I have wired in a spur 13A socket - but I am really struggling to actually connect the spur into a socket which has the ring main .
The problem is the three wires which need to go into each terminal.
I have replaced the old socket with a new MK one- but I just cannot get all the groups of three wires to grip in the terminals sufficiently so that they don't come out if I pull to test that they are secured well.
Any suggestions?
choc block
Or Wago connectors (both suggestions assume there is sufficient space in the back box of course).
That sounds strange, are you using solid 2.5 T&E all round?
If the OP gets desperate enough, twist the wires neatly and uniformly then tighten. It's frowned upon, not ideal, but if all else fails...
However, 3 straight cores normally work OK. So I would first check if the screws in the socket as OK - or stripped or for some reason broken and short?
Best to leave it to a qualified electrician. If you can't prepare the cable ends properly and tighten a screw.
Three cables twisted together end up with a greater cross sectional area than three straight ones. But will still fit anyway.
It was what I was taught to do in an electrical workshop course. Mind you it was in 1960 and techniques might have changed (cable certainly has - from 7/.029)
I have a similar problem. Ring main + spur to uotside socket. The ring main wires are just too short. From the discussion I think that I will put in a deeper back box and use a chockblock to join the ring main cables and then wires from this to the socket and the outdoor spur. I realise that this is in effect two spurs from the ring main but afaik this is not against rega.
Malcolm
It's changed - in fact twisting stranded cables in a cage clamp seems to make it more likely they will fall out later.
But in this scenario - people don't like it because it makes it harder to test (remove cables) - but IME you rarely unwire the back of a socket and it's not necessary to do so for testing generally, so it's moot.
That sounds strange, as one might expect to see 3 x 2.5mm^2 wires in each terminal.
I guess I would remove it and test independently with 3 wires and check why the screw doesn't tighten up.
All fails, a chock block, or there isn't enough room I might investigate other makes of sockets.
Or get the wires into a choc box (which might be easier), straighten, tighten, then remove. Perhaps then they'll go into the terminal more easily.
That would have been my first thought. Or are the cables not straight?
Most likely the screw not undone enough. Obvious by looking. Or not enough insulation removed.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required