Exploding socket

[Guest111]

Went down to help a friend today put some sockets in his office,small ring main with 8 twins on it.All wired in and do all the dead tests IR R1 R2 Polarity etc,power it up and plug in to do a Zs try one socket,good reading move on to another again good reading move on to the third,plug in switch socket on and BANG!big blue flash and mate leaps backwards I,m stood there slightly stunned mate asks wether it should do that( lol)after a bit of cursing I check breaker is off and carry out safe isolation tests(oh yes I,m out to impress on this one) remove socket and retest,all ok turns out there is a fault on the actual socket so thats going back on Monday.It was a G E T twin socket from neweys sold under their Newlec brand,first problem I,ve had with newlec but there you go so look out people just in case its a batch.

 

[MarkieSparkie]

GET sockets are notorious for such problems. Usually this is caused by the rear plastic moulding cracking or the moulding fixing screws over-torqued at the factory. When a plug is inserted the rear moulding distorts or springs apart, releasing the switch gear to short the busbars.

 

[Guitarist]

When you can get an MK double for just over 3 quid, I really can't understand why anyone would even entertain cheap sockets.

 

[vernam616]

MK arnt what they used to be !

Overrated and overpriced, and terminating them is awful, especially cpcs

We use crabtree and click polar stuff, admittidly the polar stuff is cheap, we have never had a problem with it

 

[Guitarist]

I wouldn't say just over 3 quid is overpriced tbh. At least they are reliable and the terminals line up. My only issue with them is that the screws are a little soft and can get chewed up if care isn't taken when tightening.
Love crabtree stuff too but found click polar a bit hit-and-miss.

 

[somersetsparks]

I find crabtree and volex are good, volex being the same mechanicals as crabtree just a bit naffer looking.
mk white placcy is pretty poor now, however I still use there metalclad and masterseal are the best.

 

[ipf]

I've come across 2 types of white, plastic GET double sockets. The more solid one has the terminals adjacent, in a row (from Elec Centre). The other (from Neweys), which I would think is the one in question, the terms are strangely positioned. Both look exactly the same facially. Is one a later, improved version? GET are now Schneider, normally top stuff. The GET 'ultimate' range is class, but very expensive, even more so once Schneider got involved. The price rocketed a couple of years ago.

 

[Ben Grant]

I got a load of Crabtree sockets, they had a good finish and are a nice fit. But I think the terminal screws let them down, have to really push hard otherwise I find the screwdriver slips, fails to tighten and results in loose connections. MK are expensive, and cheap doesn't have to be poor quality, deta are good (for the price) so is contactum. Don't shop in neweys if I can help it as they don't operate chip and pin

 

[Mark_Burgess]

I've come across 2 types of white, plastic GET double sockets. The more solid one has the terminals adjacent, in a row (from Elec Centre). The other (from Neweys), which I would think is the one in question, the terms are strangely positioned. Both look exactly the same facially. Is one a later, improved version?

Chances are, one is double pole the other single pole, the crabtree difference between double and single pole ones are just like what you describe.

 

[Jimmy Boy]

Do the cheaper brands do Dual earth variant for High integrity earthing circuits ?

J

 

[topquark]

Do the cheaper brands do Dual earth variant for High integrity earthing circuits ?

J

Some do, the Alto ones from WF are.

 

[Mr.Si]

As do the BG NEXUS brand, which are also cheap.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jimmy Boy]

Phil just out of idle curiosity were all the switches in the 'On' position when you did the IR and would this have shown this fault up do you think ?

J

 

[vernam616]

MK masterseal are good in a way , but a pain in the arse trying to open and shut them

We have been using BG outdoor sockets, really good in my opinion and doesnt cost the earth, i paid £12 for a double not so long back

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I keep hoping someone brings out a decent pre wire-able back or surface box, so that you can just push the socket front in like a Sangamo time clock, and two screws job done..In my dreams

J

 

[Hiddo]

I keep hoping someone brings out a decent pre wire-able back or surface box, so that you can just push the socket front in like a Sangamo time clock, and two screws job done..In my dreams

J

Sangamo time clocks are the Rolls Royce of time clocks.

 

[Jimmy Boy]

Yea I use them at work ££££££££££... but a very robust construction, I always like to fit them with the full enclosure they sell, makes for a nice tidy job

J

 

[vernam616]

They do look very dated however

I like using the din mountable digital ones, makes life easier mounting the the DB

 

[Guitarist]

MK masterseal are good in a way , but a pain in the arse trying to open and shut them

We have been using BG outdoor sockets, really good in my opinion and doesnt cost the earth, i paid £12 for a double not so long back

Agree about the BG outdoor. Very good quality and robust for the money.

 

[HandySparks]

MK masterseal are good in a way , but a pain in the arse trying to open and shut them

I'd agree about the original ones, but the latest (Mastersal Plus?) stick down further at the bottom to allow the cover to close over bigger, moulded, plugs and are much easier to unlatch.