Electrical question - washine machine plug seized in socket

Andy_L

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Our washing machine stopped working, so we got Dyson to come and have a look at it.
Apparently the guy who came can't do anything as the plug has fused to the socket (as though it has melted) and he says we need an electrician.

It doesn't sound to me like a job that needs a qualified electrician.
My thinking is...
1. Turn the power off at the fuse box
2. Cut the cord
3. Get the socket off the wall
4. Replace the socket
5. Replace the plug on the washing machine
6. Turn the power back on

I can't see any reason why we can't do that ourselves, rather than paying out for an electrician. Or have I missed anything?

You've forgotten

7. Find out why it happened &
8. Stop it from happening again

shandypants5

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

With respect, that's nonsense. :)It's not safe to assume that if there are 6 wires it's a ring. If someone has created a two socket radial circuit by spurring off a spur (and it happens!) then you will also see 6 wires.

Its not nonsense, but a correctly wired spur shouldnt cause problems.
As you say a badly wired or doubled up spur can cause problems.

I was going to elaborate once the OP investigated and reported back.

It "not safe" to give any electrical advice here but give the OP some credit.

I was just trying to open a conversation about WHY the origional plug melted and how they should prevent it happening again.

YorkshireBoy

shandypants5 wrote: »

Its not nonsense...

Let me explain my reasoning...

The maximum current that can be drawn from it is 13A - set by the plug top fuse. 13A drawn from a 13A socket isn't going to overheat it because it's a spur.

Jimmy, possible causes include:

Loose connections on the socket
Water ingress (you suspected this)
A weakening of the socket receptacles (over a considerable time, and normally because the plug has been inserted/removed many times...not the case here?)
A 'cheap' non-branded socket outlet

shandypants5

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

And so if it is a spur, anything I can do about it?

You really need to investigate where the wires in the socket come from and go to.

As yorkshireboy said even if you have 6 wires it doesnt mean that the socket is correctly wired.

I have seen several homewired kitchens where people have just extended a wire from a socket down below the counter to run a fridge or washing machine.

This only becomes a problem when someone else then extends THIS socket to make another one.

Because this new chain of sockets is not a ring, the current accumulates along the chain as more things are plugged in, and the weakest spot will become too hot from overloading.

SO see if you can see where the wires go to, if it has been done by an bodge artist you can usually follow the filler in the wall to the right socket.:rolleyes:

shandypants5

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Let me explain my reasoning...

The maximum current that can be drawn from it is 13A - set by the plug top fuse. 13A drawn from a 13A socket isn't going to overheat it because it's a spur.

What if its a twin socket at the end of the spur.

Incisor

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

My thinking is...
1. Turn the power off at the fuse box
2. Cut the cord
3. Get the socket off the wall
4. Replace the socket
5. Replace the plug on the washing machine
6. Turn the power back on

Any thoughts?

2 comes after 4. Particularly if you find that the damage extends behind the socket and you want to put it all back until an electrician can rewire it. You probably wouldn't like to live with a socket with a live cable end on a plug which you cant take out.

amcluesent

>This only becomes a problem when someone else then extends THIS socket to make another one.<

Someone bodged my kitchen, when the dishwasher and washing machine were both running, the wall got quite warm where the cable was laid.

TimBuckTeeth

Good advice by Incisor, best to do it in this order.

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

And you don't think we'd invalidate the extended warranty by cutting the chord ourselves?

Possibly as any modification could in theory invalidate the guarantee, although it would be unlikely and unreasonable if the engineer/company did so.

JimmyTheWig wrote:

At the moment the plug doesn't look fully in place, so that might have been the problem.

Switch the electricity off, then give the plug a whack with a rubber mallet, could free it and make replacement of the socket easier. If the plug pins are damaged then it should be replaced, if only very slight blackening of the pins then very fine sandpaper could be used to clean them. If the pins are damaged or corroded and make a poor contact then it can overheat in the new socket.

JimmyTheWig

Ok, update...

Have spoken to Dyson. Whatever I do to the cable and/or plug won't invalidate the warranty, as the Dyson engineer will replace the entire cable (with new moulded plug) when he comes out.
So I just needed to get it out and replace the socket.

Have got it out and got socket off the wall. It looks like the plastic bit at the base of one of the plug pins had melted, which explains why it was stuck in place.

I've got a new socket from B&Q.
Two things to mention...

1. The old socket was at ground level just underneath where the waste pipe from the washing machine. We believe this is dangerous (if the waste pipe overflows, etc) and so want to move the socket higher up the wall. I've got the appropriate cable to do this.
2. There were 9 wires in the back of the old socket, i.e. 3 of each type. Is this a bad sign?

My plan is to extend this up the wall with a single cable - i.e. with a junction box have the three, for example, lives going in and one live going out.
Does this sound reasonable, or am I missing something?

shandypants5

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Ok, update...

Have spoken to Dyson. Whatever I do to the cable and/or plug won't invalidate the warranty, as the Dyson engineer will replace the entire cable (with new moulded plug) when he comes out.
So I just needed to get it out and replace the socket.

Have got it out and got socket off the wall. It looks like the plastic bit at the base of one of the plug pins had melted, which explains why it was stuck in place.

I've got a new socket from B&Q.
Two things to mention...

1. The old socket was at ground level just underneath where the waste pipe from the washing machine. We believe this is dangerous (if the waste pipe overflows, etc) and so want to move the socket higher up the wall. I've got the appropriate cable to do this.
2. There were 9 wires in the back of the old socket, i.e. 3 of each type. Is this a bad sign?

My plan is to extend this up the wall with a single cable - i.e. with a junction box have the three, for example, lives going in and one live going out.
Does this sound reasonable, or am I missing something?

You really need to find out where each of those 3 cables go too

(9 wires usually means 3 cables consisting of red black + earth)

2 of them should be leading to the ring main and the other one is probrably a single line feeding another socket.(this is called a "spur" or radial).

If thats the case then your ok, BUT if its been bodjed in the past it may be a single live coming in and feeding 2 more spurs to 2 more sockets.(really bad and will cause fires/melting plugs)