Burnt socket / advice

sbird90

Hi all 

when We first moved into the house we were told the electrics needed looking at, we had an electrician out and have an EIC to say everything is now fine. It’s been about a year and no issues at all however today our workman plugged in one of his machines (tile cutter potentially but not 100% sure and the socket melted as the plug got stuck and it’s burnt off a corner. They are going to replace the socket so I’m not bothered about the cosmetic damage but it’s triggered my anxiety and worrying it’s my electrics. Could it happen if their machine was faulty? They said they had used an extension lead too so have thrown that away but I’m still worried. Can this happen with just an appliance or extension lead or is it likely to be an issue with my socket/electrics?
would love some reassurance 

theoretica

Can you tell if the heat came from the plug, or from inside the socket?  Which direction was it melting?

victor2

sbird90 said:

Hi all 

when We first moved into the house we were told the electrics needed looking at, we had an electrician out and have an EIC to say everything is now fine. It’s been about a year and no issues at all however today our workman plugged in one of his machines (tile cutter potentially but not 100% sure and the socket melted as the plug got stuck and it’s burnt off a corner. They are going to replace the socket so I’m not bothered about the cosmetic damage but it’s triggered my anxiety and worrying it’s my electrics. Could it happen if their machine was faulty? They said they had used an extension lead too so have thrown that away but I’m still worried. Can this happen with just an appliance or extension lead or is it likely to be an issue with my socket/electrics?
would love some reassurance 

If they are replacing the socket and throwing away the extension they used, it sounds like they knew they had a dodgy extension lead and it finally died on them. Presumably a breaker tripped, or a fuse blew, preventing any further damage to anything.

Ask the workman if everything looks OK in your wiring. I expect he'll say yes.

sbird90

victor2 said:

sbird90 said:

Hi all 

when We first moved into the house we were told the electrics needed looking at, we had an electrician out and have an EIC to say everything is now fine. It’s been about a year and no issues at all however today our workman plugged in one of his machines (tile cutter potentially but not 100% sure and the socket melted as the plug got stuck and it’s burnt off a corner. They are going to replace the socket so I’m not bothered about the cosmetic damage but it’s triggered my anxiety and worrying it’s my electrics. Could it happen if their machine was faulty? They said they had used an extension lead too so have thrown that away but I’m still worried. Can this happen with just an appliance or extension lead or is it likely to be an issue with my socket/electrics?
would love some reassurance 

If they are replacing the socket and throwing away the extension they used, it sounds like they knew they had a dodgy extension lead and it finally died on them. Presumably a breaker tripped, or a fuse blew, preventing any further damage to anything.

Ask the workman if everything looks OK in your wiring. I expect he'll say yes.

They are going to change it tomorrow but are still using it at the moment with the machine minus the extension lead, and it’s working and not tripped the fuse board or anything 

Bendy_House

sbird90 said:

Hi all 

when We first moved into the house we were told the electrics needed looking at, we had an electrician out and have an EIC to say everything is now fine. It’s been about a year and no issues at all however today our workman plugged in one of his machines (tile cutter potentially but not 100% sure and the socket melted as the plug got stuck and it’s burnt off a corner. They are going to replace the socket so I’m not bothered about the cosmetic damage but it’s triggered my anxiety and worrying it’s my electrics. Could it happen if their machine was faulty? They said they had used an extension lead too so have thrown that away but I’m still worried. Can this happen with just an appliance or extension lead or is it likely to be an issue with my socket/electrics?
would love some reassurance 

It sounds as tho' the fault was in/caused by the plug, and most likely nothing to do with your socket.

If their plug had dirty pins, for example, which is very possible, it could have caused a poor connection, and these do tend to overheat. Ditto if the wire inside the plug wasn't fully tight.

I'm struggling to think of a cause from INSIDE your socket, so once they replace it, it should all be fine. 

Worth asking - and having a look as they do it - whether the cable behind the socket is ok. If it is, and chances are it will be, then the new socket should get it all back 100%.

sbird90

theoretica said:

Can you tell if the heat came from the plug, or from inside the socket?  Which direction was it melting?

This is it 

sbird90

sbird90 said:

theoretica said:

Can you tell if the heat came from the plug, or from inside the socket?  Which direction was it melting?

This is it 

Would help I attached the photo haha

Bendy_House

Best guess remains that the heat was generated/originated from the plug, and your socket suffered by contact. There are signs of melting around that LH pin hole, so the plug pin probably melted to it, and caused the socket to break when it was forced out.

Once replaced, I'd have no concerns.

It's good that it actually broke, as they might have assumed  it was all ok if the plug had pulled easily out!

Mutton_Geoff

Dodgy extension lead and they knew it. Can't be anything wrong with your electrics.

FreeBear

Bendy_House said: If their plug had dirty pins, for example, which is very possible, it could have caused a poor connection, and these do tend to overheat. Ditto if the wire inside the plug wasn't fully tight.

Also seen heat damage around the contacts for the fuse.