When moving an antenna or TV, or if it is damaged, it is necessary to extend the TV cable. This article talks about what connection methods are available and how to do it yourself.
Cable device
In the center of the TV cable there is a copper wire with a diameter of 0.3-1 mm. Surrounding it is polyurethane insulation, separating the central core from a shield of aluminum foil and copper braid. Braided cables without foil do not meet modern signal transmission standards.
The entire structure is protected from external influences and ultraviolet radiation by a polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene shell.
The outer diameter must be at least 6-8 mm, and when laying next to electrical wiring - 10 mm. It cannot be bent at a right angle; the recommended radius is more than 5 cm.
How to choose a TV cable
When purchasing a TV cable, the choice of brand is made based on several parameters.
Characteristic impedance
All TV cables have a characteristic impedance of 75 Ohms. This depends on the ratio of the diameters of the braid and the central core and is determined at the factory when designing the cable.
Cable thickness
In addition to wave resistance, ordinary resistance matters. The thicker the cable, the larger the cross-section of the central core, and the greater the distance the signal is transmitted. For apartments and multi-storey buildings, at a distance of up to 30 meters, 6 mm is sufficient. When using thick outer insulation, the cable diameter increases.
Braid material
The central core is always copper or copper-plated steel. The RF signal travels across the surface, so its material does not matter.
The central conductor is surrounded by a dielectric, the material of which is also unimportant. Next in all cables is aluminum foil surrounded by braid. The denser it is, the better the quality of the cable. The braid material can be different:
- copper – has good parameters, but expensive;
- aluminum is cheap, but fragile;
- stainless steel - optimal ratio price quality.
External insulation
When installing the antenna indoors, the material outer shell doesn't matter. When using it outdoors, the outer insulation should be designed to outdoor installation, otherwise it will crack under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes and other factors, and the cable will fail.
Important! A cable that is pulled through the air must have a supporting steel core.
How to extend a TV cable
Extending the cable, as well as connecting television cables to each other, increases signal resistance, so they must be kept to a minimum. The number of connections should be no more than 1-2. If necessary, this can be done in different ways.
Via adapter or plug and socket
The simplest and quick way connect the television cable– F-plug and F-socket:
- Remove the outer layer of insulation on one of the wires at a distance of 25-30 mm;
- Wrap the braid in the opposite direction. The inner side of the aluminum foil is coated with lavsan or polyethylene for strength, so part of the screen is folded back to ensure contact;
- Strip the end of the central core to a length of 10 mm. This must be done without damaging it, otherwise the wire becomes brittle;
- The F-plug is screwed onto the TV cable through the foil. The central wire should protrude by 0.5 cm. The excess is cut off with wire cutters or side cutters;
- Operations 1-4 are repeated for the second end of the cable;
- The prepared F-plugs are screwed into the F-socket.
The connection using a TV plug and TV socket is carried out in the same way. The difference is less mechanical strength, so the finished connection is wrapped with electrical tape, or a piece of heat-shrinkable tubing is put on it and heated with a hairdryer or lighter.
Interesting. Connectors are available in straight and 90 degree angles. Curved ones are used when there is no room for a smooth cable bend. The installation method does not change from using the corner connector.
Solder connection
Another way to reliably and efficiently connect wires is soldering. It's cheaper, but more difficult and longer than using a connector:
- Using a knife, cut the outer shell to a length of 50-60 mm;
Carefully! The shielding braid must remain intact.
- Like the skin of a banana, the outer insulation and screen fold back;
- The central core is cut to a length of 20mm;
- The insulation is cut to a length of 10mm on one side. As shown in the photo, it is necessary to leave a “step”;
- The central core is bent at an angle of 45 degrees. The ends are tinned;
- Operations 1-5 are repeated for the other cable;
- The central cores of the connected wires are soldered “overlapping”. Irregularities and drips of tin are removed with a file or soldering iron;
- The soldering area is covered on both sides with the remaining uncut insulation of the central core, and is wrapped with electrical tape for strength;
- The aluminum foil of the screen is returned to its place;
- The shielding braid is placed in place one by one. For better contact, the screens can be soldered;
- The previously bent outer insulation is applied to the connection on both sides;
- The finished structure is wrapped with electrical tape, or a previously placed piece of heat-shrink tubing is placed over it and heated with a hairdryer.
Attention! WITH inside The shielding foil is covered with a layer of insulation, so the layer laid on the outside turns inside out.
Twist
This is the most low-quality connection method. At the point of twisting, contact is lost, it oxidizes, is mechanically fragile and has an unaesthetic appearance. You can connect the cable by twisting it in two ways:
- Similar to a soldered joint. Instead of soldering, twist the central cores together;
- Strip the outer insulation by 40-50mm, and the inner insulation by 20-25. Twist the central wires and screens in pairs, insulating the twists with electrical tape.
Connecting multiple cables via a splitter
When connecting one antenna to several TVs, the connection is made through a special device - a splitter, or “crab”.
This is a small box with one input marked “IN” and several outputs marked “OUT”. TV cables are connected via F-connectors or TV-plugs.
Inside the splitter there is a ferrite ring with windings, and in cheaper models - resistors. These elements distribute the input signal evenly across the outputs, so it is not recommended to install a “crab” with spare outputs.
If the number of outputs is more than four, an active splitter is installed - a device in which the amplifier is located.
Cable laying rules
In order for the wiring to serve for a long time, it should be laid according to certain rules:
- At the maximum distance from electrical wiring. Intersections with electrical cables should be made at right angles;
Important! To reduce interference, these wires are not laid side by side, in the same cable channel or pipe.
- Minimum number of connections. Only factory connectors or soldering should be used;
- Do not coil the TV cable. This creates an inductor that attenuates the signal;
- Do not bend the wire at a right angle. If necessary, use corner connectors.
Correctly performed connection of television cables will ensure good signal transmission and high-quality image, and knowing how to connect a television cable will allow you to do this work yourself, without the help of a specialist.
Video
In houses old building On each floor of the entrance, the builders installed an electrical input panel. The electrical network was distributed from it to all rooms. Now it's different technical solution. All switching electrical circuit are carried out inside the apartment where the electrical distribution panel is installed.
However, when moving in, there is often a need to replace or relocate the electrical distribution panel. Cheap designs are simply not capable of meeting today's challenges of safe power supply. Even for modern two-room apartment with 60 m2 of area it is necessary to create more than a dozen electrical circuits.
Changing the panel model will require lengthening the power cable, and it can be walled up in concrete wall or not the right length. It's not always convenient to take new cable and lay it with an additional route, especially when it is fixed inside the interfloor fastening, which is quite difficult to determine. In addition, replacing power circuits on an access panel requires a lot of approvals and the involvement of a specialized team, which creates significant difficulties.
How to properly replace the input cable
Analysis technical characteristics
First, you should accurately determine the cross-section and material of the cores, access to which may be hidden. After all, you will need to buy an additional piece to increase the length.
It is best to contact management company and obtain information from project documentation.
You can also use indirect ways according to the parameters of the rated current of the input circuit breaker. For a 63 ampere load, install a cable with a cross-section for each core of at least 16 mm2 for copper. In the case of a planned consumption of less than 50 amperes - 10 mm2, and for currents of 10 amperes - both options 10 or 16 are possible.
If there is access to the cable cores, the cross-sectional area can be measured. But this must be done when the voltage is removed, with the obligatory verification of its absence by a tested person.
Necessary materials and tool
In the store you will need to buy materials:
Cable in the form of a piece of the required length;
Connecting coupling for the appropriate cross-section and material;
Special mounting sleeves according to the number of core connections;
Assembly pliers;
Insulating materials. You can get by with special heat-shrinkable tubes. Or use durable compound mixtures based on epoxy resins for filling the coupling directly in a sealed plastic box.
Work technology
The voltage is removed from the old electrical panel by turning off the usual input circuit breaker in compliance with the rules safe work to dismantle the shield and the cable end on it. Then you will need to reinstall the power cable to a new location and connect the purchased jumper to it to increase the overall length.
Method of installing conductors to create electrical contact
Each cable core is inserted into the coupling sleeve on one side and is securely connected bolted connection or crimping with special pliers with adjustable force (depending on the selected connection design), without which there will be no reliable electrical contact. In most cases, a power cable with flexible stranded conductors is laid for supply to apartments.
When connected under a bolt, they deform and increase over time, disrupting the quality of contact, which leads to excessive heating and burnout of the metal, up to complete destruction under heavy loads. Therefore for threaded connection special sleeves are used that seal the metal and are fixed by crimping pliers to obtain a durable structure. In this way, the prepared core can be attached to the sleeve under the screw.
Coupling insulation
In practice, two professional methods are used to reliably insulate conductors.
When choosing them, the tube is put on the joint and heated to a certain temperature. Smaller connection diameters are insulated first. Large sections are then covered with insulating material.
To finish the work, the one put on top is heated with the open flame of an industrial hair dryer to tightly fit the metals with insulating material, ensuring tightness.
2. Filling with resin
For this method it is convenient to use ready-made kits with coupling, body of two halves, sealing tape and bags of sealant.
To seal the ends of the cable in the coupling, sealing tape is used.
Preparing the sealant
It is enough to remove the jumper from the bags, then mix the resin with the diluent by frequent shaking for about a minute. This causes the components to heat up. Achievement high temperature indicates the mixture is ready.
Pouring the finished resin into the coupling should be done with the housing securely fastened to the wall through a corner hole cut in the bag.
Warning
This operation cannot be done when an assistant is holding the body with the coupling in his hands. Any movement can cause injury or burns, but the power cable has certain weight and dimensions.
After filling the sealant, you need to remove the filler funnel and close the hole with a special plug. It is also recommended to tilt the entire structure several times in different planes to ensure uniform coverage of the body cavities with resin. Next, we secure the created coupling for final hardening of the sealing mixture and subsequent installation.
In this way, the length is increased, and the supplemented power cable reliably provides two important tasks of the electrical circuit:
1. creating excellent electrical contact with minimal contact resistance;
2. reliable hermetic insulation between all cores and the sheath, allowing long-term operation even in a humid environment.
All that remains is to connect the extended end of the input cable to the new apartment panel, but this is already material for another article.
Modern technologies have led to the fact that today almost every home has Internet access. The World Wide Web has become an integral part of our daily life. The main and most common way to connect to the Internet is through a local network. The computer connects to the Internet using a network cable. There are situations when the cable is not enough to move the computer to Right place. You can read about how to extend your Internet cable in this article.
How to extend the wire: 3 options
It is very inconvenient to use the Internet when you cannot move freely. Many people install network cables to make using the Internet more comfortable. There are several simple ways to extend the cable.
One way to extend the Internet cable is to purchase a special patch cord and a joyner (twisted pair connector).
When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to the appearance of the joyner, as it is very similar to a telephone adapter. It will not be difficult to distinguish a twisted pair, since the adapter has 8 contacts, while the telephone adapter has only 7. A computer connection is inserted into the patch cord. network card, the other end of the cord is connected to the network cable.
Internet cable extension options:
- Router. Convenient and reliable extension option. The router has a couple of sockets to which you can connect a network cable. A router is a “splitter” of the Internet. It allows you not only to extend the cable, but also to connect additional devices to the channel. You can skip the cable altogether if you buy a Wi-Fi router.
- Purchasing a new cable. The old cable can be replaced with a new one by simply first measuring its length. This method is time-consuming because you will have to call a technician to reconnect. But if we're talking about not about a multi-storey building, but about a private one, then the method is quite suitable.
- Performing twisting. Masters do not recommend using this method. It involves cutting the cable and then inserting an additional piece of the required length into it. The two pieces need to be connected with electrical tape.
Twisting can lead to short circuits, which will lead to poor connection speed or a complete lack of Internet access. The most reliable and modern way cable extension is to use a router. If you are not sure that the attempt to extend it yourself will be successful, you can always turn to your Internet provider for help.
It often happens that the technician interrupted the wiring while performing repair work. While working with an angle grinder or other tools, some people may accidentally cut the electrical wire laid in the wall. Damage is indicated by sparks, power cuts, or knocked out plugs.
The fact that the wiring is broken is indicated by non-functioning sockets and lack of lighting in the area that is located behind the damaged wiring.
The wires located in the installation box may also break. Often there is not enough length to connect them correctly. It should be noted that experts advise not to repair one wire, but to replace the entire damaged section. Of course, this method is suitable for those who are not afraid of damage finishing materials and ready to make a new renovation.
How to extend an aluminum cable:
- Twist the ends of the cable if they are long enough. The twist must be wrapped with electrical tape. This method is the most unreliable, because the twist may break again, which will return the problem.
- A special heat-shrinkable tube can be attached to the ends of the wires. This method is suitable for connecting and extending any cable. In order to carry out the plantings correctly, the tube must be heated.
- All types of wires (copper and aluminum) can be extended using a block. The ends of the cable must be stripped, and then the block must be selected.
- If the wires have broken off, they can be repaired using a coil. It is screwed onto the ends of the wires. After the required density has been achieved, you need to insulate the wires.
Extending twisted pair cables does not require special qualifications, and if done correctly can even be reliable. When twisting wires, you need to follow the one level rule and insulate each individual connection. An interesting method is the displacement of joints made by twisting or soldering.
5 ways: how to lengthen the wire in a socket
Sooner or later, everyone is faced with the fact that electrical wiring breaks down. Long term operation of the wiring leads to its damage or broken wires. Wires can get damaged in the most unpredictable places.
Wires often break when connecting sockets (very often this happens with aluminum wires).
You can extend the electrical cable in an apartment or house yourself. To do this, you need to make sure that the conductor cores that are spliced consist of the same material (it can be copper or aluminum). There are five simple ways to help solve the current problem.
Five ways to extend the wire:
- Adhesive pads. With their help you can build up and connect electric wires. This method is suitable for connecting conductors with various metal conductors.
- Connecting blocks. Their use lengthens the block.
- Twisting of veins. The damaged end of the wire must be at least 30 mm, then the splicing will be reliable.
- Soldering. For this you will need welding machine. This method is suitable for extending conductors with a large cross-section.
- Shells. It's not very convenient way, which takes enough a large number of time.
The twisting method is the most common. It is used to repair headphones, TV, refrigerator, electric stove, etc. When carrying out work yourself, it is important to remember safety precautions.
If the cable is not long enough to place the TV in comfortable spot, you can lengthen it with your own hands. It will be quite difficult to completely replace the cable. Of course, you can use an extension cord, but there are times when this is not possible. There are several basic methods that you can choose based on your personal knowledge and skills.
You can use a TV extension cord, an adapter, or get ready to work with a soldering iron and soldering.
When purchasing an additional television cable, it is important to pay attention to its brand. To connect two cables, you will need plugs, a wrap, and an adapter. It is important that the plugs are correctly sized.
Tips for lengthening:
- Cut the cable braid lengthwise a few centimeters.
- Turn the shell back and remove it where the cut begins.
- Bend the aluminum screen.
- Screw the wires, which already have plugs on them, to the adapter.
This circuit can be used to extend the cord for a stove, electric kettle, etc. A broken cord can always be repaired. It is advisable to use a terminal to extend the wire. But when performing work, it is important to strictly observe safety precautions. To splice several wires, you must first study the technology of extending wires. You can also extend the power cable yourself; to do this, you need to use an extension technique. So that during repair work If you don't ruin the floor, you can put a sheet on the floor.
Instructions: how to extend an Internet cable (video)
Modern man cannot imagine himself without electronic devices. In everyday life, he uses a computer, TV and other devices that run on electricity. It often happens that a computer or television cable is not convenient enough to use, since its length is short. This introductory article showed how the wire can be extended. It is important to understand that incorrect actions can lead to damage to the devices. Vulture can be increased in several ways - each master can choose one that is convenient for him.
Twisted pair Internet cable has firmly entered our daily life. Like everyone else around us, the cable sometimes breaks down. A typical situation when working with a twisted pair network cable is when there are only a few meters left to the connection point, but the cable is literally a couple of meters short, either your pet happily enjoyed the cable from the provider, or the cable can easily be damaged during repairs or simply due to negligence. In such cases, it is necessary to extend or splice the twisted pair cable.
Many services and craftsmen will come to your aid. But this problem It is quite possible to eliminate it yourself, saving time and money. Let's look at 4 ways to extend the Internet cable with your own hands.
Joyner and patch cord detachable connections
This option is simple, accessible to most audiences and does not require special knowledge. To extend the cable length, we simply purchase a patch cord and the necessary special RJ-45 sockets and plugs (joiner). Such computer connectors are sold for a low price in almost any office equipment store.
It is worth recalling that an ordinary telephone adapter and the RJ-45 twisted pair adapter itself are practically indistinguishable in appearance - so be careful not to confuse them. As a rule, a telephone has 7 contacts, but in our case, that is, a computer has 8 when purchasing.
Most significant drawback– special equipment (crimper) for crimping connectors, which is an additional cost. And the contact area is smaller compared to using the following methods, and reliability, service life and tightness are not at the highest level.
This technique is widely known in almost all areas where cable is used. The method is accessible to everyone who confidently holds a knife and electrical tape in their hands, and at the same time ensures good reliability. In terms of time, such a build-up may well last the entire service life of the cable itself. Speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s are maintained over sections of up to 100 meters, as well as over entire sections of cable.
Often the twists are made at the same level, and each wire is insulated separately. However, there is a more reliable technology for connecting wires. It is very common among telephone operators, system administrators, installers, etc., people who are often faced with the question of how to extend the Internet cable with their own hands. The basic idea is to connect the cable to different levels to prevent contact between stripped wires.
It is necessary to remove about 10 centimeters of the cable from the outer sheath. There is a split nylon thread inside the cable, so it is enough to make a small cut, find the thread and then use it to remove the sheath. The same procedure must be done with the second piece of cable. The sheath cut along the cable should not be completely cut off; we will use it again when the connection is ready.
We strip each twisted pair wire about one centimeter, not forgetting to make sure that the location of the twists cannot touch each other. Stripping the wires will require patience and accuracy, the main thing is not to trim the copper strands. Also, you should not neglect the folk wisdom “Measure twice, cut once”; it is better to strip the wires gradually after you finish the next twist. If you don’t yet have enough experience in stripping cores from insulation, it makes sense to practice on an unnecessary piece of cable.
Place the two stripped ends of the wire crosswise and twist them with your fingers. It turns out something like a “pigtail”. When connecting copper wires to each other, you must remember that both wires must be twisted together. And it is not permissible for one of the wires to remain straight and the other to be twisted around it. After we have made the twist, bend it in half and press it with pliers to ensure mechanical strength.
It is advisable to insulate each twist insulating tape for greater reliability and tightness. Next, the wires are laid in the sheath of one of the cables and covered with the second. To give strength and a finished look, we tightly tighten the joint with insulating tape and the work is ready.
Extension and connections of twisted pair cables by soldering
This method is the most reliable, especially for radio mechanics, and is accessible to many. However, you must have experience in soldering. If the location of the planned connection is located far from the power source, for example, the attic of a house or an entrance, and it is not possible to use an extension cord, a mobile soldering iron will come to your aid.
Before splicing twisted pairs by soldering, we prepare the cable in the same way as when splicing twisted pairs by twisting (see above). The only difference is that the wires do not have to be twisted; it will be enough to hold them close to the cable overlap of 5-6 millimeters. Or you can make hooks at the ends of the wire and hook them together for further convenience when soldering.
The soldering process itself requires the performer to be careful, since a heated soldering iron can easily cause damage to adjacent wires.
After soldering, we insulate the wires for greater reliability. Then we place the wires in one of the outer shells, and cover the second one on top. We insulate the joint with insulating tape for greater tightness and a better aesthetic appearance.
The methods discussed can be applied not only to twisted pair Ethernet cables. The same principles of building and extending are suitable for a wide variety of cables, be it stranded or single-core wire with a wide variety of purposes.
Router for extending Internet cable
This method of extension is also quite convenient and practical. By connecting a router, you can connect an unlimited number of laptops, computers, etc. to the global network. (but still within reasonable limits).
To extend our Internet cable using this method, we will need to purchase the router itself and a crimped twisted pair cable (Internet cable) of the required length. If necessary, you can buy a ready-made crimped piece of such a cable; in some cases, the twisted pair is crimped in a specialized store. But even if not, then you can easily crimp the twisted pair with your own hands.
Now the Internet cable should be plugged into the connector WAN port(Internet port) of the router, and directly the crimped twisted pair into a simple LAN port of the same router and then into your laptop or computer. All that remains is to carry out simple settings on the router, after which you will be able to use the network without any problems as before.
In our age, every apartment, house, and for some, even a dacha, has access to the Internet. Connecting to the World Wide Web has long become the norm and a necessity of life, and now I am writing these lines while sitting at a table in the garden. The main way to connect to the Internet now is local networks provider, which are physically connected to our computer or laptop using a network cable - an eight-core twisted pair cable.
Often a situation arises when the computer needs to be moved to another place, and the network cable may not be enough for this move. How to extend the Internet network cable so that it is enough to reach a new location?
Option one - joyner and patch cord
This method is simple and reliable. To increase the cable length, we simply buy a patch cord (see in the picture) and an RJ-45 twisted pair connector, or joyner. These computer little things are sold in any store, and cost mere pennies - when I bought them quite recently, a joyner cost 22 rubles and a patch cord for three meters cost 60 rubles.
By the way, the telephone adapter and the RJ-45 twisted pair adapter are indistinguishable in appearance - so do not confuse them. A telephone has 7 contacts and a computer has 8 - you can count it just in case.
So, we insert the patch cord into the computer’s network card, and the other end into the joyner to which we connect our network cable - everything works.
Option two - router
This extension option is convenient and no less reliable.
To connect using the second method, we need a router that we connect to the Internet. The router has several sockets for connecting a network cable, and thus is a kind of “splitter” of the Internet. With its help, we will not only extend the cable, but also be able to connect additional devices to the Internet from one channel. If you choose a Wi-Fi router, then you won’t need cables for your computer at all - I recommend it for a laptop that is constantly moved from place to place.
Option three - new cable
Just get a new network cable required length, and connect it. The option is not entirely convenient, since you need to call the provider’s technician to connect the new cable to the equipment - you wouldn’t climb into the attic to find where your apartment is connected, would you? But this method is suitable for home owners.
Option four - twist
It must be said that extending a network cable by twisting is far from The best decision, and it is better to use the methods indicated above. You simply cut the cable and insert a piece of the required length, insulating the wires by color with electrical tape. Any signalman will point out to you the disadvantage of this connection method, and he will be right - in twisting, problems will inevitably arise. short circuits and connection speed may suffer.
So use reliable and simple methods - a router or a connection using an RJ-45 adapter, and Internet access will remain the same quality as it was.
How difficult is it to damage electrical wiring? Many will say that if you do not apply mechanical force to the wires, it is almost impossible. If you follow all the installation rules, the wiring will serve you long years faithfully. But as practice shows, sooner or later malfunctions arise and sometimes you have to turn to specialists.
In the life of any electrician there are cases when it is necessary to perform extensions electrical wires. During operation, the wiring may become damaged or the wire may break. Moreover, the wires, as a rule, break in the most inconvenient places, such as, for example, under the ceiling when connecting a chandelier or lamp.
Also, wires very often break off when connecting sockets, especially with aluminum wiring. Oddly enough, even during repairs, builders can leave a short supply of wire, to which it will be difficult to connect anything. I'm not even talking about cases involving the use of grinders, hammer drills and drills. In general, there can be so many situations that you can’t imagine it yourself.
How to lengthen the wires in a socket
Hello to all guests and regular visitors of the “Electrician in the House” website. I'll tell you my story, in which I had to extend the wires in the socket. The other day a small job came up. One of my friends called, he seemed like a normal guy (in the sense that his hands grow from where they should be), he said he needed help with replacing the socket. He says that he tried to replace it himself, but it didn’t work because the wire broke off. Well, I think no problem, I’ll come and have a look.
Upon arrival, a friend said that there was a single socket in the kitchen, into which the refrigerator was constantly plugged in. And recently purchased electric oven, the place for it has not yet been determined and it is temporarily connected from the same outlet (and as you know, there is nothing more permanent than temporary). And you understand, in order to use the electric oven, you had to unplug the refrigerator from the socket.
This was very inconvenient, which is why the idea arose to install a double socket, but such a disaster happened. In this place it would have been possible to install a block of sockets, but the house was a panel house and I didn’t really want to drill another hole in the wall, and the recent renovation did not allow it. In general, there was no other choice. Fortunately, the wiring in the apartment was all copper.
What I saw when I arrived at the place, see for yourself. As you can see in the pictures, a two-core wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm2 sticks out of the box (socket box). There is no grounding in the apartment, so all wiring is two-wire. One of the wires broke off completely.
As you can see from the photo, the connection wire was too short. 2 cm stumps with which you can’t do anything and you can’t connect anything to them. All that was left to do here was to extend the wire; there were simply no other options. In any case, that’s what I decided for myself.
Of course, it was possible to gouge the wall and raise it and reinstall the socket a little higher, thereby moving the socket a little in the end. But as I already said, it’s troublesome: repairs, wallpaper, dust...
How to extend copper wires in a socket
Since many users still have old aluminum electrical wiring that is still in use, it would be dishonest to ignore this fact. Therefore, I propose to consider several ways to solve the problem - for copper and aluminum wiring.
Those who carefully read the article realized that the wiring in my case was copper. And this is already a plus. There are several options, in this case. You all know them very well, since I have already talked about them on this site.
- - crimping using GML sleeves;
- -screw terminal blocks;
- - soldering of wires;
- - self-clamping terminal blocks of the Wago type.
This is not a complete list of compounds that can be used for extension of wires(I named only the most basic ones). I decided to go with the first option and do extension of wires in a socket using crimping sleeves.
For crimping I will need a GML sleeve (tinned copper sleeve) with a cross section of 2.5 mm2 or 4 mm2. Why there are two sections of sleeves - more on this a little later. We will insulate the whole thing using heat shrink tubing. Safety comes first, so the first thing we do is turn off the circuit breakers in the electrical panel and check that there is no voltage on the wires being repaired. As you can see from the photo, there is practically no supply of wire. You will have to build up both wires, phase and zero.
When asked why such short wires in the box, the owner said that when the electrician installed all the sockets and switches after the repair, he specially cut them off so that unnecessary ones would not stick out and interfere. So it is, but there should always be a supply of wire - keep this in mind for the future. It’s good that the socket boxes are normal; there is enough space to place both the sleeves and the socket body itself.
Let's get down to work. Naturally, it is important that the extension wires are of the same material and cross-section. In my case, the wire that is needed build up with a monolithic copper core, so the extension wire should be the same.
Now I want to dwell on the cross-section of the sleeve. Remember just above that I considered two options for a 2.5 mm2 or 4 mm2 sleeve. I settled on the second option. Why is that? If you use the first option, a 2.5 mm2 sleeve, then in this case the extension is made joint to joint. How does all this happen? We take press pliers PK-16 for crimping sleeves and press the sleeve with the wire on one side. Make sure that when crimping the wires are evenly spaced inside, that is, the ends of the wires are located in the middle of the sleeve. Then we insert the wire on the other side and also crimp it.
If you use a 4 mm2 sleeve then extension of wires there will be no joint to joint, but an overlap. Such a connection, in my opinion, turns out to be more reliable and of higher quality. The only thing that needs to be done is to finish off the sleeve with another 1.5 mm2 copper core. We remove the insulation from the wires to the length of the sleeve.
On one side we pass the wire completely through the sleeve, then insert the second wire from the other side. We also thread it completely through the sleeve.
As I said, to seal it, we add another 1.5 mm2 vein. The latter fits tightly, due to which the connection is really good.
Now we take pliers and put two presses at the beginning and at the end. I do two opposite presses.
Now ours connection must be insulated. You can use any means you have. I will use heat shrink tubing. We cut off the tube a little longer than the length of the sleeve so that after compression the bare parts of our connection do not peek out from under it.
We put on the tube and warm it up with a hairdryer. After the tube shrinks, carefully place the whole thing in the box. If one layer of heat shrink is not enough, you can apply another one on top. Now you know how to extend the wires in a socket.
After we have increased the phase wire in the socket, let's do the same with the neutral wire. We do the same thing: the sleeve, wire cross-section and heat-shrink tube are all the same.
We also overlap the wires and finish off the sleeve with one core with a cross-section of 1.5 mm2.
I think everyone understands how to lengthen the wires in a socket using crimping. All that remains is to reliably insulate the exposed parts. To do this, we use a double layer of heat shrink.
After the wires are insulated, we place them carefully on the bottom of the box, so that the connection points do not break when connecting sockets in the future.
There is actually nothing complicated here. To lengthen the wires, the first step is to remove the insulation from them. Then we insert the wire into one side of the terminal block and tighten it with a screw. We do the same with the other end of the wire. When tightening the screws, you must be careful, otherwise you can crush the aluminum core.
One of the advantages of such a connection is that there is no need to insulate the terminal block, since it is already covered with PVC insulation. After building up the wires in the socket, carefully place them in the box, connect the wires to the socket and put it in place.