Electric socket not working

ElephantBoy57

My washer was playing up, light on front, but the on switch wasn't working.

I got myself a new washer and plugged it in, to the socket behind the washer. Nothing, not working.

The washer works via an extension. I have plugged other things into the washer socket, it does not work.

The fuse has not tripped.

What should I be checking first, do sockets themselves fail? All the sockets wires are tight.

Carrot007

ElephantBoy57 said:

 do sockets themselves fail?

Expecting obvious physical damge there is about a 0.00000001% chance of that.

If you do not know what to do then get someone in.

Hopefuly it is a spur and not a break in the ring or you may have worse problems (fire risk).

Emmia

If you don't know what you're doing, please get someone in for this.

Andy_L

Carrot007 said:

ElephantBoy57 said:

 do sockets themselves fail?

Expecting obvious physical damge there is about a 0.00000001% chance of that.

If you do not know what to do then get someone in.

Hopefuly it is a spur and not a break in the ring or you may have worse problems (fire risk).

It could be a fused spur. Is there a switch with a fuse like this near by? (or possibly without the switch, just the fuse)

Jeepers_Creepers

"The washer works via an extension" 

What does that mean? Is it a proper wall-mounted socket with cables concealed in the wall? If so, how do you know it's an 'extension'?

Or is it an 'after-market' extension - a socket powered via a cable from another socket?

Anyhoo, the most likely explanation I think - since the W/M light came on but nothing else when fired up - is that the wires to the terminals are loose or burnt, possibly even the switch contacts. This gives a 'high resistance' joint, one that can provide enough power to light an indicator light, but goes 'high' when a larger load is applied.

Anyhoo, anyhoo - why do you ask? Are you planning to try and sort this yourself?!

grumbler

Jeepers_Creepers said:

"The washer works via an extension" 

What does that mean?

This means that the washer works with an extension lead from another socket.

Alanp

Probably a loose wire or burnt connection as someone else suggested, if you are not confident in doing it yourself, then get someone in...

shinytop

What I would do if it were my house is this.  If the wires that are screwed in to the back of the socket are OK then I'd look to see if the socket is a spur from another socket so if there is another socket nearby that looks like a likely contender , I'd open that up and see if there is anything obviously loose inside. If that's not it then I'd get someone  in.     

Jeepers_Creepers

grumbler said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

"The washer works via an extension" 

What does that mean?

This means that the washer works with an extension lead from another socket.

Cool. In which case the first thing for EB57 to try is to plug his 'other things' directly in to the 'proper' wall socket where the extension cable is currently plugged in. If they now work, then, you know...

grumbler

I am pretty sure the OP has already done this and the conclusion was "it (socket) does not work"

ElephantBoy57

Andy_L said:

It could be a fused spur. Is there a switch with a fuse like this near by? (or possibly without the switch, just the fuse)

That is why it wasn't working. I was switching the washer socket on and off, there is the socket above which also switches on and off.

I will sit in the corner with the dunces' hat on, thanks everyone