Help! Burnt plug socket

EndlessStruggle

Help. I need advice and can't get hold of the man who manages my tenancy.

I heard a fizzing sound so turned off the plug socket it was coming from and pulled out the plug and it looks like it had burnt the plug on one prong and just a little on the socket. No smoke or anything just mostly melted plastic on the plug.

I have turned off the circuit for sockets but would it be okay to be on or does it need to remain off until an electrician can replace it? Can I put circuit on and obviously not use that plug? Could i use other plugs in room or house?

TELLIT01

From the description it sounds like a faulty plug, rather than a faulty socket. Definitely don't plug that device in again, and I wouldn't use that socket until it has been checked out either. Other sockets should be OK, but keep a close eye on that socket just in case.
Was it a charger of some kind that was plugged in?

EndlessStruggle

It is a very used single plug socket. It was a 2 plug extension cable I had plugged in. My partner has just told me that he spilt a drink earlier close to where the extension lead was but didn't think it was close to it so that might be a possibility of a loose drip or two but that would have been hours ago.

Should I keep all of the sockets off or as the plug is switched off at wall will it be okay?

southcoastrgi

If you look at the socket I bet it's the left hand side that's burnt ?

EndlessStruggle

No it is the lower right one as you look at the socket

Blackpool_Saver

One plug, one socket :-)

EndlessStruggle

I put the circuit back on and felt the wall. Felt like it was getting warm but might just be me making it warm with my hand. Sorry am just v worried and never had anything like this happen before.

Heedtheadvice

The socket, or the plug, will likely have been getting hot owing to a bad contact or other reason such as a damaged cable. They can then be high resistance and it then acts as a small heater thus melting the plastic.


You need to know where that bad contact is (could be the connectors, screw terminals or broken wire strands on f!exible cable). Until it is located and if it is a connection on the sockets circuit the problem might still exist. Might not be very likely but tbe risk of fire could still be there so by far the safest is to isolate that socket's circuit till it is checked by an electrician.



Make sure anything that needs power in the meantime is connected elsewhere ...thinking of fridges/freezers etc.

Jackmydad

What equipment was plugged into the socket?

EndlessStruggle

There was a laptop and a phone charger plugged into the extension lead. From what I can see on the fuse box there is one switch for all sockets so I can't plug in other things elsewhere. I spoke to an electrician who said it should be fine to leave the sockets switch on but don't obviously use the damaged plug and only have plugged in what I need to into other plugs. I will chase the manager tomorrow.

grumbler

Is it a moulded plug? If not, just open it and have a look inside. If everything looks fine, try using it in another socket. This way you can establish that it's the socket that is faulty.

Replacing a socket is a DIY job too, but you seem to need an electrician to do this.