connect a grounded outlet: