Changed double socket but unsure if earthing is correct?

[Tagged]

Hi guys.

I decided to change a double socket in my hall from white to a nice metal one and would like to do the whole house over time. I've done a light switch before but first time doing an actual socket, So knowledge is very basic. I have a friend whos an electrician who guided me a little but is quite busy and I feel like I'm pestering him for help so I did most of it on my own. House was built around 35 years ago, not sure if this socket has always been here.

I took out the 3 sets of cables and transfered them over into the new socket.

I had -

1 Yellow and green, 1 black for earth (not sure why, someone suggested they could have just sleaved it wrong?)
2 black for neutral
2 red for live.

My electricain friend asked was the back box earthed, I wasn't sure and had already put it back together so I can't take it apart now but he said it should have a cable running from the earth to the box as well, I don't know if this is something I can do myself or should do? From a google search all I keep finding is if the back box has a lug then its generall fine.

So after some research it seems a lug is one of the screw holes which does NOT move, this is true for my back box, one side is moveable one side is immovable. But he says this is different and I still need to earth the back box?

I don't remember seeing a cable going to the box or anything so I'm pretty paranoid now and unsure if I should use the socket? I know the black wire is a little strange, The socket worked fine before and works fine after.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Images -
https://ibb.co/5sJ80wz
https://ibb.co/5s0YPR0
https://ibb.co/nCLRst8
https://ibb.co/nbbSbxf
https://ibb.co/dJR37yP

 

[blup]

It's good practice to earth the socket, the black sleeving isn't electrically relevant as long as there is earth continuity and the earth core is sufficient diameter to carry a fault current current.

Ask your electrician friend to do the necessary tests and sort out the additional earthing. The black sleeved conductor can then be sleeved yellow and green at the socket and the CU.

Blup

 

[bernardgreen]

It's good practice to earth the socket,

It is ESSENTIAL to connect the Earth to the SOCKET

 

[Tagged]

Thanks for the replies.

So as you can see in the pictures the earth goes into the socket with the 2 cables although one is black so it's definitely in there. Does this look sufficient as is? I guess my main issue is I'm not sure if its connected to the back box or not. If so could I get a brief explanation on how to do this myself? My electrician friend is extremely busy with work and isn't the easiest to get sometimes so hes slow on replying to me.

 

[blup]

It is ESSENTIAL to connect the Earth to the SOCKET

The OP makes clear there is an existing earth point from the fixed lug

Blup

 

[333rocky333]

...

 

[333rocky333]

If there was 2 Black 2 Red and 3 Earths (2 Green/y and 1 Black), then it seems likely that extra third Black is the link from the socket back to the wall box
Though i cannot see if there is actually 3 Earths
Its possible the top wires are in steel conduit, if so then the link is essential as the conduit is used as Earth
The Black wire could be the Link

 

[Tagged]

Are my imaages above in the links showing correctly? I am re-upload if needed.

So there are 2 wires for each, 2 earth, 2 neutral, 2 live. But seems the spark or whoever has put the wrong colour on one of the earth cables and didn't fix it? But will the screws into the back box be sufficient for the earth? As mentioned I've read the lug is a method of earthing but I'm just not sure. My spark friend said its not and I'm no spark.

 

[Tagged]

...

https://ibb.co/5sJ80wz
https://ibb.co/5s0YPR0
https://ibb.co/nCLRst8
https://ibb.co/nbbSbxf
https://ibb.co/dJR37yP

Hope these show ok.

 

[333rocky333]

 

[333rocky333]

Are my imaages above in the links showing correctly? I am re-upload if needed.

So there are 2 wires for each, 2 earth, 2 neutral, 2 live. But seems the spark or whoever has put the wrong colour on one of the earth cables and didn't fix it? But will the screws into the back box be sufficient for the earth? As mentioned I've read the lug is a method of earthing but I'm just not sure. My spark friend said its not and I'm no spark.

The fixed lug is not really relevant, in your case
The socket front must be Earthed and is usually by the supply cables.
Most people also link a cable from the front plate to a terminal in the wall back box, though this is only essential if that back box is joined to a metal conduit being used as Earth, which it looks like it may be, hence just a Red and Black protruding.
The pics are not clear to me what the Black core is actually doing ( going up conduit or terminated in box)
The cable to the left looks newer and is using the Green/Y sleeved copper core as Earth

 

[Tagged]

Hm OK I'm feeling a little paranoid especially with a metal face plate. Could this potentially be unsafe?

The cables seem to come from the left and above, yellow and green earth from the left the black earth from above.

I'll likely not use this until things can be fixed properly by an electrician as I don't know how to actually earth the back box myself, I'm still new to this, I get a little nervous when things go wrong haha

 

[davelx]

Please would you provide a photo loolking up into the backbox and showing where the black wire that is joined to the earths goes?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If there was 2 Black 2 Red and 3 Earths (2 Green/y and 1 Black), then it seems likely that extra third Black is the link from the socket back to the wall box
Though i cannot see if there is actually 3 Earths
Its possible the top wires are in steel conduit, if so then the link is essential as the conduit is used as Earth
The Black wire could be the Link

I think I can see the back box earth lug, just behind the green/yellow cable in the above photo. OP - is that earth lug connected by a short bit of wire to the earth terminal of the socket? If not, then it needs to be. The earth lug is a large screw, which screws into the metal of the back box, usually in a corner/rear of the box.

Yes, it is crucial that the socket has a proper earth, but even more crucial when the socket is metal faced.

 

[Tagged]

Please would you provide a photo loolking up into the backbox and showing where the black wire that is joined to the earths goes?

Ill try to take one this weekend.

It seems to be going up where the other black cables are. Is it possible for me to earth it myself to the back box? Would it be a simple enough job for a beginner?