New buildings are being built in compliance with special requirements for wiring. It must have in its design grounding loops. This is due to the fact that household appliances are high-power electrical installations enclosed in a metal case, therefore there is always a risk of a short circuit that can create a serious threat to humans. In this regard, a socket outlet with a grounding contact is part of any new home.
Socket design
The main difference between the design of the plug socket from the usual one is that it contains three or five contacts, depending on whether it will be part of a single-phase or three-phase network, respectively. Otherwise, there are no significant differences. Bipolar socket with protective contact can be:
- overhead;
- hidden;
- single;
- double;
- triple.
A standard power outlet consists of three components:
- contact;
- housing;
- block.
The case is used as a decoration and to protect the connectors from external influences - it blocks access to conductive elements. If the house requires the installation of three or more paired electric points, separate ones equipped with a plastic core are installed in the frame.
The cover is always made of special plastic that is resistant to high temperatures and mechanical damage. If desired, you can choose a building that will match the interior of the room. Certain models are also equipped with other components: backlight, button for extruding the plug and others.
The main device is a carbolite or ceramic block that secures the contacts and the cover. Carbolite are characterized by increased strength, but most often found only in old outlets. Ceramics in itself is quite fragile, and therefore, during installation, you should be extremely careful, since if even minor damage occurs on the block, the component can no longer be restored.
How to connect sockets
Bipolar receptacles with a grounding contact can be of several types. Only three key designs can be found on the Russian market, the names of which differ in accordance with the country of manufacture, where they are often manufactured and are the most common.
- French In this design, the ground contact is a simple pin that plugs into the plug when connected to an outlet. For such a connection, a special plug should be used, the hole in which will correspond to the pin.
- German The main difference of this design is the presence of special clamps located on the sides and performing the function of grounding contact. Due to this approach, not only the ability to quickly connect the ground loop, but also convenient fixation of the plug in the socket.
- American It differs in the arrangement of grounding contacts in the special holes of the main connectors of the structure.
Hidden
Most often, this option of sockets is used when conducting wiring indoors. The main part is located inside the wall, the protective case is located in the mounting box and almost does not go beyond the plane of the wall.The node through which the wires are connected is installed in such a way as to completely exclude the possibility of extruding cables. The tightness of the fork is ensured by the use of a spring washer.
Outdoor
It is mainly part of open wiring and is mounted on the wall. The base is located in a plastic case mounted on the wall with a special socket. The design includes a backlight, an off timer, as well as a lid equipped with child protection.
Waterproof
A special category of outlets designed for use in rooms with a high degree of humidity: bathtubs, pools or baths. The main difference from the usual version is the presence of a special membrane, which is used as a reliable barrier to protect working contacts. Plastic curtains and covers are equipped with an internal flange, through which water and accumulated condensate are drained.
Installation Rules
So that after installation, the outlet works for a long time, reliably and safely, you need to follow simple rules:
- The electric point must be installed at a height of 30 to 80 cm from the floor, with the exception of over-skirting models.
- Models equipped with a grounding contact should be installed no closer than 50 cm from appliances or a gas pipe.
- If there are children in the house, install sockets higher.
- Single or double socket outlets with hidden installation should be clad in an iron or plastic case, and the wire reserve in them should be 5-6 cm.
- When laying a new power line, you should immediately take care of installing power points.
- If you need to put several sockets in a row at once, you can use the boxes designed to install two pads at once. When installing a larger number, you should prepare a group of sockets that are fixed to each other.
- You can use the "loop" connection scheme when the contacts of the previous outlet are combined with the power of the next, or use the option of connecting to a separate line.
Before proceeding with the installation of the socket, it is imperative to turn off the power, and also use the indicator to check the voltage.
Standards for Sockets
When assembling and adjusting electrical devices, it is necessary to ensure that each GOST and the norm governing the type of outlets and their total number in the apartment are observed, depending on the characteristics of the room. Care must be taken to comply with the following requirements:
- For every 6 m2 of room should be installed at least one outlet.
- In the corridor, this standard is 10 m2.
- At least three sockets are installed in the kitchen, rated for a current of 6 A, as well as one with a grounding contact and rated for a current of 10 A, if the room area is less than 8 m2. Otherwise, according to the norm, there should be four food points of the first type in the kitchen.
- If a stationary electric stove is used in the room, it must be connected to an outlet rated for 25A, which must be grounded.
The case of an electric point must always have the appropriate marking, which determines the degree of its protection.
The selection and installation of plug sockets is one of the most critical stages of wiring. If you approach this issue responsibly, you can ensure a long service life of the device and all appliances in the house.
