Help..double socket wiring...

[Matt46]

good evening to one and all.

I am truly grateful if anyone can help with the following.

Was trying to do my good deed for the day...it’s all gone wrong. Off to my in laws I went to change two double wall sockets, because one of them was damaged. I purchased two new double wall sockets. I removed the first socket off the wall, they are both next to each other. Not sure why, perhaps one was added at a later date. On removing the first socket, I discovered the following....

4 live wires (3 red and 1 brown)
4 neutral wires (3 black and 1 blue)
Several earth wires twisted together.

I should have walked away!! I undid the terminals and tried to fit the new socket, a total bloody nightmare trying to fit 4 wires into each fitting. Kept falling out as soon as you put the others in etc. Eventually got the wires in, though the new socket had 2 earth terminals, and I split the earth wires between them. Took me 2 hours!!! So frustrating!!

The socket adjacent, was removed, had only 1 live, 1 neutral and 2 earths, and was replaced in minutes.

I switched on the master fuse board, and everything appeared to work fine on the 2 new sockets.

But 1 socket downstairs in the kitchen now appears not to be working...

Ahhhhh.

My thoughts.....though probably wrong...

Has wire fallen out when refitting the socket back onto the wall.
Splitting the earths has caused a problem.

It took so long to do....don’t want to take it off the wall....just yet..

Thanks

Matt

 

[GeorgeCooke]

Has wire fallen out when refitting the socket back onto the wall?

Almost certainly.

 

[Matt46]

Almost certainly.

Thanks....
So could affect a socket downstairs....it’s all on the same circuit??

Is there an easy way to get 4 wires into each terminal..I know my limitations, so best to get a professional in??

 

[westward10]

Sounds like that it is a ring final with two spurred radials at the socket with four wires and trying to connect those into one socket is a cursing job even for a pro. Get an electrician in to give it a once over.

 

[Baker1988]

If the socket was working before then i would say yes a live or neutral wire has come close in the socket so you will have to take it off again and check it wont be beause you have split the earths over the 2 terminals

 

[Strima]

Depending on the age of the property it was common at one point to have a ring upstairs with cable drops to sockets on the ground floor.

Sounds like you have dropped a cable out.

 

[Matt46]

Thanks for all the reply’s. Will call out an electrician. Because trying to fit the 4 wires was a nightmare, not something I want to try again. Especially as one of the wires was multi strand.

Thanks again to all!!!

 

[Squid]

Word of advice, never do work for in laws,
1, It will always go t!ts up
2, It will always be your fault
3, The In laws will tell your wife, "We told you he is useless and you should not have married him"
4, She'll get the hump and you sleep on the sofa

 

[Matt46]

Word of advice, never do work for in laws,
1, It will always go t!ts up
2, It will always be your fault
3, The In laws will tell your wife, "We told you he is useless and you should not have married him"
4, She'll get the hump and you sleep on the sofa

Currently on the sofa!!!

 

[Squid]

Watching TV doesn't count I wait your 04:00 post on how cold/uncomfortable it is lol

 

[Wilko]

Ha, me and the cat will be on the couch tonight. And I didn't even offend the in-laws, though I could put some thought into that overnight. Can only hope there's something decent to watch on television

 

[Pete999]

Sounds to me Matt a non Electrician has been adding sockets doing it the wrong way, I think in all honesty you need the services of an Electrician. And you are more than likely right in your assumption.

 

[LewisM]

You could have used 3 of these https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/non-fused-terminal-blocks/8837557/ then pig tailed a wire to the socket

 

[Squid]

Ha, me and the cat will be on the couch tonight. And I didn't even offend the in-laws, though I could put some thought into that overnight. Can only hope there's something decent to watch on television

At least you'll be fondling more ----- tonight then most of the forum.

 

[westward10]

At least you'll be fondling more ----- tonight then most of the forum.

Jesus can you not post something without innuendo.