What is a socket outlet and what is it for

To understand what a socket is, you need to imagine the wiring that leads to the outlet. The latter is hidden in a special element - a box that looks like a short glass. This will be the socket used for the arrangement of modern houses and apartments.

What are socket boxes for?

To collect high-quality wiring that will work smoothly, you need to make a hole in the wall and put a socket in it. The product performs several tasks:

• fixing the socket, switch, and other devices thanks to screws and spacer lugs;
• replacing the switch box if the box is not used when installing the power line;
• additional dielectric insulation of the wall, switch and socket body;
• prevention of fires due to short circuits.

Thanks to the "cup holder", the power elements are not damaged against the wall.

Varieties and classification

Depending on the material, shape, design features and parameters, various types of socket outlets are distinguished.

Manufacturing material

Manufacturers produce several models:

• Plastic - a convenient and practical flame-resistant product. The incombustibility of the material allows it to be used on wood surfaces;
• Metal - when heated, they conduct an electric current. At the moment, they are practically not used, with the exception of timber houses.
• Wooden - an intermediate option, permissible for rough arrangement of open wiring.

A wooden socket is sometimes found on self-made wiring of a bathhouse, garage, farm buildings.

Manufacturing form

The socket box can have a different shape, most often it is:

• Round - suitable for collecting group switches and sockets. It is easier to make a strobe under them.
• Square - accommodate 1-4 mechanisms, allow you to lay the wire with a margin. They often contain elements of the "smart home" system, dimmers.
• Oval - roomy, designed for 1-5 mechanisms.

Installation of all products is carried out after the surface is chamfered.

Separation by depth

The letter H is used to indicate the depth. The mounting boxes are recessed 40, 42, 60, 45 and 62 mm. Models with a depth of 80 mm are intended for terminal blocks when the wiring is not equipped with junction boxes.

Differences in the fixation system

It is better to choose the fasteners for the socket box depending on the surface to be installed (hollow or solid walls). According to the method of fixing the product, there are:

• with spacer legs - designed for installation inside hollow walls;
• with ears for self-tapping screws for fixing sockets and switches;
• with non-removable connecting tunnels - for combining several parts into blocks.

The socket plate is installed on alabaster without fasteners.

Standard sizes of sockets and crowns

To equip the electrical network, you will need an installation box and a crown for drilling a wall. In terms of dimensions, a socket designed for an outlet or switch is:

• standard - with a depth of 45 mm, a diameter of 68 mm;
• large - with a diameter of 72 mm and a depth of 60 to 80 mm.

A typical cylindrical crown is 68 mm in diameter, and there are options for 60 mm. For high-strength materials, diamond cores are used, and for drywall - soft. When working, a unified distance between the centers of drilling is observed - 71 mm, regardless of the size of the socket.

Installation in concrete and brick walls

For installation in concrete or brick, products are selected according to several criteria:

• diameter from the outside - you need to measure the distance between the parts that are as distant as possible from each other;
• diameter inside - they are guided by the dimensions that the outlet has (60-68 mm);
• installation depth - depends on how thick the concrete material is and the possibility of slitting;
• internal depth - there are models 25-80 mm deep on the market, the standard depth is 40-45 mm.

Installation in a concrete wall

The installation process in concrete surfaces is as follows:

1. With a crown or a drill 68-72 mm in diameter, a hole is drilled to a depth of 50 mm, taking into account the bevel for the wire.
2. A centering drill is pulled out of the crown and concrete is knocked out of the niche.
3. Remains of concrete are removed with a chisel.
4. Debris and dust are removed with a vacuum cleaner.
5. A mixture is prepared on the basis of 2 parts of putty and 3 parts of plaster. Such proportions will extend the setting time of the solution from 5 to 10-20 minutes.
6. The niche is moistened from the sprayer for better adhesion of the mixture.
7. Mounting boxes are being prepared. The block ones are assembled into a multibox, and then the plug for the cable is cut off.
8. The solution is placed in a niche. On it is placed a bedclothes.
9. Excess composition is removed with a spatula, and after drying is cleaned.

The edges of the box should be flush with the wall.

Assembling a multibox in a brick wall

If there are several sockets, a block of 2-4 socket boxes is equipped. The holes are grooved by analogy for a single box. The connecting channels are made with a grinder. To dock the elements, use the installation side fasteners. The evenness of the parts is carefully checked with a level.

If there is no time for preparatory work, you can purchase a block (3-5 boxes) socket box.

Features of wall mounting with ceramic tiles

If the installation is carried out on a wall with further tiling, you need:

• make the markup in advance;
• drill holes with a margin of about 7 mm so that the part protrudes slightly above the surface;
• put the "cups" at the level of the wall on glue with a layer of 2-3 mm and screw the sockets with screws.

Experts note that it is better to mount socket boxes on tiles without reference to the layout of the coating. The installation box can be positioned in the center of the tile, at the junction of rows horizontally or vertically, at the junction of 4 elements.

If it is necessary to change the socket, and the tile is already there, do the following:

• carefully cut a hole on the wall;
• make holes with a crown;
• glue pieces of tiles;
• put the "cup holder".

The easiest option is to change elements or put new ones at the finishing stage.

The hidden installation method will provide an aesthetic appearance of the surface.

Installation in drywall

For plasterboard surfaces, a standard type of parts with a diameter of 68 mm and a depth of 45 mm is used. If the thickness of the partitions allows, elements with a depth of 60-62 mm are installed. The constructions replace the junction box and eliminate unnecessary stress on thin material.

The plastic socket must have 4 screws with a distance of 83 mm between each. The pair is used to fasten the working parts of the socket. The second pair is for fixing products on drywall.

When installing sheets without sound insulation

Installation work is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The marking is made taking into account the location of the gypsum board frame profiles. The height of the socket from the floor is 30 cm, the height of the switch is 90 cm.
2. If it is necessary to install the unit, 71 mm are removed from the central part of the first "cup holder" and the center of the second is marked.
3. Landing niches are made with a drill or screwdriver with a crown of 67 mm in diameter.
4. The side plugs are removed. One is removed from the first socket, two from the second, and one from the third.
5. The design is combined by installing an adapter into the landing niche. The element snaps into place.
6. To mount the socket boxes, the partitions between the holes are removed, the plastic plug is removed with a clerical knife or file.
   
7. Parts are fed into the niches diagonally so the fastening legs will not break.
8. The power cable is pulled through the hole in the plug, and then the unit is inserted.
9. The locks are tightened with a screwdriver.
10. The symmetry of the multibox is checked by the level.

Do not use excessive force when working with drywall.

In the presence of a sound insulating layer

You need to install the socket outlets exclusively on your own technological legs:

1. Niches are drilled in the gypsum board along the horizontal markings.
2. Drywall spacing is weakened.
3. Holes are cut in the socket for feeding the power cables.
4. The box is placed in the finished niche.
5. Tighten the spacer screws.
6. The end of the wire is cut by 15 cm.

In order to prevent the socket box from falling out, you can organize for it an individual box of 10x10 cm plasterboard strips.

Manufacturer-specific socket boxes

Product sizes vary depending on the manufacturer. When laying electrics of a specific brand, you need a socket outlet of their own production.

Schneider Electric

The products of the Russian brand have a standard diameter of 65 mm and a depth of 45 mm, but there are also models with 65x60 mm. Polypropylene parts are suitable for installation in solid walls, incl. in a gas silicate brick. Fire resistant, can withstand temperatures up to 650 degrees.

Hegel

The Tambov company produces socket boxes for mounting switches and dimmers. The details are dimensional, their depth is 60 mm, and the diameter is 68 mm. There are options 68x40 and 68x45 mm. Wear-resistant propylene boxes can be combined into multiboxes. The manufacturer's lineup includes models for plasterboard, hollow walls, brick and concrete.

LeGrand

If you need an oversized socket box 70x65 mm or 80x50 mm, you should take a closer look at the products of the French brand. Standard products are 68x40 and 68x60. Suitable for group and single installations. The socket frame is mounted on floors, walls, countertops, ceilings. The body of the products is plastic, the shape and type of fasteners depend on the series.

When arranging an apartment electrical network, it is necessary to choose socket boxes according to the type of fixation, shape and diameter. Before buying, you should pay attention to the integrity of the case, the purpose and the possibility of combining into groups.