Help - Sparks flying!

kaza

Every time I plug an appliance into an extension socket sparks are flying out.

I have done the obvious (I think) initially I threw my hairdryer away because I thought it was that, it then did it with a brand new treadmill and then a laptop.

I bought a new extension socket, sparks still fly, tried the extension in 4 different fixed sockets and the same thing.

It only happens upstairs and only when using an extension ( which I need to do).

Its a fairly new house - 10 years old.

Any ideas?

Thanks
karen

keystone

kaza wrote: »

Any ideas?

Yes - for heavens sake stop doing it!

So far you've thrown away what was possibly a perfectly good hairdryer and then did your level best to screw up a brand new treadmill and a laptop. Thats 100s of £s worth of kit at risk for the complete lack of a little thought, never mind the fire and shock hazards you have created.

Get your electrics tested asap.

Cheers

kaza

keystone wrote: »

Yes - for heavens sake stop doing it!

So far you've thrown away what was possibly a perfectly good hairdryer and then did your level best to screw up a brand new treadmill and a laptop. Thats 100s of £s worth of kit for the complete lack of a little thought.

Get your electrics tested asap.

Cheers

oh right, why what does it sound like? sorry to sound thick,

why would it only happen with an extension socket though, also don't know if this is related but the light on the landing flickers on sometimes even when switched off.
thanks for your time

Steve_xx

The extension is faulty?

Does this happen when you plug the items you mentioned directly into the upstairs sockets?

kaza

Steve_xx wrote: »

The extension is faulty?

That was my initial thought so have bought a new one and the same happens, would be strange if 2 were faulty.

No, it only happens when using the extension.

keystone

I really think you need someone who knows what he is doing to have a look at your electrics. Not only have you got a faulty (perhaps due to being overloaded - who knows from here?) power circuit you also seem to have faulty lighting as well.

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

You need an electrician out

muckybutt

When you say its sparking - is it when you unplug the extension from the sockets ?

Are you turning the socket off when you unplug ?

If you are pulling the extension lead out without turning the socket off the extension could still be under load eg if it has something plugged into it.

Alternatively it could be a batch of faulty sockets the sparkys used when your place was wired, theres loads of reasons why they are sparking but we'll try the simple ones first.

kaza

muckybutt wrote: »

When you say its sparking - is it when you unplug the extension from the sockets ?

Are you turning the socket off when you unplug ?

If you are pulling the extension lead out without turning the socket off the extension could still be under load eg if it has something plugged into it.

Alternatively it could be a batch of faulty sockets the sparkys used when your place was wired, theres loads of reasons why they are sparking but we'll try the simple ones first.

No Im not turning the sockets off.

The sparks happen just as I push the plug (from the laptop) into the extension socket. There have never been any when I remove it.

Thanks for the help.

jc808

kaza wrote: »

No Im not turning the sockets off.

The sparks happen just as I push the plug (from the laptop) into the extension socket. There have never been any when I remove it.

Thanks for the help.

this is a phenomena known as 'arcing' - as you pull out a plug from a live socket, the power 'jumps' from the socket to the plug (rarely would it leave the socket though)

solution? switch the socket off before removing the plug

how far are the sparks going? are they coming out of the socketr or staying within the socket?

kaza

Thanyou, yes they jump from the socket, about 2cms long, yes it obviously does make sense to switch the socket off! derr!, so it doesnt mean there is a problem with the electrics?

I have just rung an electrician, hopefully I can cancel him.

Thanks for replying.
Karen