How to fix a socket with your own hands? Sooner or later, this question arises among residents of any apartment. There are plenty of reasons - a short circuit, a loose fastening, etc. It is quite possible to deal with the problem with your own hands. But before you start, you should understand the reasons for the breakdown and prepare everything you need.

Signs of a broken outlet

Conventionally, all breakdowns are divided into two types: safe (easily repairable) and serious. The latter can cause damage to other electrical appliances and more. There are plenty of reasons for this - incorrect installation work during installation, natural wear and tear. Fastenings can become loose. Also, all wiring is done from aluminum wires which quickly become weak. In this case, you can cope with the task by tightening up your contacts.

But how to fix a fallen socket? This difficult task and it will give a lot of work. This happens if a breakdown is not detected in right time. The part may stick out slightly from the wall or be completely outside. There are plenty of reasons:

• The socket has burst.
• Its decorative cover cracked.
• The part came out of the socket.
• Wires are burnt out, etc.

It also happens that visually there is no violation of integrity, but when connected, the device does not work. In addition, the part may smoke, spark, or perform poorly. There is a burning smell. If the situation is like this, you cannot do without repairs.

When can you fix it yourself?

Before starting the task of restoring the outlet, you should really look at things and understand your capabilities. If there is major damage, the electricity in the apartment or house is turned off and a specialist is invited. If the socket falls out of the wall, how to fix it? This is done for weak contact or minor irregularities.

Before you begin, you need to inspect the front of the work to understand what the reason is and how long it will take to recover. If there are chips or cracks, then the socket could have been damaged at the time of purchase or due to careless use. And if there is more serious damage (blackness or the device heats up quickly), then the reasons may be as follows:

• High voltage in the wires.
• inadequate isolation.
• Oxidation.
• Reducing the connecting contact.

Repairs are required, otherwise the situation will worsen. Each cause requires its own recovery work.

No contact?

Almost everyone knows that the part is fastened through screws to the front side. But if you disassemble the device, you will see contacts in the form metal plates. They have bends and when the fork is inserted they compress it. With constant use, the plates lose their support and weaken. To understand that this is the reason, the plug is placed in the socket and wobbles a little. If the device starts flashing, then the cause has been found.

Often people do not pay attention to the permissible power and use electrical consumers whose number and power exceed 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 socket. If the contact is not full, a short circuit may occur.

It also happens that when the plug comes into contact with the socket, the electrical installation does not start. This can be easily checked using indicator screwdriver. Upon closer examination, you can understand that contact has been lost. To restore operation, the socket is removed and the wires are connected. Don't forget about the colors of the cords:

1. Red or brown - phase.
2. Blue and white - zero.
3. Yellow-green - grounding.

Please note

You cannot start work without turning off the voltage in the electrical panel. How to fix an outlet? The actions are carried out in stages: the broken socket is removed, the updated one is screwed in, and then the screws are fixed on the protective box. Then the electricity is turned on and a test is carried out using any device inserted into it. It’s good when there are no extraneous sounds, smells or other abnormalities. Otherwise, the part must be replaced.

Preparation stages

To avoid force majeure situations, preparations are made for the procedure in advance. If there is a minor breakdown, the electricity is completely turned off. Checking is required using an electrical tester. Required components:

• Indicator-screwdriver.
• Slotted and Phillips screwdriver.
• Pliers.
• Insulating tape.
• Cutting tool.

The house does not always have the necessary components - you will have to buy them in addition. You should not perform work with improvised tools. It will bring unpleasant consequences. Please note that all tools must have rubberized handles. It is worth following every point at the preparation stage so that the repair does not turn into a complex breakdown.

Carrying out repairs

Once the preparation is complete, it is time to carry out the main activities. The screws are removed and the decorative casing is removed. Next, the contacts are checked. If they look ugly, turn black or change color, then the entire structure is dismantled. The presence of a green color indicates oxidation. What to do in this case? The contacts are cleaned 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 must be ready. What to do if the contacts are weakened? Eat simple manipulations. Need to:

• Remove the cover.
• Pull out the entire structure carefully, without disconnecting or breaking the wires.
• When using a screwdriver, secure the screws.
• The charred wires are removed, and the rest are twisted and insulated with tape.

Installation of a new socket

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 removed old design. And then you need to:

• Disconnect power from your 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 to the wiring in the wall and the socket. Next, tighten it with terminals and screws.
• Make sure all wires are in place.
• Carefully remove the part into the socket box (it is important to exclude the slightest distortions and errors).
• Pin new design constituent elements.
• Screw on the decorative trim.

If you don't rush and have the required material at hand, it won't take much time - about twenty minutes.

Structure falling out

How to fix a socket if it falls out? The reason for this phenomenon is simple - incorrect and careless use (sharply pulling out the plug). This can be avoided by tightening the entire structure more tightly. But this does not always help with frequent use. Some people install something solid under the socket, but such manipulation does not bring much results either.

It’s worth thinking about completely replacing the entire structure and purchasing a higher-quality socket box. What you need to have on hand:

• New device.
• Cement (or better yet, gypsum - it sets faster).
• Construction knife.
• Spatula.
• Primer.
• A set of tools for installing a socket.

The electricity in the room is turned off and the old element is dismantled. It happens that the socket is simply in concrete - it is better to remove it and make a socket box. But this is done before purchasing the part so that the shape matches the existing base in the wall. There is a large assortment of such components on sale, and finding the right one will not be difficult.

How to fix an outlet in the wall? You just need to increase the size of the space in the wall using a chisel and hammer. Afterwards, the selected mixture for fixing is diluted, and the socket box is placed on it. Before this, the base is treated with a primer mixture to ensure better adhesion. If there is wallpaper, they are carefully removed and attached to the wall with pins. Some people recommend using tape, but it can ruin the surface.

After the mixture begins to set, the entire structure is formed according to the level. Next, the socket itself is fixed using the bolts or screws included in the kit. Now it's time to install the outlet. There is no difficulty, but there are quite a lot of actions - you should not skip a single stage.

After any repair, the outlet is checked for functionality. To do this, connect a low power device for ten minutes. When working, it is worth controlling the phase. If it is present, do not start installation. It happens that the plug from the socket is broken. How to fix it? There are plenty of reasons for this - a burnt out or loose contact, careless handling during operation, etc. The plug can be easily disassembled because there is a fastening in the middle, in the form of a screw.

When the structure is untwisted, you get two halves with an internal component. There are also contacts there that will tell you a lot. If they have oxidized, darkened, or become detached, the plug will not work. Sometimes it is enough to tighten them, and the device will begin to perform its functions again. Today, many modern appliances have plugs that cannot be disassembled. In this case, you can try to completely replace it.

Conclusion

So, we found out why the socket 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.

A socket can fall out for several reasons - poor-quality fastening mechanism, lack of a socket, or improper operation of the device. The same problem can arise with a light switch, because in fact it is attached in a similar way. Next, we will tell readers what to do if a socket falls out of the wall, or rather, how to secure it securely in its seat!

Repair methods

Before you proceed to repair an outlet that is falling out, be sure to turn off the power at the input panel! You only need to start disassembling the case when there is no voltage in the network!

Let's consider the classic situation when the socket falls out of concrete wall. First you need to understand why the fastening mechanism, represented by sliding legs, does not hold the body in the mounting hole. Make sure that a socket box is installed in the wall, which is exactly what is needed so that the socket or switch does not fall out. By modern standards it should be plastic, with corrugated walls designed to catch the paws. Old metal glasses have flat inner edges, making it simply impossible to properly secure the socket. There are situations when such a glass is not installed at all, and the socket falls out due to the fact that the petals do not unclench well in the concrete. One way or another, if the body constantly falls out of the glass, we recommend one with corrugated walls, which will solve this problem.

If you see that a normal plastic socket box is installed in the wall, but the socket or light switch is loose, we recommend checking the legs themselves. Perhaps the diameter of the mounting box is larger than the diameter of the legs, as a result of which the body simply cannot catch on to the walls of the glass and falls out of it. In this case, you can solve the problem in two ways:

1. Place rubber pads under the stop of the paws to compensate for the void.
2. Using pliers, bend the petals slightly to increase the diameter of the expansion. Here you should understand that if the metal is soft, it may not be possible to correct the situation by deforming the petals, because when pushed, they will bend back. However, this happens extremely rarely and is due to the poor quality of the product.

A common situation that causes electrical accessories to fall off the wall is an error when the installer forgets to spread the petals well when tightening the special screws. In this case, in order to strengthen the case that has become loose, you just need to use a screwdriver to fasten it correctly, as shown in the photo below:

What to do if it falls out double socket in the kitchen?

If you live in panel house and the apartment has old electrical wiring, then often sockets and switches do not stick well to the wall and fall out because they are installed in a through hole in the partition without a socket box. You can clearly see this situation in the photo:

In this case, the first thing you need to do is install the socket box, trim it if necessary (sometimes problems arise with the thickness and you have to shorten the glass from the bottom) and then re-attach the socket or switch in the concrete wall.

Another situation involves a plasterboard wall. If the socket breaks out of the drywall along with a piece of plaster, it will not be possible to secure the housing using the instructions provided above. This is due to the fact that the principle of fastening the socket box in concrete and plasterboard is different. In the latter case, the plastic cup is attached to the gypsum board sheet using presser feet, which can be seen in the picture below:

To ensure that the socket no longer falls out or wobbles, it is recommended to glue a piece of plasterboard sheet in place using alabaster or gypsum putty. When the solution hardens, you need to cut a small strip from a sheet of plasterboard, place it under the damaged area and screw it in with self-tapping screws. This option of strengthening the wall will save the situation.

An alternative is to stuff newspaper into the void around the hole and fill it with thick gypsum putty. Don't forget to run the wires into the socket box before doing this. Mounting box you need to press it into the mortar so that it becomes flush with the wall (does not stick out), then remove the excess mortar and wait until the plaster hardens.

If the case wobbles and falls out, you can solve the problem even easier, as the master showed in his video tutorial:

How to fix the product if the wall is tiled?

How to prevent damage?

The main reason why the socket becomes loose and falls off the wall is improper use of the product. We have already said more than once that it is strictly forbidden to pull out the connected cord, because... Because of this, you can tear the housing out of its socket. No matter how they say it, this is the most common reason malfunctions. For the rest, do not forget to at least occasionally check the secure fit of sockets and switches, as well as the quality of the connection of wires to the terminals.

If you have not found a solution to the problem for own case, describe it in the comments and we will try to give a repair recommendation as quickly as possible. We hope that now you know why the socket falls out of the wall and how to fix it with your own hands!

The need to repair an outlet often arises. The device may become loose in its fastenings, sometimes a short circuit may occur, and a number of other troubles may occur. Repairing an outlet can be done with your own hands if you strictly follow the recommendations.

Signs of a faulty outlet

Some malfunctions of sockets in an apartment are safe and easily fixed, while others threaten damage to electrical appliances or are generally dangerous to human life. The reason may lie in incorrect, poor-quality installation of the electrical outlet, or in the wear and tear of the old device.

Most often, the fastening of the contacts in the product deteriorates, which begin to wobble and weaken. Wires in the house are often made of aluminum, which is highly ductile and can quickly lose strength. As a result, the contacts begin to hold poorly. Repairing the socket in this case is simple: you need to strengthen the contacts by tightening them. If it passes through the thickness of the walls copper wire, such a problem is reduced to a minimum or completely absent.

A more serious problem that requires intervention is the device falling out. The product may fall out if the contacts were not secured in time. The electrical outlet may come out a little from the wall or fall out.

Other possible signs of device malfunction:

• bursting, chipping of the decorative cover;
• jumping out of the socket box;
• power cord burnout.

Sometimes the device does not look broken on the outside, but when turned on, the electrical device does not work. The electrical outlet may begin to spark, smoke or work intermittently, it smells like burnt plastic, and the body becomes hot. All these are signs of a malfunction; such a product needs repair.

When is it possible to repair an outlet yourself?

Before replacing a product, it is important to soberly assess the severity of the breakdown and your skills. If the problem is serious, it is better to turn off the power to the apartment and call a specialist.

It is quite possible to secure contacts yourself and correct other minor violations. If you have experience, it is quite possible to carry out any repairs yourself.

Inspection of the outlet

To begin with, it is important to carefully examine the site of future repairs. This is necessary to identify the cause of the breakdown and determine the scope of work.

Visual inspection can give useful information. When cracks or chips appear, the fault may be a poor-quality socket or its improper operation.

Soot, melting, and heating of the device occur for the following reasons:

• too much high voltage electric current in the wiring;
• violation of wire insulation during connection - cuts, damage;
• oxidation or severe weakening of contacts.

If the contact system is loose

Any electrical outlet is secured with screws on the front side. If you unscrew outer box products, you can see metal plates inside - contacts that have bends for inserting a plug, and when connecting the device, they compress the plug.

Gradually the plates weaken, bend into different sides. To clarify the problem, you can insert the lamp plug into the socket. Next, you need to move the plug: if the light starts blinking, the contacts will definitely come off.

Different electrical standards

Despite the indicated power of wiring and electrical appliances, many use devices with more high load to the sockets. When the standards for using electricity do not match, the designs of the appliances do not match the wires in the house, and both the sockets and the appliances themselves may fail.

The device can break due to constant pushing of equipment with a Euro plug into an unsuitable socket - the springs are stretched, the metal contacts are bent. If the plug is not fully inserted into the electrical outlet, it may cause a short circuit.

No voltage

Sometimes appliances do not start working after being plugged in. If you take an indicator screwdriver, it will not show the presence of voltage in the network. This usually means the wire is disconnected. The device will have to be removed and the wires connected again.

You should take into account the connection diagram according to the color of the wires:

• phase - red;
• zero - blue and white;
• grounding - yellow-green.

All work must be carried out only with the power turned off: this is done by turning off the circuit breakers in the panel.

First you need to remove the electrical outlet, then do correct installation new product according to the diagram. Then you need to tighten the screws on the protective cover.

After turning on the electricity, you should test the device for 5 minutes by connecting any device. Normally, there will be no strange sounds inside the electrical outlet, no smell, and the plastic will not heat up.

Preparatory measures for repairs

Repairs should be made only after preparation for them. Even to correct the most minor problems, you should turn off the power to the apartment and make sure that the switches are turned off. After a power outage, you should check the voltage in the network with an indicator screwdriver - it should be absent in phase.

What will be needed for repairs

Every electrician has a set of tools. If a complete set is not available, then its individual components will have to be purchased to repair the electrical outlet.

In addition to the indicator screwdriver, you will need the following materials and tools:

• flat screwdriver;
• Phillips screwdriver;
• pliers (pliers);
• insulating tape (vinyl);
• sharp knife for stripping wires.

In case of some breakdowns, a soldering iron may be useful.

Important! The best tools electricians - those that have rubberized handles.

Carrying out repairs

When preparatory activities finished, you can dismantle the socket. To do this, unscrew the central bolt and remove the decorative cover.

Afterwards you can begin to inspect the contacts. If they change color to black or brown, you will have to change the entire outlet. Greening of the plates means they are oxidized - such contacts can be cleaned using sandpaper or sharp knife. If the contacts are thinned down to holes, the socket also needs to be changed urgently.

Pulling up contacts

When there are signs of loosening of the contact plates, the actions will be as follows:

1. Remove the cover from the socket.
2. Carefully remove the device from the recess in the wall without damaging the wires.
3. Tighten the screw fastenings using a screwdriver.
4. Cut off the charred wires with a sharp knife.
5. Insulate the twisted areas with tape.
6. Put the product in place.

If the contacts are too damaged, you should not take risks and buy a new electrical outlet. When the contacts are simply bent, they can be bent by gently pressing with a screwdriver.

Installing a new outlet

The need to install a new electrical outlet arises often. First you need to disassemble the old socket, and then do the following work:

1. Remove 1 cm of insulation from the wires.
2. Bend the exposed wires into rings 0.5 in diameter.
3. Connect the wiring in the wall and the socket wires in accordance with the diagram, clamp them with terminals with screws.
4. Make sure once again that the grounding wire is connected correctly (not to phase or neutral, but to the ground wire).
5. Seal the electrical outlet into the socket box (the device should not stick out beyond the wall, be skewed, or crooked).
6. Gently bend the wires and hide them in a glass.
7. Secure the electrical outlet itself using clamps on the sides or special screws.
8. Screw on the decorative trim.

When the socket fell out

Usually the cause of this problem is improper operation of devices and pulling out plugs by the cord. To prevent this from happening, the petals of the rosette are screwed tighter. But even this method does not always protect the device from damage if it is not used carefully.

Some people put a piece of sandpaper or linoleum under the petals, but such methods are short-lived. It's better to spend complete renovation, having bought a high-quality socket box. The new electrical outlet will last a long time without any complaints.

Tools and materials for repairing a fallen socket

To work you will need:

• new socket box;
• dry gypsum or cement, alabaster;
• sharp knife;
• spatula;
• primer;
• installation tools.

Socket restoration work

After turning off the electricity in the apartment, you need to remove the old socket. If there is a metal cup, it must be replaced with a plastic one. If the device is in a concrete niche without a glass, you will have to deepen it and also install a new socket box that matches the shape. You can expand the niche with a hammer drill, chisel and hammer.

Next, you should dilute the alabaster or gypsum to a thick paste, fix the socket box in concrete or drywall, and place it on the mixture. The wall must first be moistened with a primer, and the wallpaper around it must be covered with paper tape. After 10 minutes, level the glass and cut off excess plaster with a spatula. Then secure the socket box with the screws located on it. Then you can install a new socket.

Why is timely repair of outlets extremely important? A faulty electrical outlet can cause many problems. It poses a danger to electrical and household appliances. In addition, continued use of a broken socket may result in a fire.

To ensure that the repair of sockets is high-quality and safe, it is best to seek help from professional electricians. They will be able to identify the real cause of the malfunction and properly repair the damage.

Electricians from the minor household repair service will identify the cause of the malfunction: wear, improper handling, errors made during installation, etc. They will determine the nature of the damage: a loose electrical outlet or a broken one, etc. They will competently eliminate the damage:

• Replace broken socket cover
• Mounting a plastic socket box
• Install the “fallen out” socket into the socket box
• Replace burnt wires

Our electricians follow all safety precautions when working.

The benefits of cooperation with our company

• We provide free consultations
• We quickly process orders and go to the location
• We provide a guarantee (from 3 months)
• Work carried out by professional craftsmen with a full set of tools
• Discounts apply for repairs of 5 outlets or more

Socket repair procedure

Very often, to eliminate a malfunction, you only need to replace the springs that clamp the contact sockets. If the socket does not fit tightly to the installation box or falls out of it, then you may need to remove it, carefully inspect the box, check the wires (they must be motionless). When securing the socket in place, be careful that the spacer tabs do not pinch the wires. Before starting all work, the network must be disconnected.

How much does it cost to repair an outlet?

In some cases, when repair is not possible, a complete repair may be required. The cost of repairing sockets depends on the nature of the damage.

How to fix an outlet? All the secrets from an old electrician.

Fixing a broken socket should not pose any particular problems. First, you must turn off (required!) the electricity on the panel.

Usually, the reason for a broken outlet is two problems. The socket may become loose or the contacts may become loose, causing a loss of current.

In the first case, this happens due to the weakening of the spacer legs with which the socket is attached to the installation box on the wall or due to its wear. In houses built a long time ago, sockets most often do not have boxes. They become loose easily, since the concrete and brick into which the sockets rest crumble quickly.

In order to repair a loose socket, you need to unscrew the cover and inspect the box. If it is in good condition, use a screwdriver to tighten the screws on the legs until they straighten, thereby ensuring a rigid fastening.

You should also pay attention to the cleanliness of the box. Most often, if the outlet has not been disassembled... for eleven years (and most likely it is!), then there is a lot of debris inside: dust, the remains of spiders, cockroaches, etc. So don’t be lazy (usually everything stays there) and use a small brush (or an old toothbrush) to sweep everything out. This garbage can (oddly enough) ignite, followed by the plastic box.

If the box is in poor condition (or is missing at all), you need to replace it with a new one. Since all the boxes are the same size, you just need to measure the hole in the wall and buy a small box larger size. Next, you should expand it a little, guided by the size of the box, and install it by covering it with cement mortar.

If the design is such that the box protrudes, making it impossible to screw on the socket cover, the edges of the box are cut to the size you need.

If suddenly there is no current in the outlet, disassemble it by unscrewing the screws on the legs and loosening the screws on the wires. If there is no current, it must be disassembled by unscrewing the screws on the side legs and loosening the screws holding the wires. If they are melted, their ends must be cut off and then the socket contacts must be cleaned. If all this does not help, then it is better to purchase a new outlet.

When you install it, carefully strip the ends of the wires and straighten them to prevent contact. And then simply install it in the box, tighten the screws, and attach the lid.

Important! What is the most important thing in these works? No, the quality of the socket and wires is not good. The most important thing (I repeat!) is to turn off the electricity at the panel or unscrew the plugs! Don't trust this to anyone else - unscrew both plugs.

There was a case when, when repairing an outlet, as always, the electrician told the owner of the house to unscrew the plugs (which he did). But when our home-grown electrician went to fix the socket, he was shaken quite well (he survived,... but it could have ended more tragically). It turns out that the owner (a complete amateur in electrical engineering) thought that unscrewing one plug was enough. This is how it happens...

And if you have the same knowledge in electricity as that owner, just open the price list for electrical installation work in 2012 and invite a specialist. He will do everything.

Now you know how to fix a socket, it’s not difficult, you only need the ability to hold a screwdriver in your hands. Happy fixing!