Whats the blue stuff?

[Danny1]

Hi guys, just found this forum and have something i hope you can help me with? My elec oven stopped working yesterday, was gonna check the fuse first so unplugged it from the socket, however on doing so the top prong of the plug has blue suff over it??? have no idea what it is, possible damp? so i havnt done anything else with it.

any ideas what this is? and should i change the plug for a new one or would just changing the fuse to see be ok and safe ofc?

thanks for any help.

 

[wattsup]

condensation, damp, mould....

 

[Danny1]

mmm, unfortunatly what i thought, the appliance has been in for years, doesnt feel damp around the socket etc, so would it be ok to just change the fuse or should i change the whole plug?

 

[malcolmsanford]

is is blue or green? I would say if it is green you may have this

[url]http://www.voltimum.co.uk/search/green+goo+in+cable.html
[/URL]
It is obviously some reaction to two dissimilar metals. If your able, isolated the socket at the fuse board, and remove it from the wall and see if there is anything a miss. If there is this green goo, it may then pay you to contact a local electrician and get him to have a look and possibly do you a PIR

If oyu find anything, then post your location on here, and one of the lads will I'm sure be glad to help you out.

 

[Engineer54]

Hi guys, just found this forum and have something i hope you can help me with? My elec oven stopped working yesterday, was gonna check the fuse first so unplugged it from the socket, however on doing so the top prong of the plug has blue suff over it??? have no idea what it is, possible damp? so i havnt done anything else with it.

any ideas what this is? and should i change the plug for a new one or would just changing the fuse to see be ok and safe ofc?

thanks for any help.

Would that be a blue gooy substance or a greeny blue gooy substance?

 

[Danny1]

its a greeny blue colour and its sort of like dusted onto the top prong, bottom 2 prongs are fine and clean.

 

[Knobhead]

Change both the plug and socket. If the Goo is in the back box wipe that out. Highly unlikely the insulation has been damaged.

 

[Silly Sausage]

its a greeny blue colour and its sort of like dusted onto the top prong, bottom 2 prongs are fine and clean.

It could be Copper Sulphate. Maybe the plaster around the socket was damp in the past and sulphates have leached out of the plaster and reacted with earth pin (only?).

 

[Danny1]

okay, thanks for all the quick replys, so its safe to just change the plug and fuse and try it.

 

[Knobhead]

okay, thanks for all the quick replys, so its safe to just change the plug and fuse and try it.

No because if the goo is on the plug it will be in the socket!

 

[Danny1]

Ah right, ye i see, socket will need changing to.

 

[Engineer54]

What Tony is saying, is if this green bluey stuff is the PVC plasticiser leaching, that has reacted with the copper conductors, then it's going to be conductive. So if it's got within the wall socket outlet, that also needs changing.

If i were you, i'd check your other sockets in the house, if it's widespread then i would be seriously considering rewiring the house.

 

[Danny1]

Well, i know the electrics in the house are pretty old, none of the other plugs in the house show any signs of this though.

What sort of price would i be looking at for a rewire of a 2bed terrace in the northwest england ?? it is something we have been looking at getting done anyway.

 

[Engineer54]

Well, i know the electrics in the house are pretty old, none of the other plugs in the house show any signs of this though.

What sort of price would i be looking at for a rewire of a 2bed terrace in the northwest england ?? it is something we have been looking at getting done anyway.

I'm sure the sparks here from that part of the world, will be able to give you a good guide to a reasonable figure that you should looking at. Most are probably still out at work right now though... Wait a bit and you should start getting some replies!!

 

[richy3333]

could it be a dead smurf