Dodgy trade pictures for your amusement! - 1 Million Views!

[Darkwood]

Ok as it explains the discolouration then it does not explain the damage to the earth pin, although as you say it's second hand plug this could be from before it was used on this item.... if indeed it is a 'metallic' paint as you suggest, it is possible the paint itself acts as a conductor, these metal paints do contain metal diffused into the paint itself, again it won't show the timeline here and could be a past issue..... what is worrying is the earth pin been hot, if all pins were hot then its probably heat conduction if it only effected 1 or 2 pins then you have to look deeper into the causes.

 

[DPG]

As above, the socket it was used in needs checking asap.

 

[freddo]

There is no damage to the earth pin, it's paint. The socket (along with several others) is booked for replacement. This socket was previously replaced in February this year after an EICR. The pin was hot through heat conduction, the entire plug body was scorching, too hot to touch. I could feel the heat on the outside of the weatherproofing cover.

 

[Darkwood]

OK freddo, it just looked very similar to arcing damage even taking into account the discoloration is paint, you've handled it so I'm sure your right on this so Ill stand corrected

 

[Dave OCD]

Everyone checks the terminal tightness within a plug but many a time the fuse isn't tight in the retaining clips and that often leads to overheating.

 

[DPG]

Very true. And I remember seeing cheap plugs in the past where the rivet is loose that fastens the live pin the the live end of the fuse clip.

 

[Resu]

Cable fed under(!) the posi joist. Full marks for blind bullseye with the screwgun Mr joiner!

 

[polo1]

And how did you know to cut out at that exact point to find the problem???

 

[Pete999]

And how did you know to cut out at that exact point to find the problem???

 

[Resu]

And how did you know to cut out at that exact point to find the problem???

Are you trying to insinuate something?

 

[telectrix]

show us the rest, 15 more jagged holes?

 

[Resu]

show us the rest, 15 more jagged holes?

Haha no! Bit of patience and perhaps luck!

Smoke alarm circuit. Tested between each point to locate damaged leg. Narrowed it down to between downstairs bedroom & hall. Noticed when testing that cable had been brought through the ceiling right beside a joist (nothing special there) but on closer inspection could see it actually disappeared between joist and plasterboard. So did a bit of excavating and uncovered what's pictured!

OK maybe a fair bit of luck!

 

[Dave OCD]

So were you able to take the screw out, cut off the damaged bit of cable then reconnect to a smoke alarm covering the hole at the same time ?

 

[Resu]

So were you able to take the screw out, cut off the damaged bit of cable then reconnect to a smoke alarm covering the hole at the same time ?

Removed screw, cut off damaged section, fed other leg through joist and terminated. Wasn't worried about size of hole as was a new build and painter yet to finish but fortunately smoke detector covered it (just!).

 

[sam400]

 

[sam400]

125a SWA JB! there a bit of polystyrene in the back of box and lid to stop it going bang

 

[LewisM]

Not sure why the person who installed the fan didn't just loop the cable over the ceiling and through the hole in the back of he fan.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Called out last night, a toilet upstairs had leaked and come through some downlights. Removed the downlights to help them dry out and safely isolated the circuit. These downlights were only fitting last year and were not Fire rated, someone had also set up a nice beam for them to burn on and left all the splints of wood next to it in the ceiling to get a fire going. GU10 lamp, red hot.

Also no connections to the earths, all just cut off.

Done by a local spark.

 

[Rpa07]

That's not clever, he obviously didn't want to recalculate to get the down lights looking even.
He obviously didn't hole test with a pointy screwdriver either.
'Bad electrician - in you basket'

 

[Specialist]

View attachment 36362

Ah that's one of them new fangled, Air insulated junction boxes.
Don't think they'll catch on myself