How to repair a malfunctioning electrical socket

 Repairing an electrical socket does not take much time. With a budget of a few dollars and a few tools, it is possible to get the job done. Sometimes vibrations loosen sockets and with wear and tear, the casing may break. The small pieces of copper inside the 'slots' of the socket can start to expand due to rough handling when quickly inserting a plug. Therefore, a faulty socket may not be visible at first glance.

Unfortunately, numerous accidents and electrical fires occur due to the lack of maintenance of electrical sockets. Most of the time, the best option is to replace the socket with a new one and re-establish the wiring to join the new socket. 

Removing power from the socket

This step is simple and is carried out as a precautionary measure. Every year thousands of people are electrocuted due to a lack of preparation and awareness of the potential danger when dealing with electrical components. Switch on the voltage tester and check each terminal of the socket to ensure that no electricity is getting into it. If it is a duplex socket, make sure that both sockets are switched off, as each may be powered by a different circuit.

Remove the front plate of the socket

To remove the old socket, use a screwdriver to unscrew the front plate and then carefully remove the socket from the wall. At this stage, use the tester again to check for current flowing through the side terminal screws, ensuring that the circuit is dead.

Removing the wire connection from the old socket

Once again, the screwdriver must be used to unscrew the wires from the attachment points to the old socket. Usually the 'neutral' side has the lighter coloured screws, while the 'hot' side has the darker coloured screws, but it is good to double-check as there may be exceptions.

Once you have removed the wiring from the old socket, you can throw it away. Take a quick look at the wires and check for burn marks or nicks. 

Connect the wires to the new socket

Connect the wires in the equivalent position as they were in the old socket. Colours can be misleading, as different regions have different colour codes.

It is therefore very important to remember the relative associations of wire colours to the connection points before removing the wiring from the old socket. After the wiring is established, wrap electrical tape around the socket to ensure that all terminals are insulated.

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