Plug socket going off

angelsmomma

Hi, I have two double plug sockets that I use for Vacuming it sometimes goes off if I move the wire, I also use it for my hairdryer and it goes sometimes goes off when using it. Both sockets are on the same wall.

I will get an electrician in, I just wanted an idea of what it might cost and if it is a big job or not.

Thanks

dil1976

Fault finding is difficult, although this sounds like a relative simple fault to find. But without actually seeing it, I couldn't comment further.

Your best option would be to phone several electricians and find out what they charge, I would do this on a hourly rate as it may not be simple to find and can't guarantee how long it would take.

sgun

I would switch off the electric at the mains, take off the front plate and see if there are any loose connections. If so screw them back in (they will be obvious). If not, call an electrician.

Don't just call out an electrician for something that you could have fixed in 15 mins max. Wiring is logical and if you isolate the power correctly you are not going to do yourself any damage. Don't fiddle on any further than what you can see immediately behind the front plate though.

ROY47

some ideas here

http://www.judgeelectrical.co.uk/index_files/eletectricalsocketdebug.htm

but turn the mains off first !!!!!!! turn a light and tv on then turn the main fuse box off ,the tv and lights should go off

if they don't call an electrician !

angelsmomma

sgun wrote: »

I would switch off the electric at the mains, take off the front plate and see if there are any loose connections. If so screw them back in (they will be obvious). If not, call an electrician.

Don't just call out an electrician for something that you could have fixed in 15 mins max. Wiring is logical and if you isolate the power correctly you are not going to do yourself any damage. Don't fiddle on any further than what you can see immediately behind the front plate though.

Thank you. I did do this last month and it was fine for a bit but then started to go off again when the hoover and hairdryer wires moved when using them.

I will try changing the socket next as maybe its the socket. Failing that I could just blank them off as there are 3 other sockets in the room, any tips on how to do that please, do I need to seal off the wires before putting the blank plate on them?

david39

Sometimes, with hairdryers and vaccuum cleaners, where the connecting cable gets flexed a lot because of the constant movement, the wiring inside the cable can become broken, making an intermittent connection fault just as you describe.

Before you get someone in, try connecting the items to a completely different socket and see if the problem still occurrs - if so, its your cables, not the sockets.

If it turns out to be the cables, it is usually at one end or the other. See if you can isolate where it is in the cable by progressively flexing it along its length until you find the part that causes the problem. When you find it, you need to shorten the cable to get rid of the bad section.

Norman_Castle

I have two double plug sockets that I use for Vacuming it sometimes goes off if I move the wire, I also use it for my hairdryer and it goes sometimes goes off when using it. Both sockets are on the same wall.

As the same problem happens in two separate sockets, as above check the appliances in other sockets. Check there are no loose wires in the plug then check for cable damage.