Why are wires in a plug insulated?
All three wires in the cable are bundled together and there is extra plastic insulation wrapped round them all for safety. This holds the cable tightly in place so that the cable cannot be pulled out of the plug.
What are the 3 wires in a plug and what do they do?
The Three Pin Plug
- The LIVE wire is BROWN. This is connected to a fuse on the live pin.
- The NEUTRAL wire is BLUE. This is the route the electric current takes when it exits an appliance; it is for this reason the neutral wire has a voltage close to zero.
- The EARTH wire is GREEN & YELLOW. and connected to the earth pin.
What wires are used for?
Wires are used to bear mechanical loads or electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Wire gauges come in various standard sizes, as expressed in terms of a gauge number.
Why do some plugs have 3 wires?
If you look around your house, what you will find is that just about every appliance with a metal case has a three-prong outlet. The idea behind grounding is to protect the people who use metal-encased appliances from electric shock. The casing is connected directly to the ground prong.
What kind of electrical wire do I need?
The most common sizes you’ll find in residential work are 14-gauge and 12-gauge. Larger appliances such as electric stoves, electric water heaters, electric dryers and central air units will often use 10-, 8- or even 6-gauge wire. If you’re adding an outlet, you need to use wire the same gauge as the existing wiring.
What do you need to know about wiring a plug?
Make sure the cord clamp is gripping the outer insulation of the cable, not the coloured wires. For non-screw type clamps you may need to adjust the clamp to suit the size of cable. Test the cable is secure by giving it a sharp tug. Check that the correct fuse is fitted. The fuse rating recommended by the manufacturer should always be used.
Why are 3 pin plugs important for electrical safety?
A 3-pin plug consists of three pins (hence the name). It is important to know how to wire a 3-pin plug correctly. The 3-pin plugs are designed so that electricity can be supplied to electrical appliances safely. Each wire has its own specified color, as shown above and each pin must be correctly connected to the three wires in the electrical cable.
What kind of wire is used for electronics?
Much of it comprises a single wire covered with insulation, but other types of wire are also used in large quantities. The type of electronics cable or wire required depends upon the application.
Which is the best wire to wire a plug?
Separate the wires and use the plug as a gauge to cut the wires to the correct length. Leaving the wires the same length usually results in the live and neutral wires becoming crushed when the plug cover is replaced. The plug is also designed so that the live (brown) is the shortest and tightest wire in the plug.
What’s the best way to wire a plug?
The first this to do is attach the bare wire to the back of the electrical box (wrap around one of the screws) but leave enough of a “tail” to attach the the green or blackish screw at the bottom of the plug. This ensures that the plug and the box are now grounded.
What kind of wire is used for an electrical outlet?
In modern electrical circuits used to wire receptacles (electrical outlets). Typically an electrical receptacle is wired with two insulated wires and a bare ground wire, all three of which are encased in a plastic (NMC) or metal (BX) jacket. You’ll see this wire labeled as 14/2 Type NM B with groun d (photo at left) or 14/2 Type NM C with ground.
What are the different colours of electrical plugs?
Old appliances (pre-1971) may have a cable with different colours: (L) = Live = Red (N) = Neutral = Black (E) = Earth = Green If the plug has screw type cord clamp, remove or loosen this first. Connect each wire to the correct terminal. Slacken the screw and push the bare wire into the hole and then re-tighten the screw.
What makes a mains electricity cable a plug?
The plug The cable. A mains electricity cable contains two or three inner wires. Each has a core of copper, because copper is a good conductor