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Thread ID: 118557 2011-06-10 08:18:00 When sockets ignite The Error Guy (14052) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1208270 2011-06-10 08:18:00 Failure in the plug for a heater caused the socket in my room to combust with a small electrical fire.

I wasn't there to see it but it my mum was a bit peeved about it (not to mention wtf'd :D left one of the pins in the socket when the cord was removed since the plug melted.

Not sure what caused the fault yet but I think our house has a abnormally large current/voltage input (can't remember what it was). I have noticed that heater cords tend to get warm... but I light the fire and don't use the heaters much. At least I doubt we'll ever see that heater again :p

Pics or it didn't happen? www.dropbox.com (PF1 upload failed for some reason)

Well I appologise for quality, I didn't bring my camera home so I had to use some cruddy point and shoot :rolleyes:
The Error Guy (14052)
1208271 2011-06-10 08:24:00 EPIC FAIL :D bot (15449)
1208272 2011-06-10 08:31:00 Scary stuff this could easily have become a major fire. Bobh (5192)
1208273 2011-06-10 08:43:00 Just a small burn... hardly noticeable. :p pcuser42 (130)
1208274 2011-06-10 08:44:00 I hope you are getting a sparky out to check the wiring. Did the MCB trip ? wmoore (6009)
1208275 2011-06-10 08:46:00 Oh, now I see it.

Holy ****, we had a toaster that did that.
bot (15449)
1208276 2011-06-10 09:20:00 It does not pay to unwind the nichrome wire element and rewind it with 8 gauge fencing wire in an attempt to produce more heat .... :devil SP8's (9836)
1208277 2011-06-10 09:29:00 Probably due to a bad crimped connection inside the moulded heater plug causing arcing and burning, assuming that it had a moulded plug.

This would not necessarily cause an MCB to trip, unless there was also an internal short in the plug.

The switched wall socket should be replaced ASAP, especially if it has a brass pin protruding from it :eek: :eek:
Terry Porritt (14)
1208278 2011-06-10 09:29:00 @wmoore, He's coming out after lunch sometime. I myself am wondering why the RCD didn't trip. It's an old house and when we got it rewired the guys left the original meter board. Most fuses are Ceramic with the garage and HWC being the exceptions. There is an RCD fitted but i'm not sure if its for the WHOLE house or just the HWC or Garage circuits. I'll be asking the electrician about that when he comes.

I had a look at the wiring behind the socket to make sure none of the insulation had melted causing further shorts, the wiring there is rather old, still the 3 core Red black with an un insulated earth. Nowadays they use blue brown with an insulated green/yellow earth
The Error Guy (14052)
1208279 2011-06-10 10:16:00 Lucky, it could have been worse - a LOT worse, small electrical fires can easily become large house fires.

The RCD should have tripped, its no damn good if its not working.

Had a PC in the workshop Blowup today -- just sitting there doing some cloning - then "BANG" blew the UPS and then the over loads in the fuse box tripped as well -- Just about crapped myself. :eek: "sniff sniff " oops :blush:
wainuitech (129)
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