Electrical Sockets

[Deleted User]

brightontraveller wrote: »

Size is same irrespective if single or multicore

If you have multiple strands totalling 2.5mm^2, then the overall diameter of the bunch will be greater than the diameter of a 2.5mm^2 solid conductor. Primary school geometry: circles don't tessellate, so there's space wasted between them.

Risteard

jack_pott wrote: »

If you have multiple strands totalling 2.5mm^2, then the overall diameter of the bunch will be greater than the diameter of a 2.5mm^2 solid conductor. Primary school geometry: circles don't tessellate, so there's space wasted between them.

Whilst that's true, it is still the case that any socket outlet to BS1363 will accept 3 * 2.5mm^2 conductors whether solid or stranded.

brightontraveller

jack_pott wrote: »

If you have multiple strands totalling 2.5mm^2, then the overall diameter of the bunch will be greater than the diameter of a 2.5mm^2 solid conductor. Primary school geometry: circles don't tessellate, so there's space wasted between them.

This is in respect of a BS 1369 Socket..... If you want to go in the geometry , mathematical argument be my guest but as OP states they cannot fit them based on knowing they do and are designed to fit them my conclusion OP lacks required skill set do so hence non competent and should not attempt so.

It matters not what core material is alu, copper, sleeve inner or outer PVC, copper, lead, butyl, metric, imperial what ever you wish ? They will all together or any combination fit,

jrrowleyws

My reply should have said Crabtree... Phone autocorrected!

Owain_Moneysaver

I consider myself quite competent to change some sockets (I've been doing it for 30+years and can calculate my adiabatic equations on a good day) but I found at least one supposedly-reputable brand of sockets to have smaller than desirable terminals.

It's not just the designed conductor size, if you have to work with conductors which are already twisted and bent at the ends and don't have enough spare to cut back and reterminate you have to work with what you've got.

In one case what I'd got was a cooker circuit wired in 16mm T&E.

Risteard

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

I consider myself quite competent to change some sockets (I've been doing it for 30+years and can calculate my adiabatic equations on a good day) but I found at least one supposedly-reputable brand of sockets to have smaller than desirable terminals.

It's not just the designed conductor size, if you have to work with conductors which are already twisted and bent at the ends and don't have enough spare to cut back and reterminate you have to work with what you've got.

In one case what I'd got was a cooker circuit wired in 16mm T&E.

I don't believe that anyone suggested that a BS 1363 socket outlet was designed to accept 16mm^2 conductors, nor that such should be attempted.

tony6403

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

MK Logic Plus (their standard white range) will accept

3 x 2.5mm2
3 x 4mm2
2 x 6mm2

so should accommodate anything you're likely to have wired your sockets in. A lot of brands seem unable to accept even 3 x 2.5mm2.

Thank you. Bought one from Screwfix.
Socket now replaced (competently).

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

Risteard

All British Standard socket outlets will accept 3 * 2.5mm^2 conductors - it is a requirement of the BS1363 standard after all.

Strider590

The issue at hand is just one of many reasons why old properties come to need a full rewire to bring them up to modern standards.

As mentioned in a previous comment, bootlace ferules can work wonders on flex cable, they're really nice because they reduce the overall diameter of the wires AND when squashed down by a screw terminal they're actually secured by every single strand of wire.

Risteard

Strider590 wrote: »

As mentioned in a previous comment, bootlace ferules can work wonders on flex cable

They are for flexible cable/cords (fine stranded), not for stranded cables.