Everything in my kitchen keeps breaking, faulty electrics? Help please

wobblywizard

In the past few weeks the toaster, the microwave, and the kettle (minutes ago) have all broke after being plugged in at the same wall socket. I asked the council electrician to come round and have a look and he said it's all fine, and that it must be a coincidence, he also said it's normal to see blue sparks coming from the socket when you plug things in? I'm getting fed up because now the only working thing I have in my kitchen is the cooker, I've had to buy a new fridge since that stopped working a few weeks before all this started happening, I can't afford to keep buying new things!

Has anything similar happened to anyone else? Is it worth getting a second opinion from another electrician or is it just really bad luck?

Any advice appreciated!

ormus

id stop using that socket for a start.

sahra

Just guessing that the socket has blown the fuses in your appliances, so don't go replacing anything before checking plugs.

zax47

You say the toaster, microwave and kettle have all broken after being used in one socket - have they got blown fuses in their plugs? Have you checked? A fault in the socket wiring or internal damage could exhibit itself by blowing the fuse of everything plugged in, but this is VERY unlikely in my (qualified electrician) opinion and it would also trip a breaker or blow a fuse in your consumer unit ("fuse box") if it kept happening.

Always be sure that the socket switch (if fitted) is OFF before plugging/unplugging appliances. That prevents any sparking (arcing) when the plug pins enter/leave the socket. Beyond that, then there is little to go wrong in a socket to affect your appliances, that wouldn't also be tripping breakers/fuses in your consumer unit.

If it is just that one socket, then perhaps have it changed anyway - just for piece of mind, but if anything was majorly wrong with your electricity supply (over voltage etc.) then appliances in other rooms would be affected (especially things with more sensitive electronics in than toasters etc. like TV's).

From what you've said I assume this is a council property, so if you are still concerned then you'll have to persevere with them. Remind them gently that they have a duty of care to you as a tenant and their insurers will insist on proper maintenance of the electrical systems in the property.

wobblywizard

I've checked the fuse on the microwave and replaced it, it didn't work. It was sent back and tested and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Starting to think its all just bad luck, to be safe I'll not use that socket... nothing to plug in there now anyway

I'll ring council and ask for someone else to come round for a second opinion.

Thanks so much for your help