Extending cable for socket change?

Mark M

Mark M

Mark M

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2006
Posts
3,423
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
A socket in the kitchen that looked about 20 year old was working intermittently so I decided to change it for a MK socket, simple switch over I thought.... Whoever has wired the socket in originally has left zero slack on the cable and the terminals on the MK one are in a slightly different place. Ive wired it all in but its never going to be able to screw up in the back box!

Ive had a quick look at some other sockets and none of them have the terminals right at the top like the one did that I removed so I need to do something!

Can the wires be extended using some twin and earth and wago connectors? The wires go behind the tiles and I cant see a way that Id be able to pull anything through at all to change the whole thing. Any ideas appreciated thanks.
 
Excellent thanks. What size twin and earth will I need? 1.5mm or 2.5mm? I dont have either so would buying 2.5mm make sense as then it might come in handy for more things in the future? I need to change an outside light at some point so may need some cable depending on what flex the light comes with etc.
 
It'll be 2.5mm. The 1.5mm stuff is for lighting.

If you find a small hardware store they might sell it by the foot/metre to save you having to buy 10m from Screwfix.
 
Interesting, I thought the crimps were only for low voltage stuff. I too only have a cheap crimp too and when I used to do a lot of messing around with cars they were forever coming loose (probably a combination of bad technique and cheap crimps) so I may just stick with the wago connectors for peace of mind.
 
Crimps are not considered ideal for solid core wiring, will work fine though if you use a proper ratchet crimp tool and tug test them, wagos will be easier, especially the lever ones rather than push fit and you wont need to buy a crimper
 
Mark M said:
Interesting, I thought the crimps were only for low voltage stuff. I too only have a cheap crimp too and when I used to do a lot of messing around with cars they were forever coming loose (probably a combination of bad technique and cheap crimps) so I may just stick with the wago connectors for peace of mind.
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yeh his were proper ratchet crimps, this thread has reminded me that I wanted to investigate buying my own (no idea what they cost)
 
As above, a good pair of ratchet crimps and the appropriate lugs will be fine. Red are fine on a lighting circuit, blue are okay on a ring main but I wouldn't recommend using blues on a radial and go for yellows.

Crimping solid conductors is frowned upon and you shouldn't really do it, stranded cores are fine for crimps regardless but always do a tug test.

Wagos are acceptable but in the wiring regs all none crimped or soldered connections just be readily available for access so they cannot be plastered into a wall or buried under a floor.
 
wagos are only technically maintenance free if used in a wago housing to stop the cables moving, but a wago on its own will probably be fine as long as its not going to have any movement or be tugged etc
 
MassiveJim said:
yeh his were proper ratchet crimps, this thread has reminded me that I wanted to investigate buying my own (no idea what they cost)
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I do a lot of cable extending (work) and use an RS pressmaster crimping tool, ours have to get tested once a year and mines been within spec for 6 years with daily use.

You may not need the insulated one if you work on de energised equipment

https://uk.rs-online.com/mobile/p/crimp-tools/2673133/
 
A quick update on this - I only needed to extend the live cables but did so with a wago and all is grand on that front. Only issue now is that the stupid little gland/ear for the screw has snapped off! Had a look online and as its the one that moves (in the metal back boxes) there is a chance I can use one from another box so going to pick one up later today. Failing that its either tapping a hole in the backbox and using a longer screw or putting a plug in and using an even longer screw!

Simple to change a socket they said....
 
Mark M said:
A quick update on this - I only needed to extend the live cables but did so with a wago and all is grand on that front. Only issue now is that the stupid little gland/ear for the screw has snapped off! Had a look online and as its the one that moves (in the metal back boxes) there is a chance I can use one from another box so going to pick one up later today. Failing that its either tapping a hole in the backbox and using a longer screw or putting a plug in and using an even longer screw!

Simple to change a socket they said....
Click to expand...
you are talking about the metal backbox right ?

take it out and replace it in that case, it will probably be plaster in right now but you should (with a bit of care) be able to get it out of the wall and put a new one in.
 
Mark M said:
A quick update on this - I only needed to extend the live cables but did so with a wago and all is grand on that front. Only issue now is that the stupid little gland/ear for the screw has snapped off! Had a look online and as its the one that moves (in the metal back boxes) there is a chance I can use one from another box so going to pick one up later today. Failing that its either tapping a hole in the backbox and using a longer screw or putting a plug in and using an even longer screw!

Simple to change a socket they said....
Click to expand...

If the cables enter from behind you might be able to multitool around to outside edge of the backbox gently just to separate the box from the plaster and get it out without much damage, if cables enter from sides or top bottom then you cant just pull the box out forwards and will need to make hole bigger to allow box to pull out at an angle which will need patching up afterwards, or reopen the chase 2" or so to let the cables flex to get the box out and patch that up after, but they maybe in capping or conduit which would need cutting off/open to allow cables to move


Easiest way is to drill and tap the back box and use a longer screw as you said, try a 2.5 or 3mm metal bit, try to find a long enough bit to go through maybe 1cm into the wall to give the screw somewhere to go and buy a m3.5 rethreading tool and some longer m3.5 screws

If this is done well it will hold just as well as the original lug and look identical once the socket is refitted
 
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Sadly I wont be able to remove the metal back box that is in as its been tiled over and I really dont fancy nibbling away at the tiles! Ive ordered a rethreading tool so will give that a bash once it arrives.
 
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