Changing a double electrical socket

[Kitty1978]

Hi,

I have a double electric socket, standard 13amp. My son broke a plug in one of the sockets so I decided to change it.

The new one I purchased had 2 connections for the earth wire whereas my old one only had 1. I read that it's ok to only use one of the connections so I did. Once everything was changed I tested the socket and it worked fine.

Now we went out and when we returned the whole socket circuit had tripped as the internet was off, tried to flick the fuse back up but it wouldn't work so Obviously figured something was wrong with the socket I just changed.

When I opened the socket front plate up again something had caused it to go black just inside on the bottom of the plate on the side where I put the double earth wire. Can anyone explain what happened, was it a faulty socket plate?

Thank you

 

[brianmoooore]

Have you trapped and damaged one of the brown wires with the 3.5mm fixing screws? Most of us have done this at some point.

 

[Kitty1978]

Have you trapped and damaged one of the brown wires with the 3.5mm fixing screws? Most of us have done this at some point.

I don't think so as it was working fine and I've temporarily put the old face plate back one, it works fine and the circuit was regained.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I'm with Brianmoooore on this , I reckon you pinched the live cable with the screw or between the plate and the box

 

[brianmoooore]

This time you haven't trapped the wire.
Needs taking apart and investigating properly. If there's no serious damage to the copper of the cable, a length of brown sleeving slipped over it is normally an acceptable repair.

 

[Kitty1978]

W

I'm with Brianmoooore on this , I reckon you pinched the live cable with the screw or between the plate and the box

Would it have worked though with the new socket? I flicked the fuse box switch up and tested both sockets and they both worked fine.

 

[Rockingit]

Juuuust to check the basics first..... Brown/Red into L, Blue/Black into N and GreenYellow into E⫨

 

[Kitty1978]

Juuuust to check the basics first..... Brown/Red into L, Blue/Black into N and GreenYellow into E⫨

Yes it was wired correctly because it was tested and working but within the hour maybe 2 it went bang.

 

[Rockingit]

Yes it was wired correctly because it was tested and working but within the hour maybe 2 it went bang.

Not necessarily! Reverse polarity (L<>N) will still 'work', N<>E crossed will still 'work'......

 

[Kitty1978]

Not necessarily! Reverse polarity (L<>N) will still 'work', N<>E crossed will still 'work'......

The wires were in the correct connectors I'm sure of it.

 

[SJD]

Similar to already mentioned, my likeliest guess is that the L wire got trapped / damaged when the new socket was fitted, but not quite enough to fail at that point. So the socket appears to work (not sure what testing you have done, other that is appearing to power something plugged in). But gradually as whatever sharp metal is digging into the L wire insulation reaches the copper in the wire, it goes bang.

Usually careful examination of the socket and the wiring will show where the short occurred, with flashover marks. If you have not already checked the wiring in the socket, I'd suggest to do so (with the circuit isolated, of course).

 

[littlespark]

It could just be a dodgy socket?? It has been known.

Or excess copper exposed at the terminals?

Is it just a pair of cables behind, ie 2 of each colour, or maybe 3? Obvs the more cables the more chance that something has got squashed.....

 

[pc1966]

Any photo of the back of the socket to let us see the details?

 

[Spoon]

As above, post a couple of pics of the socket and the wiring. A picture paints a thousand words...

 

[Kitty1978]

Any photo of the back of the socket to let us see the details?

No sorry, I threw it away. If you was looking at the faceplate on the connection side the black burn area was on the right side on the bottom lip of the plastic casing, that's all I could see.

I'll open up the socket in the morning and check the wires again but I couldn't see anything obvious last time.

Thanks