Plug on fire !!!

[BAZ]

Hi all,

Hope you can see this photo, I'm not great at adding photos. This is a socket I came across today. There was an extension lead plug into it and the plug top had total melted.
The mcb or the rcd didn't trip and the cable at the back of the socket where perfect. Any idea's why. I was thinking a loss connection in the plug top but not a 100%.

Thanks,

Baz

 

[haj]

Me thinks loose connection in the plug top too!

 

[telectrix]

can't see pic.

 

[BAZ]

you should see the photo now. I hope.

 

[telectrix]

yep. loose connection possibly internally in socket. ( socket / plug ). but i would test the circuit as well.

 

[BAZ]

Yeah, I was thinking loose connection, the socket was perfect. It most be the plug top. I'm going back next week to do full test. Thanks.

 

[telectrix]

bit of brasso, good as new. LOL.

 

[paul wild]

nice smell i bet????:cry_smile:

 

[Guest112]

thats mental mcbs trip with short circuit or overload, rcbos overload shorts and earth leakage mustve been loose connection im assuming the circuit was on an mcb? or perhaps a faulty rcbo, that right??

 

[Thomas123]

this could be from the plug not being in all the way for a prolonged period of time, making a poor connection, arcing and heat build up occurs?

 

[Marvo]

Could have been a loose connection in the plug but I've seen similar damage where the plug terminations may have been overtightened cutting some of the wire strands and causing overheating of the plug pin. Also I've seen cheap and nasty plug tops where the terminal screws are quite sharp around the bottom edge and also cut into the wire even if it's tightened sensibly.

Especially with an extension lead maybe the plug wasn't all the way home and poor contact with the ring in the socket cause heat to be generated.

Edit, I've also seen lots of warnings around about counterfeit plugs with incorrectly sized pins, maybe that was the problem.

 

[BAZ]

It was on a rcd and a 20 amp mcb and they didn't trip. the plastic off the plug melted on to the face of the socket, so no short circuit. You would think something would have tripped. I wasn't there when it melted but they said you could see the flames.