14 November 2023
The electric socket is a connector that connects electrical appliances to the electricity network. The socket has three terminals: earth, phase and neutral. The purpose of these last two is to supply energy to the appliance and to circulate the current in the electrical circuit. CD Engineering, expert in electrical installations, tells you more about electric sockets in this article.
There are more than 15 different types of sockets in the world. Indeed, depending on the country you’re going to, you’ll need an adaptor to plug in your conventional socket. The two most common plugs in Europe are type C and type E. In other countries, you may find type A, G, I plugs, etc. Before you travel, make sure you get all the information you need to avoid any bad surprises when you get there! Finally, most of these sockets have a USB port, which is handy for recharging your phone.
Moreover, there are 4 options for sockets used in Europe. Firstly, the basic or waterproof socket, especially for bathrooms or other damp rooms. Then there’s the classic single or multiple socket. There are also built-in or surface-mounted sockets. Finally, there’s a more recent outlet on the market, the flush-mounted socket, which is appreciated for its flush-fitting design.
Installing an electric socket isn’t a very complicated process. In fact, it should take no more than 30 minutes. Before doing anything, of course, turn off the power at the circuit-breaker to avoid electrocution. Then turn to the electrical panel to check whether the circuit-breaker already in place can have an extra socket or not. According to Belgian electrical standards, if it’s a 16-amp circuit-breaker, you can only plug in 8 sockets. Count on 12 sockets for a 20A circuit-breaker. Add a new one if you exceed this figure.
Then pull the blue, green/yellow and red or black wires to the flush-mounted box. Then simply connect the neutral wire to the blue, the earth wire to the green and the phase wire to the red/black. In order to do this, remove a few millimetres of protection from the wire. Finally, screw the plug into the flush-mounted box and place the finish on top.
If one of your sockets is no longer working, quickly check where is the problem coming from. The most common cause of a faulty socket is the circuit breaker. So check the socket connection first. If the circuit-breaker is receiving too much current, it may switch off to prevent a short-circuit.
The problem may also come from the appliance you are trying to connect. It may be that the appliance is too powerful for the socket to handle. Try plugging the appliance into another socket, or add a differential switch if the problem persists.
If, after checking, your socket doesn’t work, the problem lies elsewhere and you’ll probably need the services of a qualified electrician. Only he will be able to carry out a standard electrical renovation using the right tools. You can call on CD Engineering for all your compliance and renovation needs, and ask for a free quote.
Last posts:
Contact us
Bruxelles
Place du champs de Mars, 5
1050 Ixelles
Linkebeek
Chaussée d'Alsemberg, 95
1630 Linkebeek