How to install and connect an outlet: step-by-step guide

You can solve the problem of replacing or installing an outlet on your own, without involving electricians.With some effort, you can easily refute the common belief that only specialists can perform electrical installation work.

We will tell you how to choose a socket for arranging home wiring or replacing a damaged device. The article presented for consideration describes in detail how to connect the outlet and prepare the necessary tools. Taking into account our recommendations, you will easily cope with the installation and connection of the electrical installation product.

Typical types of sockets

The reasons why you need to change the outlet can be very different - from a full-scale repair to a simple breakdown. Faced with such a problem, you have to choose the right product in a store or market.

Manufacturers offer a wide variety of models in shape, color, and purpose. It is difficult for an inexperienced person to immediately decide what exactly he needs.

The sockets offered by designers sometimes amaze the imagination with their breathtaking shapes. And modern materials used to decorate them are very diverse - wood, glass, stone

Sockets offered by many manufacturers differ not only in appearance, but also in the type of installation. Depending on how the wire is laid, you will need an appropriate outlet.

Based on their location relative to the wall on which the electrical outlet is installed, there are 2 types of sockets:

• built-in;
• invoices.

Built-in ones are used for installation in plasterboard walls, brick or concrete walls. The main distinguishing feature of such sockets is that their electrical parts, like the entire wire, are immersed in the wall. To do this, a special groove is cut into the wall using a hammer drill. It houses wires enclosed in a corrugated pipe.

A special recess with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the mounting box is cut under the socket. This hole may be slightly larger, but in no case should it be made smaller. The socket box should not be subject to deformation during installation.

The socket for internal wiring is used much more often than overhead models. It is safer to use

Built-in models are in demand among residents of megacities and other populated areas. They are popular in houses and apartments with small children. These sockets fit perfectly into the interior, thanks to the rich color palette offered by the manufacturers.

Surface-mounted sockets differ from built-in sockets in their appearance - they are located entirely outside. Their electrical mechanism is hidden only in a decorative box screwed on top of the wall. The wires also go over the wall, covered with a special cover.

A surface-mounted socket is most often used in the office. It is important that all wires are well insulated, and that there are no taps or other sources of water nearby.

Mostly overhead socket used for installation in houses with wooden walls.

Depending on the internal structure of the working mechanism, sockets are:

• with a screw clamp, when the wire inserted into the socket mechanism is fixed between plates connected by a screw. If the wire becomes flattened during use, simply tighten the screws;
• with spring terminals. Here the contact hole for the wire is expanded by pressing a special key. Over time, when the fastening weakens due to deformation of the wire, it is necessary to remove the flattened part with pliers and reconnect it.

Depending on what wiring the socket will be used for, there are two and three contact ones. Two-pin sockets are sockets without grounding. Their main advantage is lower cost.

In new buildings, wiring is laid that corresponds to modern living conditions - using three contact wires

Three-pin - with grounding. They are installed in rooms where electrical appliances that require grounding will be used - computers, washing machines and others.

It is dangerous to install two-pin sockets in rooms with high levels of humidity, near showers and sinks

Before purchasing an outlet, you need to pay attention to its back wall. It indicates what load and number of phases it is designed for. Most often, the current value corresponds to 16A and the voltage is 220 volts. However, to connect an electric stove, it is most often necessary to connect a separate line and install three-phase socket.

If you need to connect a device with a large load, it is better to connect a three-phase network. Here you need to install a special socket that can withstand a voltage of 380 volts and a load of up to 32A

The time has passed when there was no special choice of sockets and you bought what was on store shelves. Now manufacturers, competing with each other, are developing various types of sockets in order to attract more customers.

For home use, you can choose the option that is most suitable for a specific room, for example, for arranging electrical points in the bathroom, in a swimming pool or in a combined bathroom, and for installation within the entrance area of ​​a private house.

For bathrooms it is convenient to use special models - with a protective cover. In addition, this type of sockets is made with a high level of protection from dust and moisture.

Young parents like to install sockets in which the holes are covered with special covers - protective curtains. This allows them to additionally protect their growing children who show interest in studying surrounding objects.

The socket openings, covered with curtains, open depending on the model. Sometimes just inserting the plug is enough, in other cases it requires some effort

Also very attractive are socket models equipped with a current indicator, a timer that can be programmed as needed, or options with a plug ejector.

Designers came up with an interesting solution for children's rooms - an illuminated socket. A child who wakes up in the middle of the night will not be afraid of complete darkness

In the family of products for installing electrical points there is a special group - retractable sockets, the features of the device and installation of which we recommend that you familiarize yourself with.

Construction and components

To thoroughly understand how to properly install a new outlet at home, you need to study a little about its components. All sockets are sold already assembled. Therefore, when installing it, you will have to unscrew everything yourself.

The main components of the socket are the base, the conductive part, and the decorative front panel. The base is made of ceramic or high-quality plastic. All elements are attached to it - conductive parts and the front cover.

Ceramic bases are considered more reliable, but they require particularly careful installation, because if damaged, you will have to buy a new socket.

The decorative overlay is designed to hide all working elements. It serves as a reliable insulator of the working part from external influences. Some models provide the ability to simply replace this part of the outlet.

Getting to know the internal structure of the outlet will help you better understand the process of connecting it correctly.

The working part of the socket consists of spring contacts and terminals to which electrical wires are connected. One of the important contacts is the grounding one.

The conductive elements are made of brass or bronze. The latter are better, but are extremely rare. Therefore, you should choose options made from tinned brass - they are more reliable than conventional brass, are better soldered and last longer.

Designer sockets allow you to make the interior of your home unforgettable. Their unusual performance adds its own flavor

Standard installation steps

In order for the outlet to work for a long time and not create any problems, you need to be careful about its installation. It is important to do everything correctly and consistently, without haste.Only in this case can a good result be guaranteed.

Preparations before installation

The preparatory stage of installation begins with the purchase of the desired model and the required number of sockets. Here it is important to consider where they will be installed and select the models that are most suitable in a particular room.

For a kitchen, it is important to select the required number of sockets, and the power cable must be designed for the total load of all devices that will be connected to them.

Then you need to take the tools that may be useful during the installation process. This is a construction level, the socket itself, screwdrivers for tightening fasteners and screws, a construction knife or stripper for removing insulation, pliers, a special screwdriver for checking voltage, electrical tape.

It is better to prepare all the tools necessary for installation in advance so that nothing distracts you during the work process.

If you not only need to replace an old outlet with a new one, but also install additional space for connecting electrical appliances, then an extensive set of materials and tools may come in handy.

You will need a socket box (mounting box), a puncher for making recesses for the working mechanism, attachments for a puncher of the required diameter, a ruler/tape measure, a simple pencil, and a construction plaster mixture.

If you are going to install a socket in a concrete wall, you can use a hammer drill with a concrete bit to mark the required diameter of the future socket box. Then use a drill to punch holes and remove excess pieces of concrete

Power outage is a guarantee of safety

The most important thing in any electrical work is turning off the electricity! Without this, it is unacceptable to begin installation.

Depending on what is installed in a particular apartment or house, you need to unscrew the plugs if a meter with plugs is installed or set the levers to the “off” position if there is an electrical panel with automatic switches.

Then you need to additionally make sure that the working area is truly de-energized.To do this, you need to take a pre-prepared indicator screwdriver and check for the presence of voltage in the wiring to which the outlet is to be connected.

A screwdriver for determining voltage works like this: you need to touch its tip to the wire being tested, and with your finger, press the contact on the back of the screwdriver. If the indicator lamp built into the housing lights up, there is voltage

Selecting a socket connection diagram

Having chosen the appropriate socket models and prepared the necessary tools, you have to decide how to properly connect the socket.

There are different socket connection diagrams to the power supply:

• sequential, when the sockets are connected one after another;
• parallel, if each outlet has its own wire from the junction box;
• mixed, the option when some sockets are connected in one way, and the rest in a different way.

It’s easy to decide on the type of connection - if the additional connection point to the electrical network will be used to operate powerful devices, you should choose a parallel circuit. For low-power electrical mechanisms, it is convenient to give preference to a sequential circuit.

Parallel connection is more reliable and allows you to turn on powerful electrical appliances. The advantage of serial connection is saving wires and, as a result, money

Installation of mounting boxes

After making sure once again that the workspace is de-energized, you can proceed to the next installation step. If this is not a replacement for an old outlet, then you will need to note where exactly one or more additional outlets will be located. For this you will need a ruler/tape measure and a pencil.

If you have planned replace a damaged socket or remake the device, then you need to act in a different sequence, described in detail in the article we propose.

When choosing a location for the future location of sockets, you should focus on the convenience of their further use. For sockets, they try to maintain the following distances:

• from the floor - not less than 30 cm;
• from the ceiling - at least 20 cm;
• from the window - at least 10 cm;
• from the plinth under which the wire is hidden - 0 cm.

If the sockets are placed too high or low, it will be extremely impractical. About the rules for the location of sockets and switches according to European standards in detail written here.

There are no strict rules and regulations for placing sockets in a room. In this matter, you should adhere to the convenience for the residents of a particular house/apartment

Having marked the places where the sockets are to be installed, you should make holes for mounting boxes. They, depending on the material of the walls, come in different diameters. Here you need to focus only on your own situation. The main rule is that the hole should not be smaller than the socket itself.

The mounting boxes themselves are made of plastic, very rarely metal. Good quality plastic, non-flammable. It provides reliable insulation of the wires that will be located in such a box. The shape of socket boxes can be round, oval and even square. Although it is most convenient to work with round plastic boxes.

Models for plasterboard walls are equipped with presser feet to make fastening easier. They are adjusted using special screws

The order of the installation stage of the socket box depends on the condition of the walls and the individual characteristics of the home.

The most common situations are:

• full-scale renovation of the premises. In this case, grooves are cut in the walls, a cable is laid in them that will power the sockets of the entire room, and holes are made for mounting boxes;
• the walls are already finished with a decorative coating, and the electrical cable is recessed into the wall. In such a situation, you will need to carefully use a knife to clear the already prepared holes for installing mounting boxes;
• the walls are finished, the cable is laid under the baseboard or hidden in an external insulating box. Then you need to install external sockets;
• The walls are finished, the cable is not laid. Here you have to choose the most optimal installation option.

Convenient if you only need to make a hole for an additional outlet. Decorative overlay - the front part will cover the consequences of the work.

Otherwise, if you want to avoid damaging the external finish of the walls, you will have to approach the installation process creatively. One of the options is to use the overhead installation method, when the wire is to be run over the wall, packing it, for safety reasons, in protective and decorative channel.

If in the process of connecting an additional outlet it is necessary not to damage the walls, then you can use overhead sockets

Another convenient option is to install the socket immediately above the baseboard, hiding the electrical wire under the baseboard. In this case, you will also have to use an overhead model.

You need to install a mounting box into the prepared hole for the socket, threading the power cable into it. This hole must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and construction debris. You can use a vacuum cleaner or brushes. The socket box is securely fixed in the cleaned hole.

To do this, the prepared gypsum mixture is applied, and the installation box with the cable threaded is immersed in the hole with the mixture. All work continues after the solution has set - this will take no more than 10 minutes.

A wire is threaded into the socket box, which will have to be worked with in the near future.

In this way, one or more socket boxes are installed, as well as a mounting box for a double socket. If a whole row of sockets is to be installed, then the mounting boxes are installed in a row strictly horizontally or vertically - as planned by the owner of the room.

Most often this is a horizontal option. In this case, single socket boxes are placed close to each other. They are necessarily connected to each other, and their horizontalness is checked by the building level.

Connecting and checking the device

After securing the box, work begins with the power cable coming out of it. Firstly, you first need to cut off the excess piece, leaving about 7 cm from the edge of the socket box. Remove the braid from it - the top insulating layer that unites the internal wires.

Inside you will find 3 wires of different colors - blue, white and yellow-green. This is the most common color composition used for markings. Instead of white there can be brown, red, black and others.

Secondly, the wires need to be freed from the individual insulating layer by carefully removing it with a stripper or knife at a distance of about 1 cm. Now we have to work on connecting them to the working mechanism sockets with grounding.

Yellow-green is the color of the grounding conductor. It must be connected to the central contact responsible for ground.

The wires must be securely fastened into the working mechanism of the socket.They should not dangle or be easily pulled out of their installed place.

Blue or blue-white is a working zero. This wire must be connected to the extreme terminal of the working mechanism of the socket. The remaining wire, most often it will be white or beige-brown, must be connected to the second outermost contact.

Depending on the type of socket, the connection is made by pressing a special key if the mechanism uses spring terminals, or is fixed between the plates using a screw clamp.

To fix it in a screw clamp, sections of wires cleared of insulation are first bent so that it looks like a small half ring. Thanks to such preparation, it is easier to work: the wire will not slip out from under the screw during fastening. You need to bend it clockwise.

When all the contacts are connected, you need to carefully bend the wires and carefully place them together with the working mechanism of the socket inside the mounting cup. Then carefully screw the mechanism to the socket box using the screws located on its edges.

These screws will allow you to tightly fix the working part of the socket. It is important not to overtighten the fasteners so that nothing breaks.

When the socket mechanism is installed in the mounting box, you need to take a building level and check the horizontalness of its installation

If everything is securely and horizontally fixed, you can proceed to the final stage of electrical installation - screwing on the decorative trim. To do this, you need to tighten the central screw without overtightening it.

After installing the frame and face of the socket, it is important to tighten the mounting screw tightly so that nothing dangles

The outlet is now connected in compliance with all safety rules.You can tighten the plugs or turn on the levers on the panel and check its functionality. If all actions were performed consistently and correctly, then a new working outlet will be available to its owner for many years.

In order for the socket to serve for a long time and not cause trouble, you need to use it correctly and not overload it.

The need to install an additional outlet may arise completely unexpectedly - the old one will fail or new furniture will block free access to one of the existing ones.

Having information about the nuances of installing and connecting an outlet, you can easily cope with this work yourself.

How to correctly connect the socket block is described in detail. in the next article.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video #1. Step-by-step guide in video format about installing the socket:

Video #2. A detailed and understandable video to help craftsmen planning to install sockets with hidden electrical wiring:

Video #3. The video is a warning against dangerous grounding methods sometimes used by DIYers. If your neighbor advised you something like this, it’s better to refuse:

Having become familiar with the main nuances and stages of installing an outlet, you can perform this type of electrical work with your own hands. Everything that seemed unfamiliar and therefore incredibly complex became clear and simple.

It is not at all necessary to call an electrician and ask him to connect an additional outlet, when you can do this work yourself, pleasantly surprising your loved ones.

Would you like to share your experience as an independent electrician? Do you want to provide information useful for home craftsmen? Please write comments in the block below, ask questions, leave photos on the topic.