Modern sockets designed for installation in the bathroom provide for the connection of four wires. Anyone who has basic electrical installation concepts knows that there should be 3 of them: zero, phase and grounding. Why is the fourth wire needed?
Why does the bathroom outlet use 4 drives?
There are many surfaces in a bathroom or toilet that could potentially cause an electric shock. There are errors in the installation of electrical systems when current flows through heating and water pipes. In this case, you can get an electric shock from a heated towel rail, faucet, bathtub, shower head, etc. The fourth wire in the socket allows you to avoid this.
The fourth wire is the conductor of the additional potential equalization system. In the bathroom, it connects live parts that may be live and equalizes their potential. This conductor combines these surfaces and is connected to the bus of an additional potential equalization system.
For the system to work, it is assembled similar to the diagram presented. Conductors connected to live parts are connected to the potential equalization box.Thus, if potential from an external electrical source comes into the bathroom, the fourth wire will prevent it from receiving an electric shock.
If you have a grounded electrical network, be sure to buy sockets with four wires for the bathroom and connect them correctly. This is reliable protection in case of electrical installation errors outside your apartment. Such sockets will prevent electric shock due to mistakes beyond your control by neighbors and inattentive installers.
