And one more...

Pretty Mouth · Jul 28, 2021

Someone has painted over a whole load of the accessories in the property, with the result being that some of the socket's switches are stuck fast in the 'on' position. In the kitchen some accessories have been grouted in with the tiling, then the whole lot painted over. I cannot remove them to inspect for love nor money. One socket has a switch that will move into the off position, but doesn't actually cut the power to it.

I'm thinking:
No code for painted sockets that work fine,
C3 for the sockets that are stuck fast in the on position,
C3 for the sockets grouted into the tiling, and
C2 for the socket that doesn't switch off even though it appears it has.

But maybe I'm being too lenient with the C3's? How would you guys and girls code these?

[ElectriciansForums.net] And one more...

Julie. · Jul 28, 2021

Pretty Mouth said:
Someone has painted over a whole load of the accessories in the property, with the result being that some of the socket's switches are stuck fast in the 'on' position. In the kitchen some accessories have been grouted in with the tiling, then the whole lot painted over. I cannot remove them to inspect for love nor money. One socket has a switch that will move into the off position, but doesn't actually cut the power to it.

I'm thinking:
No code for painted sockets that work fine,
C3 for the sockets that are stuck fast in the on position,
C3 for the sockets grouted into the tiling, and
C2 for the socket that doesn't switch off even though it appears it has.

But maybe I'm being too lenient with the C3's? How would you guys and girls code these?

View attachment 88062

I think your codes are fine.

I would check the shutters on the socket outlets though, they might be stuck open, which could be c1

loz2754 · Jul 28, 2021

Does it present any potential danger?
Possibly the only one that does is the switch that turns off but doesn't. Maybe a C2 for that one.

telectrix · Jul 28, 2021

and a C1 for those horrendous cobblestone tiles.

LewisM · Jul 28, 2021

loz2754 said:
Does it present any potential danger?
Possibly the only one that does is the switch that turns off but doesn't. Maybe a C2 for that one.

No difference to an unswitched socket

littlespark · Jul 28, 2021

LewisM said:
No difference to an unswitched socket

Have to disagree there.
If it has a switch, and the switch doesn’t turn it off, then there’s damage somewhere. That same damage could cause arcing, leading to a fire.
Not to mention someone not knowing the switch is bust pushing in the plug when the appliance is turned on full load…

Julie. · Jul 28, 2021

LewisM said:
No difference to an unswitched socket

There is, with a switched socket there is an expectation that switching would disconnect the supply, so someone could switch off then contact the live conductors thinking it was off.

With unswitched they would pull the plug to disconnect.

(Not that they should rely on the switch, but people do!)

Pretty Mouth · Jul 28, 2021

Thanks for all your help folks.

@Julie, I hadn't thought to closely check the shutters on those sockets, so thanks for that. There's a fair bit of remedial work there, I've now listed 11 C1s or C2s!

Julie. · Jul 28, 2021

Pretty Mouth said:
Thanks for all your help folks.

@Julie, I hadn't thought to closely check the shutters on those sockets, so thanks for that. There's a fair bit of remedial work there, I've now listed 11 C1s or C2s!

£££££££

DPG · Jul 28, 2021

There should be some sort of list for people who paint over accessories.

telectrix · Jul 29, 2021

DPG said:
There should be some sort of list for people who paint over accessories.

there is. see yellow pages for painters and decorators.

Julie. · Jul 29, 2021

DPG said:
There should be some sort of list for people who paint over accessories.

We had a load of 11kV switchgear once where painters had painted everything!

From the windows displaying on/off/charged/isolated etc, through labels including idiot boards - absolutely everything, might as well have picked every switchboard up and dumped it in a pot of paint!