Plug Socket Question

[danoid]

May be getting a house soon, but have a few queries about plug sockets.

In a few rooms, they are single plug sockets which I find is odd for a 20 year house!

What I would like to do is convert most of them to double sockets, rather than using ugly extension leads.

The fascia I like are the screwless black nickel ones, which back boxes are the correct ones? The ones I've seen all have the screwholes ready, but do the screwless covers still fit correctly?

Also, I'm guessing the backbox needs to be metal and not plastic, even if it's going in plasterboard?

Thanks

 

[riveralt]

May be getting a house soon, but have a few queries about plug sockets.
In a few rooms, they are single plug sockets which I find is odd for a 20 year house!
What I would like to do is convert most of them to double sockets, rather than using ugly extension leads.

Simply remove the old single gang back box - where appropriate make the hole bigger and replace with new double gang back box. For stud partition walls use the plastic insert dry lining boxes like:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/appleby-2-gang-47mm-dry-lining-box/45057

The fascia I like are the screwless black nickel ones, which back boxes are the correct ones? The ones I've seen all have the screwholes ready, but do the screwless covers still fit correctly?

Haven't fitted screwless covers but I would imagine that body of the socket is screwed to the backbox as normal and the faceplate simply clips over this.[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Also, I'm guessing the backbox needs to be metal and not plastic, even if it's going in plasterboard?

Is it dot'n'dab plasterboard, or hollow walls, or battened and lined solid walls?

 

[Gutterball]

if your wall isn't straight forget about using them they will either pop off or have a gap around the edge.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

one possibility:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...dex/Sockets_1_to_2_Gang_Conversion/index.html

 

[Iggifer]

Personally, I hate those things.

Those and Mini Trunking scream DIY to me.

 

[Gutterball]

click do a 2 gang patress with a 1 gang hole it looks a lot more professional than converter socketshttp://www.scolmore.com/click-polar.html#

 

[Iggifer]

if you're going to take that route, you can just use any old patress and just screw it to the wall in the normal way and use the rear knockouts for the cables.

I'm sure that's cheaper than the 'special patress'

 

[securespark]

'Cept the special pattress is slimmer, methinks.

 

[plugwash]

click do a 2 gang patress with a 1 gang hole it looks a lot more professional than converter socketshttp://www.scolmore.com/click-polar.html#

I guess that is a matter of opinion. The converter sockets look a little weird but afaict they stick out of the wall much less than using a seperate box (converter or otherwise) with a regular socket

 

[SimonH2]

I would imagine that body of the socket is screwed to the backbox as normal and the faceplate simply clips over this.

Correct, that's exactly how they fit. It's a little like grid systems where the accessories are fixed and then the fascia plate fitted over them.
As Gutterball says, not brilliant if the wall isn't flat.

My mate has used lots of them in his bungalow. Personally I'm wondering how the polished brass/chrome will look after a few years of scraping around with the earth pin to find the hole in the dark.