How to properly connect an electric socket to the wires

The holder is an indispensable part that is present in all types of luminaires. It acts as a light bulb retainer, conducts electric current, attaches all additional components to itself. The cartridges are different, they need to be connected to the chandelier in different ways. To understand how to properly operate the device, how to replace a light bulb and how to connect the cartridge to the wires, you need to familiarize yourself with its design features and characteristics.

Purpose of the cartridge

The electrical network in a home or in a workplace consists of wires and electrical appliances, as well as various electromechanical products. Such devices include an electric cartridge. It connects a lighting device (LED, fluorescent or any other light bulb) to a cable and fixes it to a ceiling, wall or table lamp.

Holders are used for all types of lamps. It is important that the bulb has the same base as the electrical socket. Otherwise, it will not be possible to connect it. Such devices are made from different materials - thermoplastic, ceramics, metal, heat-resistant polymers.

Types by type of plinths

Electric cartridges can be divided according to the type of base. There are two large groups - threaded and pin devices.

Holders with a thread on the inside are suitable for light bulbs with a threaded base. They are marked E14, E27 and others, where E indicates the method of fixation (on the thread), and the number is the diameter. The following 8 standard sizes are referred to as standard - E5, E10, E14, E12, E17, E26, E27, E40. To put a light source, you need to screw it on.

Pin models are identified by the letter G. The number after the letter indicates the distance between the pins in mm. With a four-pin connection, the number indicates the distance between the opposite holes. Such devices are used in spotlights for stretch and suspended ceilings. Products with pins are divided according to body material, insert material, type of attachment, distance and number of contacts.

There are U-shaped lamps and cylindrical ones. For them, electric cartridges with the marking GX23, 2G7 and others are used. They differ in the number of contacts.

Electrical Cartridge Marking

According to GOST R IEC 60238-99, there are three types of threaded cartridges with different diameters - E14, E27 and E40. Their principle of operation is the same, only the design and size differ.

Each product has a marking. It indicates the characteristics. For example, the E14 can be installed in places with a current of no higher than 2A and a power of 450 W, E27 are designed for a current of up to 4 A and a load of 880 W, and the E40 models - up to 16 A and 3500 W. The operating voltage for all devices is 250 V.

The most common electric cartridge is E27. There are three standard devices with this mark:

• Ceramic. Has a monolithic body, non-separable. Easy and quick to connect, compatible with almost all spotlights. Fragile, often breaks.
• Carbolite. Dismountable, consists of three parts - body, insert with contacts, skirt. Reliable, contact skirt practically does not fall out, resistant to overload. It has a complex connection and requires improvements.
• Plastic.Also collapsible, but has two parts - a petticoat and a body. It has a robust housing, good performance and fast connection. Requires careful connection to avoid damaging the plastic clips.

The most commonly used cartridges are plastic and carbolite.

Device device

The electric chuck consists of three parts. This is a cylindrical body with a threaded sleeve, a bottom and a ceramic insert. Two brass contacts are used to transmit the current. For the device to work, all parts must be connected.

To increase safety, the phase is fed to the center contact. This minimizes the risk of a person touching a metal part and the possibility of electric shock.

Connecting the electric cartridges

To understand how the device works and how to connect it, you need to understand how the device works. The reassembly process from scratch should be considered before connecting the socket to the wires on the ceiling. The brass plate is pressed against the ceramic insert by means of a central contact. A screw screwed into the steel plate makes contact on the liner.

The screw also acts as a current conductor. For this reason, it must be tightened securely in order to create a good contact. The second brass plate is installed in the same way.

Rings must be formed on the conductors. They are threaded through the bottom and attached to steel plates. When connecting the cartridge through a standard switch, the phase is connected to the center contact. The neutral wire is connected to the side contact. It is important to observe the markings when connecting the wires.

The last step is to screw the case to the bottom. The socket can now be used and the light bulb inserted into it.

Connecting the socket with terminals

There is a new type of cartridges. In them, the wires are pressed using terminal blocks. This installation method allows you to speed up the installation of bulbs in chandeliers.

The body is made of plastic and is monolithic. The contacts are riveted on the inside. The disadvantage of such cartridges is the impossibility of repairing in case of breakdown.

Cartridges with terminals with E14 and E27 base are available.

Connection of screwless electric cartridges

Screwless devices are easy to install. Inside there are brass springs that are used to pinch and fix the conductors. There are holes in the body, usually two pairs.

To connect the sockets in parallel to the chandeliers, two pairs of contacts are connected in pairs. One cartridge receives voltage, and the next are connected through jumpers. A total of 10 or more cartridges can be connected.

The advantage of non-contact chucks is that they are easy to replace and connect. You just need to take the wire, strip it 1 cm and put it in the right hole. But it should be borne in mind that thin cores in a multicore cable are quite difficult to fix. Therefore, chandelier manufacturers tin the ends of the conductors that will be connected to the socket. The end of the multi-core cable then becomes single-core and easy to make contact. You can attach the wires with tweezers.

Mounting methods

For conductive wire

It is forbidden to directly connect the screw electric cartridge to the cables. Before that, it must be fixed in the lamp. A fixing screw is inserted into the plastic sleeve on the bottom. The veins are threaded through the hole. After connecting and assembling the socket, you can clamp the wires with a screw.

On the tube

This is the most common mounting method. With this design, you can hang lampshades of different weights, dimensions and designs.

There is a nut on the metal tube, with the help of which fittings for chandeliers and shades are fastened. The wires are routed through the tube.

You can find cartridges in which the thread is applied to the outer part of the body.A lampshade ring is attached to it.

Bushing

There are lamps (wall, table) that are mounted on plastic and metal sleeves. Using this method, you can expand the capabilities of the technology for creating a luminaire. To do this, it is enough to drill a hole and secure the chuck with a sleeve.

With screwless terminals

The case in such models is fixed with a bottom with two latches. For this reason, the mount differs from the classic one.

The bottom of the cartridge is screwed onto a threaded tube into the chandeliers. Then conductive conductors are drawn into the cartridge. At the end, the case is put on the bottom and snaps into place. The most important advantage is the possibility of repair.

To disconnect and remove the electric cartridge, you need to carefully push the latches in opposite directions with a screwdriver. It is important not to break the product. As a result, the body will be freed from the bottom and you can change it.

Repair of a collapsible electric cartridge

When the light starts to blink or burns out during operation, the user can judge the problems with the socket. This is one of the most common breakdowns. If, when switched on, an unpleasant buzzing sound is heard and a burning smell is felt, you need to inspect the product. If blackened contacts are found, clean them. You may also need to replace the cartridge in the chandelier with a new one.

For repair, it is necessary to disassemble the cartridge into its components, inspect and clean the contacts to a characteristic shine. The case must be unscrewed, holding it by the bottom. If you cannot unscrew it, you can pull it out with thin-nose pliers, grasping the edge of the base.

There are times when the light bulb does not unscrew from the socket due to damage. Then pulling it out is more difficult. First of all, you should de-energize the lamp, and then use one of the described methods.

How to unscrew a cartridge if a light bulb bursts:

• Using pliers or pliers. It is necessary to tear off the fragments of the flask without dropping them on the floor. Then the base is unscrewed with thin-nose pliers. The plinth must be grasped by the edge and pulled out. The work must be done carefully, trying not to damage the E27 electric cartridge.
• Using a plastic bottle. It needs to be melted a little at the neck and inserted into the base. You should wait a few seconds until the plastic hardens and sticks, and then start twisting the structure. It is the bottle that is chosen, since its neck will be easily screwed into the base.
• Disassembly of the electric cartridge. Suitable only for old carbolite cartridges. The product must be carefully disassembled into its components and removed from the lighting device.

The way to get a broken light bulb depends only on the convenience of the user. Then you need to connect a light source and check the performance of the structure.