UK Technology Education Centre's
Independent Learning Packages

1. The Plug

Electricity is distributed through the plug via the live and neutral pins.
These pins are shielded to prevent electricity shorting across the pins when the plug is inserted only part-way into the socket.

Electrical cable is colour-coded so that the individual wires are easy to identify in poor lighting conditions.
When the plug is inserted into the socket, the earth wire and pin lead directly to a water pipe or a similar earth connected on the electricity supply cable. This enables the electricity to run to earth thus preventing electrical shock if a fault develops in the cable or the appliance connected to it.

It is important to wire the plug so that the clamp holds the cable tightly in place.
Make sure that all wires inside the plug are fully insulated - i.e. the plug contains no exposed wires.
WARNING: Never try to wire a plug without expert supervision.

Further Reading
Electrical Safety: Some Simple Precautions

Exercises
Operations in Sequence: Wiring a Plug
Operations in Sequence: Electrical Safety

2: The Fuse

The Starting Point

The Pivot Point