Socket Wiring Help When Replacing Damaged Faceplate Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Coopy1869]

Hi

Changing damaged face plate to single socket and 2 sets of wiring within. Joiner has done me a temp fix as my boiler seems to run off this socket??!!

I need to replace the face plate but have no idea how so many wires an fit in each terminal? Or if that is safe? Socket been there for years with no issues and only realised when changing. Advice appreciated. Photos attached

[Mr White]

Please tell me that is the old socket in your hand.

What you have is a ring (Six wires) and a spur off the ring (Three wires) so yes you will have 3 wires in each terminal. (Just like the joiner has done for you now)

[Coopy1869]

Yes that is the old socket but I was planning on putting the same kind back on. So it is safe to put 3 wires in each terminal? Silly question but how will they all fit?

[Mr White]

In an ideal world what ever is the spur would have been made part of the ring instead of being a spur. But its not an ideal world so spur it is then.

How will they all fit you ask? Try it and see. (The terminals on sockets are quite big)

Obviously you do it with the electricity turned off.

[Coopy1869]

Thanks for that. Daft question number 2, when I wire them all in I can then obv use the socket normally too? Clearly the world of rings and spurs is confusing me...

[Mr White]

I understand that you do not know, but look at it this way.
If you had not removed the socket and as such you now know what you did not know before would you have treated / used it differently?

It's the same for any socket, use it as you normally would.

[Coopy1869]

Thank you Mr White, I appreciate your help! I shall re wire them all into a normal chrome plate tomorrow and hope all the wires fit in!!