Installation guide
How to Install a Power Track Socket
A power track socket is mains wiring, so a qualified electrician must install it. This guide covers what to plan with them: the circuit, the cable, the cutout and the fitting steps for SAGA surface and recessed tracks.
Who should install it
Before you start
A qualified electrician
The track connects to live, neutral and earth at mains voltage. It is not a plug-in product, and the mains work is not a DIY job.
A dedicated circuit
Run a circuit from the distribution board for the track alone. Do not extend it from an existing socket point.
MCB and RCCB upstream
Fit a 32 A Type B/C MCB and a 30 mA RCCB before the track. The track has no overcurrent protection of its own.
A dry indoor position
The tracks are rated IP20 for dry indoor use. Keep them away from sinks, hob splash zones, bathrooms and outdoor areas.
Wiring
Circuit and cable sizes
The track is rated 250 V AC single phase, 32 A, 8,000 W maximum continuous load, at 50 / 60 Hz. The cable that feeds it decides how much of that rating you can use. The figures below are the ones on the SAGA product pages; your electrician should confirm the cable size for the run length and the way the cable is laid.
| Cable | Max load | Max current | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mm² copper | 4,000 W | 16 A | Light load, up to 2 adaptors |
| 2.5 mm² copper | 6,250 W | 25 A | Standard desk, up to 6 adaptors |
| 4.0 mm² copper | 8,000 W | 32 A | Full rated capacity (recommended) |
| 6.0 mm² copper | 8,000 W | 32 A | Factory default supply tail |
- Earth is mandatory. The track is a Class I product: its aluminium body is bonded to the protective earth conductor, and each adaptor module is earthed through the track.
- Protection sits upstream. Use a 32 A Type B/C MCB and a 30 mA RCCB. If the circuit is wired in a smaller cable, your electrician must size the MCB to that cable.
- Surge protection. A Type 2 surge protection device at the distribution board is strongly recommended.
Step by step
Installation steps
Installing a surface power track (S 500 and S 1000)
A surface track fixes to a finished wall, backsplash or panel with screws, so no chasing or cutting of furniture is needed for the track itself. The track is 86 mm wide, stands 19 mm above the surface, and is 500 mm or 1000 mm long. The mounting hardware kit (M4/M5 screws and end brackets) and a wiring guide are in the box.
- Isolate the circuit at the distribution board and confirm it is dead before any work starts.
- Mark the mounting points at both ends of the track and secure the end brackets with the M4/M5 stainless fasteners.
- Route the supply cable to one end of the track. Use at least 4.0 mm² copper if the track will run at its full load.
- Terminate live, neutral and earth as shown in the wiring guide. The earth bond is mandatory.
- Snap the end caps into place.
- Energise the circuit and test the LED strip and the lock of an adaptor module before regular use.
Installing a recessed power track (R 500 and R 1000)
A recessed track sits flush in a desk, conference table, counter or wall panel, so the cutout has to be right before the track goes in. The track is 80 mm wide with a 19 mm profile. Plan the cable route and the cutout with your carpenter and your electrician together.
| Model | Cutout (length × width × depth) | Track width | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| R 500 | 495 × 71 × 18 mm | 80 mm | 19 mm, flush-recessed |
| R 1000 | 995 × 71 × 18 mm | 80 mm | 19 mm, flush-recessed |
- Isolate the circuit at the distribution board and confirm it is dead before any work starts.
- Cut the opening in the worktop or panel to the size in the table above.
- Route the supply cable before fixing the track, and leave service access at one end.
- Clamp the track in the cutout with the supplied brackets so that its face sits flush, within 1 mm.
- Terminate live, neutral and earth as shown in the wiring guide.
- Make sure the 32 A MCB and 30 mA RCCB are fitted upstream before the first power-on, then energise and test.
Fitting and moving adaptor modules
Once the track is live, adding or moving a socket needs no tools and no electrician. A 500 mm track takes up to 5 modules and a 1000 mm track up to 10.
- Check that the track circuit is energised and the upstream protection is fitted.
- Align the adaptor module with the track and push it down firmly.
- Rotate it 90° clockwise until the blue LED ring lights up. The ring confirms the module has power.
- To remove it, rotate it counter-clockwise and lift it straight up. Never pull a module out while an appliance is drawing power from it.
Match each module to the plug on your appliance: the S 91 accepts Type A, B, C and I plugs, the S 44 British BS1363, the S 49 German / EU Schuko and the S 1+ Canadian / US NEMA; the S Ultra is a dual USB-C PD charger. If your appliance has an Indian round-pin plug (Type D or Type M), contact us at support@powertrack.online or WhatsApp +971 54 591 6161 before you order so we can confirm which module suits it.
After the install
Checks, mistakes and cost
Checks before you use it
- The circuit is dedicated to the track and protected by the MCB and RCCB.
- Earth continuity from the track body to the earth terminal has been tested by the electrician.
- The RCCB trips when its test button is pressed.
- Each adaptor module locks with a quarter turn and its blue LED ring lights.
- On a surface track, the motion-activated LED strip responds.
- On a recessed track, the face sits flush and there is still access to the supply end.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Looping the track off an existing socket. It needs its own circuit from the distribution board.
- Undersized cable on a 32 A breaker. A 1.5 mm² or 2.5 mm² cable limits the track to 16 A or 25 A, and the breaker must match the cable.
- Skipping the RCCB. The 30 mA RCCB is required for personal protection.
- Mounting near water. IP20 means dry indoor use only: not beside a sink, behind a hob, in a bathroom or outdoors.
- Cutting the track to length. Tracks come in factory lengths of 500 mm and 1000 mm and must not be cut.
- Making the cutout before checking the size. Measure against the table above and the tech sheet, then cut.
- Buying modules by guesswork. Check the plug on each appliance first.
How much does installation cost?
We sell the tracks and modules; installation is arranged and paid for separately. Labour depends on your city, how far the new circuit runs from the distribution board, whether the cable is concealed or run in surface conduit, and, for a recessed track, the cutout work. Ask your electrician for a quote that includes the cable, the MCB and the RCCB.
Product prices are on the power track socket price list.
Tracks and combos
What you will be installing
For your electrician
Tech sheets to download
Share these PDFs with your electrician, carpenter or fit-out contractor before work starts.
S Series tech sheet (PDF)
Dimensions, ratings and wiring for the S 500 and S 1000 surface tracks.
R Series tech sheet (PDF)
Cutout drawings, ratings and wiring for the R 500 and R 1000 recessed tracks.
Adaptor modules tech sheet (PDF)
Socket types, ratings and dimensions of the adaptor modules.
Support
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about power track socket installation.
No. The track is wired to the mains on a dedicated 32 A circuit, so a qualified electrician must install it. What you can do yourself, once it is live, is add, move and remove adaptor modules: they push in and twist to lock without tools.
A 32 A Type B/C MCB and a 30 mA RCCB upstream of the track, on a dedicated circuit. The track has no built-in overcurrent protection. If the circuit uses a cable smaller than 4.0 mm², the electrician must size the MCB to the cable.
Use 4.0 mm² copper for the full 32 A / 8,000 W rating. A 2.5 mm² cable limits the track to 25 A / 6,250 W and a 1.5 mm² cable to 16 A / 4,000 W. Your electrician should confirm the size for the length and routing of the run.
495 × 71 × 18 mm for the R 500 and 995 × 71 × 18 mm for the R 1000. The track itself is 80 mm wide with a 19 mm profile, and its face should sit flush with the surface, within 1 mm.
Not for the track. It fixes to the finished surface with end brackets and M4/M5 screws. The supply cable still has to reach one end of the track, and your electrician will decide whether it runs concealed in the wall or in surface conduit.
Yes, in a dry position. The tracks are rated IP20, so mount them on the backsplash wall or under the wall cabinets, away from the sink and the hob splash zone. Heavy fixed appliances should stay on their own dedicated points as your electrician specifies.
Up to 5 adaptor modules on a 500 mm track and up to 10 on a 1000 mm track. The total load of everything plugged in must stay within the circuit's capacity, which is 32 A / 8,000 W on 4.0 mm² cable.
Keep reading
Related pages
Surface power tracks
S 500 and S 1000: screw-fixed tracks with a motion-activated LED strip.
Recessed power tracks
R 500 and R 1000: flush-mount tracks for desks, tables and counters.
Price list
Today's price of every track, adaptor module and combo, GST included.
Size guide
500 mm or 1000 mm: how to measure and choose the track length.
Adaptor modules explained
Which module takes which plug, and how the twist-lock works.
Power track sockets for kitchens
Where the track goes on a counter run and what to keep it away from.
Ready for your electrician?
Order the track and adaptor modules, and share the tech sheet before work starts.