Consider how to connect the wires to the outlet.

Connect the outlet

When repairing or installing your electrical network, you may be faced with the question of how to connect the wires to a wall outlet. The question is not complicated and does not require any special knowledge.

At the same time, there are nuances that can lead a non-professional into a stupor. Therefore, in this article we will consider all the details of connecting sockets, as well as analyze all possible options that you may encounter during the repair.

Possible options for connecting sockets

In this article we will consider issues related directly to the connection of outlets; issues related to the connection of other power receivers from sockets, as well as touch on situations related to testing the performance of sockets.

Plug in a regular outlet

First of all, let's look at the question of how to connect the wires on the outlet?

To do this, we need to connect to it the phase, zero and protective wires. The connection is usually made from the junction box, which is often located under the ceiling above the light switch at the entrance to the room. But at once we note that this is not the norm, but an unwritten rule.

Simple socket connection

So:

• Before connecting the socket, we should install it and, if a hidden method of wiring is used, lay the gate from the junction box to it. We will not dwell on this; you can find a video of this aspect of the works on the pages of our site.
• When the installation of the outlet is completed and all the preparatory activities are completed, you can proceed directly to the connection. For this we need to open the junction box. Before this, you should remove the voltage from all the wires located in it, and it is better to immediately turn off the input automat on your house or apartment.
• Having opened the junction box, we should determine the phase, zero and protective wires from the cable supplying the line. If your electrical network is installed in accordance with clause 1.1.1 of the ПУЭ, the yellow-green wire is protective, the blue wire is zero, and the third wire is phase.
• If your house wiring is done “somehow”, then proceed to search for the phase, neutral and protective wires. To do this, provide access to the exposed parts of the lead wire. Then dissolve them to the sides, ensuring the convenience of work.
• Now we can apply voltage to the wires. Using a bipolar voltage indicator, determine the phase, neutral and protective wires.

Note! We advise to use exactly bipolar voltage indicator due to its greater reliability and functionality. Moreover, its price will not ruin even the most modest budget. A set of functions, such as voltage indication, detection of the presence of a circuit and the ability to use as a normal capacitive indicator, allow to solve almost any problem.

The simplest bipolar voltage indicator

• To determine the neutral and protective wires, it is necessary to disconnect the neutral wire in your switchboard when the voltage is removed. Then apply voltage and determine the neutral wire in the junction box by the absence of a circuit between the wire and ground.

Note! It is very important not to confuse the neutral and protective wire, otherwise you may have serious problems with power control. And if there is a modern electronic meter, it will be revealed at the first round.

• If your electrical network is made in accordance with the standards of the EMP, then paragraph 4 - 6 of our instructions, you can omit. Instead, you should connect the phase, neutral, and protective wires to the appropriate terminals and run them to the wall outlet. At the same time, according to clause 2.1.22 of the ПУЭ, in the place of connection both in the junction box and in the box of the outlet, it is necessary to provide for a margin of wire. This is especially true when connecting sockets with aluminum wires.
• Now connect the wires to the outlet. The main thing is not to be mistaken with the connection of the protective wire. It should be connected to the ground contacts of the outlet. Connect the phase and neutral wires to the power contacts of the outlet. And what wire where - absolutely no difference.
• After closing the covers of the junction box and the final installation of the outlet, you can energize and test our outlet. If you did everything as advised by our instructions, then everything will work without comment.

Connection of several sockets in series

In some cases, in order to save, it may be necessary to connect several sockets in series at a time. It is also not difficult, and doing it yourself is easy enough.

The photo shows the connection diagram of several sockets in series

So:

• First, using the technique described above, we connect the first outlet. Then we connect to the terminals of the first outlet, respectively, the phase, zero and protective wires that go to the adjacent outlet.
• On the second outlet, respectively, connect the incoming wires. Moreover, here, again, it is important to correctly connect only the protective conductor. The order of connection of the rest is not so important. Although in fairness it should be noted that it is necessary to adhere to the rules of OLC. After all, this eliminates the problems during repair.
• Separately, I would like to dwell on the question: how to connect the socket with 4 wires during the repair? After all, the situation when you open the broken outlet, and there are 4 wires - it drives many into a stupor. There is nothing terrible here, and now we will examine this question.
• If the outlet does not work, then you must first determine the reasons. If visually no problems are visible, then use our bipolar voltage indicator.
• First, we check the presence of the phase and “zero” on any of the four wires. If there is a phase and zero on one pair, then after removing the voltage, we connect them to our outlet. The remaining two wires, if they power the outlet, also connect to the outlet of the outlet in random order.

Note! We stipulated that in random order we only connect if they feed the outlet. If the lighting is supplied from them, then you need to determine the wire going to the switch, and connect it to the phase terminal of the outlet. But more about that - below. For the same, to determine what is powered by this outlet, check the performance of nearby outlets and lighting. Moreover, this must be done not only in this, but also in the room adjacent to the wall on which the socket is installed.

Connect from a network lighting socket

Although this scheme is rarely used, it can also be found. After all, it is not so difficult, but it can provide significant savings in time and money. Therefore, if you opened the outlet, and there you saw three or four wires, do not be intimidated.

Connecting the switch from the outlet

So:

• If during the repair of the outlet when it is opened, you find three wires, then one, most likely, goes to the nearest switch. It's easy to check by disabling it.
• For the lighting network to work after repair, we should connect it again. According to p.6.6.28, it is necessary to do this on the phase wire. But be careful here. If your house was built a long time ago, and the wiring was not altered or altered by non-professionals, it is better to make sure.
• To do this, disconnect our wire from the terminals of the outlet and turn on the switch to which it is connected. If “zero” came to our wire, then we did everything correctly. If the wire shows a phase, then the wire should be connected to the zero terminal of the outlet. This should be noted and for the next repair it is necessary to change.
• But there are options when opening the socket, you will find four wires that supply the lighting network. Here, too, there is nothing scary.
• In this case, both the zero and phase wires for the lighting network are taken from the outlet. After troubleshooting, we just need to restore everything. Just before connecting the socket with 4 wires, you should make sure that the wire to the switch is connected to the phase terminal of the socket, and zero to the zero terminal.

Connect the light from the outlet

Conclusion

We considered almost all possible options that you may encounter when installing and repairing outlets. But some "megaspecialists" forget the rules of the OES, listed in paragraphs 1.1.27 and 1.1.28, which say that all electrical installations should have the simplest and most visual scheme.

Because of this, incidents are possible. Therefore, performing the installation of its electrical network, "you should not reinvent the wheel," and you should do everything according to the rules. This will save not only a lot of nerves and strength to those who will be engaged in repair, but also perhaps their life.