If it's not a faulty socket what is it?

sassyj

Hi all, I have a double socket in the utility room for washer and dryer. A couple of years back one side of the socket went faulty. Had the socket replaced (as in the white face you pick up in teh hardware shops). A few months ago, socket went faulty again on same side. Got it replaced again. Tonight, the sockets tripped while the washing machine (using same side as the 2 previous faults) was on. There is a faint smell of, I think, burning plastic. I have unplugged the washing machine, and there is no apparent damage to socket or plug. So it seems the sockets are the issue, anyone experience this before? (House is about 6 years old)

brightspark

Who fitted the replacement socket?

Is it a good quality socket or a cheap one? The cheaper ones are ok usually for low usage locations, but when supplying high current devices better quality ones should be used.

Is the wire feeding the socket damaged?

Have the plug tops been checked/replaced?

Are the washer and dryer plugged into the same double socket? and used at the same time?
Ideally there should have been two separate sockets fitted.

sassyj

Hi, thanks for replying,

2 different people replaced them, not electricians. I can't say for sure if wired was damaged, but the brother in law replaced last one and I'd be very surprised if it was as he is very particular about stuff

Did not know there was a quality difference - i just picked one up in Homebase, around €7, so a cheap. And is it a high usage area as you say, and both machines would be going at once.

I have plugged out the washing machine, I know an electrician through work so it sounds as if best thing would be to get him to check it all house, don't want house burning down

ted1

Is it the MCB or RCB that is tripping?

b318isp

Is there a chance you are running the two devices at the same time?

2011

sassyj wrote: »

2 different people replaced them, not electricians.

Socket replacement is quite straightforward. However it is beyond the capabilities of many. My advice is to get a qualified electrician to do this work and ask him to check the entire installation at the same time. I understand that a handyman type may be cheaper, but this is mains voltage that you are dealing with. Another time the consequences could be more severe.

it a high usage area as you say, and both machines would be going at once.

Hence the larger currents being drawn and the increased likelihood of a failure if there is a high resistance connection.

I know an electrician through work so it sounds as if best thing would be to get him to check it all house, don't want house burning down

Yep

Irish Steve

Thought in passing. Do you take the plug out on the washing machine and drier on a regular basis? If you do, it's possible that the constant pressure on the contacts may be weakening them.

Is the plug on the device that's in the socket that's failing moulded on to the cable, or a "normal" plug fitted on the end? if it's moulded on, it may be worth getting it checked out, in case there is a higher than normal resistance in the plug that's overheating it slightly, which may then be overheating the contacts in the socket. If it's a "normal" plug, it will be worth checking that there's not a loose connection in the plug top on the fuse or the cable clamping terminal screws.

It will be worth putting in good quality sockets, the cheaper makes are OK for low loads, but high loads will expose any weakness in the device, especially if you have a washer and drier on the same double socket, and use both at the same time, if the washer is in heat mode at the same time as the drier is calling for heat, which would only happen if you do 2 loads one behind the other, then that will be very likely to trip a 20A breaker, depending on the heater capacities.

A long time ago, a local workshop asked for help, and when I looked at their electrics, they were running large welders on 13A sockets, the "fuse" in the plug tops was a piece of 6 mm threaded bolt, and the result of that over a period of time was that the high current being taken through the sockets had overheated the terminals in the plugs, and sockets, which had lost their spring as a result, and every socket in the place had to be replaced, along with most of the plug tops. The Welders were put on to 16 A industrial plugs, with appropriate sockets, which solved the overheating issue, but it was interesting to see just how much heat was generated in the fuse connections on those 13A plug tops, and the way that it weakened the contacts in the sockets.

Are there any other devices, like an electric kettle, close to the sockets that the WM & drier are in, which might be pushing steam out over the socket that's failing?

sassyj

thanks all for replies, have organised electrician to look at it