Wire a plug

The UK mains electricity supply is about 230V and can kill if not used safely. The more electrical energy use the greater the cost. A correctly wired three-pin mains electricity plug is important for using electricity safely. A mains electricity cable contains two or three inner wires.

Strip the end of the thick cable coming from the appliance into the plug , using wire strippers.

Take off roughly of white covering,.

Please note that you can click on the photos to enlarge them so you can see the process in more detail.

Many of you fine people ask me questions about how to carry out simple DIY tasks around the house. More info about this type of plug. This can be done for decorative reasons or if there is damage on the casing. Where do each of those wires go?

Most accidents with electricity in the home are caused by faulty or incorrectly wired plugs. Gently twist the strands of copper wire with your fingers until each strand is tight. The key is to make sure you connect the wires to the proper terminals in the plug.

The wide prong on the plug links the threaded base of light bulbs to the neutral terminal ( the wider slot) in the receptacle. If the wires are reverse the hot side of the outlet . Some old appliances may have the old Black, Red and Green cable colours in the flex. These old cable colours should be connected thus:. This could result in the plug overheating, its wires becoming loose or an electric shock (if the earth wire is disconnected).

Remove plugs from sockets carefully. Use plugs with the British Standard safety mark . The flex that fits into and connects the plug electrically will usually have three insulated wires (conductors). UK plugs use brown insulation for the live wire , blue insulation for the neutral wire and green with yellow stripes insulation for the earth wire.

But why this particular combination of colours? The answer is deceptively simple: there is no type of colour blindness that will result in these wires becoming confused . Electrical appliances, circuits, leads, plugs etc.