Please read the disclaimer
before attempting any electrical work. If
you are uncertain then contact
a qualified electrician.
Information on wiring a
3 pin plug
One of the most common causes of electrical
problems is a badly wired plug. Wiring a
plug is a fairly simple task but it is important
that you get it right.
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The
first thing you should do is
strip about 4cm of the outer
sleeving. Be sure to cut the
sleeving lengthways with a knife
that’s sharp and be careful
not to cut the inner wires then
remove the outer sleeving you
have cut. |
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You
should now separate the 3 wires
and cut the 3 wires removing
about 5mm of the outer cabling
but be careful not to cut into
the inner wire and finally for
this step twist each separate
strands of wire tightly. |
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Be
sure you connect each wire to
the correct terminals. Start
by loosening the screw and pushing
the bare wire into the terminal
and then tighten up the screws
to make sure the wire is secure.
You should always make sure
there are no strands of bare
wire showing and the wire isn’t
loose as this could be a potential
hazard.
Colour Guide (New Colours):
Brown = Live
Blue = Neutral
Yellow and Green = Earth
If your appliance is fairly
old the colours may be different
(Old Colours):
Red = Live
Black = Neutral
Green = Earth
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After
checking the cables are tight
and secure you should now secure
the main cable clamp and be
sure it’s holding the
outer sleeving and not the bare
sleeving.
In this stage
you should be sure that the
correct fuse is fitted. There
are 3 different types of fuses
which are: 3A, 5A and 13A.
- If your
appliance is up to 700w then
fit a 3A fuse.
- If your
appliance is between 700w
and 1200w then fit a 5A fuse.
- If your
appliance is more than 1200w
then a 13A fuse should be
fitted.
These days
most modern appliances come
with a sticker or even a plate
that shows the maximum power
usage in WATTS (W).
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You should always be sure to check that
there are no loose wires before putting
on the plug cover and check that the cable
doesn’t get crushed when you place
the cover on. Once you have put the cover
on the plug tighten the screws and make
sure they are tight.
You may find that some plugs only have
2 wires in them these wires are live and
neutral. This means that the plug is double
insulated and these plug types don’t
rely on the earth wires protection. You
should still wire the plug the same way
you just don’t need to wire the earth
cable. But you should make sure the earth
terminal isn’t loose.
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