Hi all

I have searched on the site and I cannot find the answer to such a
basic question.

I am going to put a ring main into my garage and then get an
electrician to check out my work and connect to the consumer unit. My
problem is that the double sockets I have bought do not have the same
number of connectors as the existing sockets in the house.

The double sockets are in the Screwfix metal clad range. Looking at
the back of the double socket the connectors are as follows: -

Earth/Live on the left hand side
Neutral/Earth on the right
Earth on the backing plate?

"Earth/Live on the left hand side"
I assume this is the incoming earth and both live cables?

"Neutral/Earth on the right"
I assume this is both neutral cables and the outgoing earth?

"Earth on the backing plate?"
What goes here?

Thanks, in advance, for your assistance.

Cheers
Neil

"Newbie_Neil" wrote in message
om...
Hi all

I have searched on the site and I cannot find the answer to such a
basic question.

I am going to put a ring main into my garage and then get an
electrician to check out my work and connect to the consumer unit. My
problem is that the double sockets I have bought do not have the same
number of connectors as the existing sockets in the house.

The double sockets are in the Screwfix metal clad range. Looking at
the back of the double socket the connectors are as follows: -

Earth/Live on the left hand side
Neutral/Earth on the right
Earth on the backing plate?

"Earth/Live on the left hand side"
I assume this is the incoming earth and both live cables?

"Neutral/Earth on the right"
I assume this is both neutral cables and the outgoing earth?

"Earth on the backing plate?"
What goes here?

Thanks, in advance, for your assistance.

Cheers
Neil

Hi Neil,

This page should talk you through things :

http://www.diydata.com/planning/ring_main/ring_main.htm

If you're using metal clad boxes and front plates, then you will need some
green/yellow 2.5 mm insulated cable and some green/yellow over sleeve to
slip over the bare copper cores in the PVC's. The 2.5 mm green/yellow cable
lets you connect to the socket plate from the back box. This makes the
installation of the boxes and sockets a little easier for you to do.

After you've fixed your boxes and run the cables between them, you can then
wrap the two bare copper cores together and slip some green/yellow sleeve on
to them and insert both into the earthing terminal of the back box (don't
tighten them up yet). Next you'll need to cut a length of the 2.5 mm
green/yellow cable so you can connect from the back box to the socket plate
itself. This method of connecting them all together makes sure that even if
you have to remove a socket plate, you'll always have an earth connecting
core to keep you a bit safer.

I would also recommend that if you're using any tools in the garage, make
sure you've connected them into and RCD device, just to make sure that if a
fault occurs in the flex or on the body of the tool, you'll have a local
point to break the circuit as quickly as possible.

Good luck with it and take your time. Please don't take any chances with
electricity.


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Hi Big Wallop

Thank you for replying. Sorry, but I still have my concern about the
two earth connectors on the face plate.

If you're using metal clad boxes and front plates, then you will need some
green/yellow 2.5 mm insulated cable and some green/yellow over sleeve to
slip over the bare copper cores in the PVC's. The 2.5 mm green/yellow cable
lets you connect to the socket plate from the back box. This makes the
installation of the boxes and sockets a little easier for you to do.

Yes, happy with this.

After you've fixed your boxes and run the cables between them, you can then
wrap the two bare copper cores together and slip some green/yellow sleeve on
to them and insert both into the earthing terminal of the back box (don't
tighten them up yet).

Yes, happy with this.

Next you'll need to cut a length of the 2.5 mm
green/yellow cable so you can connect from the back box to the socket plate
itself. This method of connecting them all together makes sure that even if
you have to remove a socket plate, you'll always have an earth connecting
core to keep you a bit safer.

This is what I don't understand. I have TWO earth connectors on the
face plate, let's call them left and right. Do I need to run a length
of the 2.5 mm green/yellow cable from the back box to the left earth
on the socket plate and then run another length of the 2.5 mm
green/yellow cable from the back box to the right earth on the socket
plate?


I would also recommend that if you're using any tools in the garage, make
sure you've connected them into and RCD device, just to make sure that if a
fault occurs in the flex or on the body of the tool, you'll have a local
point to break the circuit as quickly as possible.

Thanks, I searched on Screwfix.com and saw this IP66 RCD DP 2X13A SKT+
40A 30MA
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...49189&id=10090
Is this what I want?

Good luck with it and take your time. Please don't take any chances with
electricity.

Thanks again for your advice and don't worry, I won't take any
chances.

Cheers
Neil

"Pablo" wrote in message
...
This is what I don't understand. I have TWO earth connectors on the
face plate, let's call them left and right.

You can use either the left or right earth terminal it doesnt matter. If
you
look carefully you will see that they are connected.

Do I need to run a length
of the 2.5 mm green/yellow cable from the back box to the left earth
on the socket plate

No for reason given above.


If you are using metalclad sockets they should be earthed to the back box.
You can use 1.5mm cable and it should be earth sleeved. There will be a
ready supply of this cable using the earth cable of the 2.5 T&E cable the
ring main is laid in. You can put all three earth wires into one earth
terminal if it is convenient.

Adam

In article ,
Newbie_Neil wrote:
This is what I don't understand. I have TWO earth connectors on the
face plate, let's call them left and right. Do I need to run a length
of the 2.5 mm green/yellow cable from the back box to the left earth
on the socket plate and then run another length of the 2.5 mm
green/yellow cable from the back box to the right earth on the socket
plate?

These twin earth terminals needn't concern you in a garage installation -
use either or both, whichever is more convenient. Personally, I'd use one
for the feed cables, and the other for the link to the backing box.

--
*Does fuzzy logic tickle? *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

I am not sure of my facts here, however isn't it the case for computer
room installations that the two earth paths should be bonded to the
socket separately, thus using both terminals on the socket?

Yes. The two earth terminals are provided so that you may comply with the
high integrity earthing requirements. This requires the earth loop in a ring
main to never use the same terminals at the sockets or consumer unit. This
means that if an earthing terminal comes free, the earth loop is never
broken. It is a good idea to do it for all circuits when initially wiring.
It is much harder to achieve for radial circuits and spurs, as you always
need two routes back to the consumer unit, which is particularly difficult
if the radial is wired as a heavily branched tree. With a spur, you need to
run the main cable, and an additional separate earth cable to a suitable
point. I wouldn't bother in this case.

Christian.