Hi. Recently moved into a new build house and noticed one of the double sockets was damaged. I bought a replacement however on taking the damaged one off I noticed that it had 2 earth points while the replacement one only has one earth point. Do I have to track down a socket with a double earth point.
Fitting Double Socket
- Thread starter Galoglas
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No, just use one of them. some makes give you two so you have a choice of which end to have the earth wire.
If you have earth wires into both earth terminals on the present one, just put them all in the one earth terminal of the new one.
If you have earth wires into both earth terminals on the present one, just put them all in the one earth terminal of the new one.
543.7.204 - Where two protective conductors are used in accordance with Regulation 543.7.1.203(iii), the ends of the protective conductors shall be terminated independently of each other at all connection points throughout the circuit, e.g. the distribution board, junction boxes and socket-outlets. This requires an accessory to be provided with two separate earth terminals.
It's only one protective conductor,
It's 'most likely' an RFC, even if it's a radial, it's still only one protective conductor.
It's 'most likely' an RFC, even if it's a radial, it's still only one protective conductor.
There is a nice pretty diagram in the onsite guide for those that cannot understand the regulation clearly showing a ring final circuit set up.
Dave, I think you will find 2 earth terminals are provided to meet the regulation Essex has quoted, although i doubt in this situation its the case and the socket purchased is ok. I personally always put the 'earth' cables in the same terminal for standard house final ring circuits.
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Yes, but I very much doubt an ordinary socket circuit in an ordinary house has been wired to that reg and so will only need 1 earth terminal
Robin Spark
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More to the point, if Galoglas has just moved into a newbuild house, then shouldnt he be contacting the builder to sort these type of problems out?
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TBH - I can't imagine a situation where I would bother anyone to change a socked front! FFS.
Sction 543.7 only applies for designs for equipment with a high protective conductor current.
This would not be the case for a domestic ring final circuit.
Therefore 543.7.204, (which is a UK only reg by the way, not that that matters) is irrelevant.
This would not be the case for a domestic ring final circuit.
Therefore 543.7.204, (which is a UK only reg by the way, not that that matters) is irrelevant.
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