How to fix the socket with your own hands? Sooner or later, this question appears among the residents of any apartment. There are enough reasons - a short circuit, a weakened mount, etc. It is quite possible to deal with the problem with your own hands. But before you start, you should understand the causes of the breakdown and prepare everything you need.
Signs of broken outlet integrity
Conventionally, all breakdowns are divided into two types: safe (easily repairable) and serious. The latter can cause damage to other electrical appliances and not only. There are enough reasons for this - incorrect installation work at the installation stage, natural wear and tear. Fasteners can loosen. Also, all wiring is made of aluminum wires, which quickly become weak. In this case, you can cope with the task by pulling up contacts.
But how to fix a fallen socket? This is a difficult task and it will give a lot of work. This happens if the failure is not detected at the right time. The part may stick out slightly from the wall or be completely outside. There are enough reasons:
- The outlet has burst.
- Her decorative cover has split.
- The item came out of the socket.
- Wires burned out, etc.
It also happens that visually there is no integrity violation, but when connected, the device does not work. In addition, the part may smoke, spark, or work poorly. There is a burning smell. If this is the situation, repairs are indispensable.
When can I fix it myself?
Before starting the task of restoring the outlet, you should really look at things and understand your capabilities. If there is a large damage, the electricity in the apartment or house is turned off and a specialist is invited. If the outlet falls out of the wall, how to fix it? This is done with poor contact or minor disturbances.
Before starting, you need to inspect the front of the work to understand what is the reason and how long it will take to recover. If there are chips or cracks, then the socket could be at the purchase level or with careless operation. And if there is more serious damage (blackness or the device heats up quickly), then the reasons may be as follows:
- High voltage in wires.
- defective isolation.
- Oxidation.
- Reduce connecting contact.
Repair is required, otherwise the situation will escalate. Each cause requires a different work of restoration.
No contact?
Almost everyone knows that the fastening of the part is carried out through screws to the front side. But if the device is disassembled, then the gazecontacts will be presented in the form of metal plates. They have bends and when the fork is inserted, they compress it. With constant use, the plates lose their thrust and weaken. To understand that this is the reason, the plug is placed in the socket and wobbled a little. If the device starts flashing, the cause has been found.
Often people do not pay attention to the allowable power and use electrical consumers, the number and power of which is more than the norm. As a result, it happens that not only the socket breaks, but also the devices themselves. Many manufacturers install euro plugs on their devices, and people try to stick them into a simple outlet. If the contact is not complete, then a short circuit may occur.
It also happens that when the plug contacts the socket, the electrical installation does not start. This can be easily checked with an indicator screwdriver. On closer examination, you can understand that contact is lost. To restore work, the socket is removed and the wires are connected. Do not forget about the colors of the cords:
- Red or brown - phase.
- Blue and white are zero.
- Yellow-green - grounding.
Pay attention
You can not start work without turning off the voltage in the electrical panel. How to fix an outlet? The actions are performed in stages: the broken socket is removed, the updated socket is screwed on, and then the screws are fixed on the protective box. Then the electricity is turned on and a test is carried out using any deviceinserted into it. It is good when there are no extraneous sounds, smell and other deviations. Otherwise, the part must be replaced.
Preparation steps
To avoid force majeure situations, the procedure is prepared in advance. If there is a small breakdown, the electricity is completely turned off. Verification is required using an electrical tester. Required Ingredients:
- Indicator-screwdriver.
- Slotted and Phillips screwdriver.
- Pliers.
- Insulating tape.
- Cutting tool.
The house does not always have the necessary components - they will have to be bought in addition. Do not perform work with improvised tools. This will backfire. Please note that all tools must have rubberized handles. It is worth observing each item at the preparation stage so that the repair does not turn into a complex breakdown.
Performing repairs
Once preparations are complete, it's time for the main activities. The screws are removed and the decorative case is removed. Next, contacts are checked. If they look ugly, blackened or changed color, then the entire structure is dismantled. The presence of a green color indicates oxidation. What to do in this case? Contacts are cleaned when using a knife.
It also happens that the contacts are completely worn out. How to fix an outlet? In this case, a completely new design should be at the ready. What to do if contacts are weakened? There are simple manipulations. Required:
- Remove cover.
- Pull out the entire structure carefully, without disconnecting or breaking the wires.
- When using a screwdriver, fasten the screws.
- The charred wires are removed, and the rest are twisted and insulated with tape.
Next, the part is installed in its place. When the structure is badly damaged, it is better to change it immediately. These are simple manipulations, the basis of which is the de-energization of the electrical wiring.
Installing a new outlet
This is the option most often used by owners. How to fix a falling out socket? Its structure is very fragile and cannot be restored. It will be easier and faster to install a new one. Initially, the old structure is removed. And then you need:
- De-energize an apartment or house.
- Remove the insulating cord from the wires by about one centimeter.
- Make rings with a diameter of up to 0.5 centimeters from the ends of the wire.
- Make a connection with the wiring in the wall and the socket. Next - clamp with terminals and screws.
- Make sure all wires are in place.
- Carefully remove the part into the socket (it is important to exclude the slightest distortions and errors).
- Fix the new construction with the constituent elements.
- Screw on the trim.
If you do not rush and have the required material on hand, it will not take much time - about twenty minutes.
Design falling out
How to fix an outlet if it fell out? The reason for this phenomenon is simple - incorrect and careless use (sharp pulling of the plug). Can thisavoid if you screw the whole structure harder. But even this does not always help with frequent use. Some install something solid under the outlet, but such manipulation does not bring much result either.
It is worth thinking about a complete change of the entire structure and purchase a better socket box. What to have on hand:
- New device.
- Cement (better gypsum - it fixes faster).
- Construction knife.
- Spatula.
- Primer coat.
- Tool kit for socket installation.
The electricity is cut off in the room, the old element is being dismantled. It happens that the socket is just in concrete - it is better to remove it and make a socket. But this is done before buying the part so that the shape matches the existing base in the wall. There is a wide range of such components on sale, and finding the right one will not be difficult.
How to fix a socket in the wall? You just need to increase the size of the space in the wall with a chisel and a hammer. After the selected mixture is diluted for fixation, a socket box is seated on it. Before this, the base is treated with a primer mixture so that the adhesion is better. If there is wallpaper, they are carefully removed and attached to the wall with pins. Some advise using tape, but it can ruin the surface.
After the mixture begins to set, the whole structure is formed according to the level. Fartherthe socket box itself is fixed on the bolts or screws included in the kit. Now it's time to install the outlet. There is no difficulty, but there are a lot of actions - you should not skip a single stage.
After any repair, the socket is checked for operability. To do this, a low-power device is connected for ten minutes. When working, it is worth controlling the phase. If it is, do not start installation. It happens that the plug from the outlet is broken. How to fix? There are enough reasons for this - the contact has burned out or loosened, careless handling during operation, etc. The plug is easily disassembled, because there is a mount in the middle, in the form of a screw.
When the design is untwisted, two halves with an internal component are obtained. There are also contacts that will tell you a lot. If they are oxidized, darkened or detached, then the plug will not work. Sometimes it is enough to tighten them, and the device will again begin to perform its functions. Today, many modern appliances have plugs that cannot be disassembled. In this case, you can try to replace it completely.
Conclusion
So, we found out for what reasons the outlet fails and how to restore it. Dealing with an outlet in the house or fixing a plug is not as difficult as it seems - you just have to pay attention to this problem.
