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Earth wire - where does it go in a plastic socket box? |
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| message from Lobster on 9 May 2004 |
I'm probably being totally anally retentive about even worrying about
this!, but could someone let me know what is the 'correct' procedure
for dealing with the earth wire when you are wiring up sockets or
light switches using plastic plasterboard boxes (as opposed to metal
socket boxes with integral earthing screws)? Do you just cut off the
earth cable flush with the grey cable outer sheath?
Thanks
David
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| Coherers replied to Lobster on 09 May 2004 |
All the surface boxes I have ever used have a "dumb" terminal for the earth
lead to be screwed into.
All the flavours of box on TLC seem to be so endowed....
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| mike ring replied to Coherers on 9 May 2004 |
I thought so, too - land the earth there and extend if and when required
mike
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| Coherers replied to mike ring on 09 May 2004 |
Right.
Mind, I don't know about dry-wall boxes ( which on reflection I think is
what OP has a problem with) as I **hate** them. They should be the same, but
who knows...
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| Lurch replied to mike ring on 09 May 2004 |
No, the earth wires should be terminated on the earth terminal on the
accessory, then a flying lead to the box, if you want to earth the
box.
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| mike ring replied to Lurch on 12 May 2004 |
One thing about posting c**p on usenet - you soon find out
mike
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| Lurch replied to Lobster on 09 May 2004 |
Erm, are you sure you should be wiring things up? In a socket the
earth wire should always be connected to the earth terminal.
In a light switch you should connect the earth wire to, nothing. A
connector or somesuch will do.
You should never just cut off earth cables at the outer sheath.
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| Andy Hall replied to Lurch on 09 May 2004 |
Unless it's a metal faceplate perhaps??
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
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| G&M replied to Andy Hall on 9 May 2004 |
I assume this is the new B&Q plasterboard boxes. Right pain. But it is ok
to cut off the earth cable if the end is then shrouded with heat-shrink
tubing. This is done internally on many products where the earth is not
needed for example. Not sure how legal it is with sticky tape though. I
actually think using a single piece of floating choccy-block wrapped in tape
is worse.
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| Jerry. replied to G&M on 9 May 2004 |
<snip>
Re the choccy-block, why do you say that, is it the choccy-block you object
to, the fact it is floating around or both ?
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| G&M replied to Jerry. on 9 May 2004 |
The floating around. When you squeeze the whole lot shut (have switches got
bigger or the wall boxes smaller :-) you don't really know where it is going
to end up.
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| Fash replied to G&M on 10 May 2004 |
Still can't understand the problem here. If wiring up a socket it has 3 pins
yes? Live Neutral and Earth. You have 3 conductors yes? Live, Neutral and
Earth. So my suggestion which I think Andy was trying to make earlier is why
don't you connect the Live to the Live, the Neutral to the Neutral and the
Earth to the Earth and stop worrying about the box since it's plastic and
the only thing you aren't doing which you would do an a metal box is adding
an additional earth lead running between the earth on the faceplate and the
earth on the back box.
It sounds like (and I do hope I'm wrong!) that what you appear to be
suggesting is that you are going to connect up live and neutral but not
earth the earthpin on the faceplate, in which case DONT.
You just shouldn't have any need to have a spare wire and so no worries
about what to do with it.
If the situation is different to my understanding can you make it clearer.
Fash
"G&M" <m1111b@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c7m93a$mcs$1@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...
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| Coherers replied to Fash on 10 May 2004 |
OP's problem is with **light** switches in plastic dry-wall boxes, there
being no earth terminal on the switch itself . Sockets are fine. Why they
don't have a dumb connector like surface mounting boxes is beyond me. Anyone
know ???. I feel an email to MK coming on.....
< Live Neutral and Earth. You have 3 conductors yes? Live, Neutral and
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| John Armstrong replied to Coherers on 10 May 2004 |
MK have the earth terminal as a seperate item, part number 3715. Whether
anybody actually stocks it could be a different matter.
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| Dave Plowman replied to Fash on 10 May 2004 |
On a lighting circuit there may be no immediate need for the earth at a
switch if using a plastic switch. But later this may be changed to a metal
type which does need an earth. So a terminal to 'park' the earth wire
makes sense to me. Yet another reason to avoid dry line boxes - nasty
things.
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| ARWadsworth replied to Dave Plowman on 10 May 2004 |
Yet another reason to avoid dry line boxes - nasty
But I love to see chrome sockets and switches raised a few mm from a newly
plastered and painted wall with the edge of the box showing. And no
adjustable lug to boot. You just have to hate them.
I was asked by my NIC inspector to sleeve the lighting cable earth and use a
piece of strip connector on the end in dry line boxes. I am not sure if it
required, but he signs the certificate and it leaves the cable ready for a
metal faceplate.
Adam
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| G&M replied to ARWadsworth on 10 May 2004 |
You are supposed to plaster the box in as well so that it's flush. And some
do have adjustable lugs - don't buy the cheapest.
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| ARWadsworth replied to G&M on 10 May 2004 |
Not very easy when the second fix is usually done after the plasterers have
been
And some
Never seen them. Where do I get them from, I want some.
Adam
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| G&M replied to ARWadsworth on 10 May 2004 |
Then get the project manager to make it part of the first fix or carve out
extra plaster and re-skim. What would you do with metal socket boxes ?
Got a gross of the ones I use a few years ago at Newey and Eyre I think.
Haven't got their latest catalogue to hand to find out if they are still
there.
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| Lurch replied to G&M on 09 May 2004 |
I usually just use an overly long peice of sleeving over the earth
wire then double it over. Works a treat.
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Archived message: Earth wire - where does it go in a plastic socket box? (UK DIY House Repairs)
