Re: Earth Wiring In Sockets/Advice

[Andy Hall]

Hi,

>Just a couple of simple questions: >It is quite a time since I did some wiring and would like to know: >What is the correct way to wire earths in sockets, two wires to the box >and one to the socket or two socket one to box?

I've always done it with the earth wires from the cable into the socket and then one from there to the box. I don't believe that I've seen anything in the Wiring Regulations or even various guides on it. My thought would be that if you wire to the box and then to the socket, that if the wire from box to socket broke, that there is no earth at the socket. The other way round and two wires have to break to lose it completely.

I am rewiring a kitchen ring and understand I should have the freezer >and washing machine fed from a separate fuse on a "star" circuit, is >this correct? >Thanks

I don't think that it's absolutely necessary to wire the washing machine separately, although as you are doing, it is useful to have the kitchen ring wired separately to the rest of the house. If you think that you might be likely to run a washing machine, a tumble dryer, a dishwasher and a kettle at the same time, I suppose you could run to the limit of a ring circuit, but diversity generally indicates that you are unlikely to run into trouble.

It is useful, perhaps, to run the freezer from a separate radial circuit with the breaker on the non RCD side of the consumer unit. This avoids the issue of an RCD trip compromising the freezer. It is probably a good idea to have the main kitchen circuit on the RCD protected side for a couple of reasons. a) It's an environment where water is being sloshed around and sockets may be close to sinks. b) depending on the house, you may be plugging in portable appliances that you use outside.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[usenet]

It also makes more sense from the ease of doing it point of view doesn't it as it will be easier to move the socket away from the box if all the wires from the cable go to the socket. The separate earth wire from the socket to the box is quite flexible and can be quite long.

Is it actually required by the wiring regulations to have this wire or is the connection provided by the screws satisfactory? I seem to remember a discussion hereabouts saying the screws are OK as long as at least one of the lugs on the box is a fixed one (i.e. it's part of the metal of the box, not a sliding one).

[Christian McArdle]

Wire to the socket and then take a lead to the box. If the socket has two earth terminals, wire one ring earth to one and one ring earth to the other. Wire the box and any spur earths to either terminal at random.

It is called a radial circuit. The freezer and fridge should be wired to a separate way in the consumer unit. This circuit should NOT be RCD protected, except in a TT system where they should only go through a 100mA Type S time delay RCD. The purpose of this is purely to ensure your freezer stays on when a fault occurs elsewhere on the circuit or in the house.

You should have a separate kitchen ring main which is RCD protected. The washing machine can fit on this. If the heating element of the machine blows the RCD, then the element should be replaced, as the insulation is shot. Putting such a machine on a non-RCD circuit is a dangerous bodge. Elements are cheap and easy to replace.

Christian.

[Peter Hemmings]

In message , Peter Hemmings writes

Thanks for the replies, I will wire sockets as suggested and leave the freezer and washer on the ring (I will take my chance with the freezer but this might well be tempting fate!).