Connecting socket outlets

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Preparing the cables

Make sure the power is switched off at the consumer unit and the fuse removed from the circuit

Depending upon where in the circuit you are fitting the socket and whether you are replacing an existing or fitting a new one, you may have one, two or three sets of conductors.

Strip the cables ready for connection. Insulate the earth conductors using the separately sold green and yellow sleeving. This should be cut to length and fed over the conductor so that about 1/2" is left exposed at the end to match the other conductors.

Connecting the cables to the socket outlet

Slacken the screw of the appropriate connection terminal. If you are fitting more than one conductor to a terminal, carefully twist the exposed ends together using a pair of pliers. This ensures maximum contact between the components.

Insert the red, live conductors into the hole in the terminal marked ‘L’.

Ensure that the conductor is fully housed and that there is no exposed wire showing. Fasten the screw and make sure the wire is firmly secured.

Repeat the process for the black, neutral conductors, fixing them in the terminal marked ‘N’.

Repeat the process for the green/yellow, earth conductors fixing them to the terminal marked with the earth symbol.

Fixing the socket outlet

Double check that all your connections are to the correct terminals, and securely fastened.

Carefully push the face plate back, gently folding the cables as you go, so that they sit neatly into the box. Fasten the face plate with its retaining screws. Tighten the screws alternately to draw the plate back evenly. As you tighten these, ensure that the face is level. One of the screw mountings will have allowance for a small amount of vertical adjustment which assists with this.

• Mounting a socket
• Locating a new socket
• Connecting cable