HELP - simple question, please keep it simple

J

Jarvio

-
I am not an electrician. I joined because I have a simple question.

There is a power outlet in my living room, which has 2 plug sockets. Let's call this power outlet A.

There is another power outlet in my living room, about a meter or so away from power outlet A. Let's call this one power outlet B.

Power outlet A might have a problem, but I am not sure if it does or not.

As a precaution, I removed everything from power outlet A and plugged it all into power outlet B.

My question - IF power outlet A did indeed have a problem, would this problem also apply to power outlet B? I ask because they are in the same room, only a meter or 2 apart, even though they are separate outlets.
 
Hi J, and welcome to the Forum!
It's possible that B may be ok (if A has a problem with the actual outlet, say) or B may have the same problem as it may be on the same cable as A (if it was a cable fault).

Can you tell us any symptoms?
 
A games console turns off by itself. However, I know it is not an issue with the console, because I had it replaced with a brand new one, which does the exact same issue.

It's not a common issue, but it happens, and it makes my gaming experience hell because I'm constantly worrying that it will switch off mid-game.

The fact that this issue happened again when the console was replaced, tells me that it is something in my house that is causing the issue.

To my knowledge, this has not happened on any other devices. However, I am highly confused as to what caused this issue, and nobody could help me. That's why I am asking here, and wondering if it is the power outlet.

But as the 1st reply said, the 2nd power outlet could have the same issue, so I don't know what to do anymore.
 
possible loose connection in socket A.
 
Jarvio said:
How do I do this, who do I contact?
Click to expand...
Well if you are concerned Jarvio, contact an Electrician, you should be able to find someone suitable on line, obviously pick someone from your area/location, get several quotations and it's not always best to pick the cheapest, look for referrals from previous customers, I would say pick a trades person who belongs to one of the CPS schemes, but not all are as they seem, I'm afraid you will have to use your own judgement, a sad reelection on our trade I'm sorry to say, but good luck and I hope you get your problem sorted.
 
Pete999 said:
Well if you are concerned Jarvio, contact an Electrician, you should be able to find someone suitable on line, obviously pick someone from your area/location, get several quotations and it's not always best to pick the cheapest, look for referrals from previous customers, I would say pick a trades person who belongs to one of the CPS schemes, but not all are as they seem, I'm afraid you will have to use your own judgement, a sad reelection on our trade I'm sorry to say, but good luck and I hope you get your problem sorted.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Before I saw your message, I emailed my energy provider - do you think they'd be able to send an electrician?
 
If they do it’ll be incredibly expensive.

Could also be how your using the console...the new ones kick out a lot of heat....it’s not on a carpet or in a cupboard etc is it?

Jarvio said:
Thanks. Before I saw your message, I emailed my energy provider - do you think they'd be able to send an electrician?
Click to expand...
 
Go on the Electrical Safety First website where you can enter your postcode to find local electricians.
 
Have you tried something else in the socket? I don't think you've mentioned. Seems odd (to me) to go straight for dismantling the socket when the only thing to go wrong is a computer console.

Separately, it sounds to me like a thermal cut out on the console. Make sure the area it is in has some form of through ventilation, it might help.

EDIT: Ah. Des has beat me to it...
 
I have tried the console in both the 2 different sockets of outlet A. It has the same issue in each.

Everything 'works' in both sockets, but the issue with the console is an unpredictable and rare issue that cannot be tested at all, so it is absolutely impossible to tell if any other devices are affected. This is the problem.

This is why I am questioning the outlet itself, or whatever. I know nothing about this stuff. And I don't know what to do. It's giving me a breakdown.

And no, the console isn't on a carpet or cupboard.
 
First question for me is what is the brand of console, many things can shut a console down or put it into sleep mode, these could be software conflicts in the games or ambient temp' been too high and the console getting to hot.. if you have indeed replaced the console I assume you played the same games on it which means you cannot assume their is a power point issue here, if your power supply had a mains transient (surge or volts drop) then it would have to be for a duration that you would notice with other items like your TV,lighting etc as most modern electronics have inbuilt smoothing filters that allow for a short transient but like anything they will be effected if it is a lengthy issue like a few seconds.
 
Okay, here's a straight-forward follow up question.

When the console powers off, do you have to reset any circuit breakers in the board? If no, it makes it less likely that there is a problem with the actual stuff on/in the wall.

Des's suggestion of putting a table lamp in the other socket is a good one. I'll mean that when it does shut down you can pretty much rule out the wall socket.

Have you tried searching on the internet for overheating problems for your particular console?

EDIT: I need to type faster. Thanks Darkwood!
 
TeeCee said:
Okay, here's a straight-forward follow up question.

When the console powers off, do you have to reset any circuit breakers in the board? If no, it makes it less likely that there is a problem with the actual stuff on/in the wall.
Click to expand...

No, I don't have to do anything with the electrics. I just turn the console back on again, and it works again
 
When the console turned off, I don't think the TV or any other devices did, I think it was just the console. But my memory is hazy on that, but I don't remember the tv ever switching off with it.
 
Okay - so like I said earlier, do some research on the type of console. Everything pretty much points to that. As such, I understand your discretion as to it's make. Darkood has talked about the components inside these things to deal with power flucuations - if any of those components are faulty, it could cause the software to shut down. There are many many more components of much greater complexity in your games console than in the power supply!

Best of luck!
 
TeeCee said:
Okay - so like I said earlier, do some research on the type of console. Everything pretty much points to that. As such, I understand your discretion as to it's make. Darkood has talked about the components inside these things to deal with power flucuations - if any of those components are faulty, it could cause the software to shut down. There are many many more components of much greater complexity in your games console than in the power supply!

Best of luck!
Click to expand...

That's the thing, I researched if anyone else had the problem with the console, and nobody had the same issue as me. I then sent it into Nintendo to repair it, they replaced it with a new console, and it did the same thing.
 
could even be a blip on the supply. we had one a couple ofweeks ago. power went off an dback on within a couple of seconds. wiped out the hard drive on my CCTV.
 
telectrix said:
could even be a blip on the supply. we had one a couple ofweeks ago. power went off an dback on within a couple of seconds. wiped out the hard drive on my CCTV.
Click to expand...

By supply do you mean to do with the console, or my electrics?

I'm not very 'bright' with these types of things.
 
Jarvio said:
What's the main reason people don't think it's my electrics then? Is it the fact that the console goes a while before it ever happens?
Click to expand...
Just call an electrician no one on here can give you a definite answer to what's happening so for your peace of mind check it checked
 
Telectrix means the supply.

So, I googled 'Nintendo Wii U shutting itself down.'

Country Selector at Nintendo - https://nintendoservicecentre.co.uk/support/wii/my-wii-shuts-off-on-its-own

This points to either unlicenced accessories or a damaged AC adapter causing the shutdown. When you exchanged the unit, did you change the AC adapter? Perhaps not.

In any event, I think this is certianly not an electrical problem to any longer concern the good burgers of ElectriciansForums with.

Hope all gets sorted out in the end!

EDIT: Plus what Danny said.
 
TeeCee said:
Telectrix means the supply.

So, I googled 'Nintendo Wii U shutting itself down.'

Country Selector at Nintendo - https://nintendoservicecentre.co.uk/support/wii/my-wii-shuts-off-on-its-own

This points to either unlicenced accessories or a damaged AC adapter causing the shutdown. When you exchanged the unit, did you change the AC adapter? Perhaps not.

In any event, I think this is certianly not an electrical problem to any longer concern the good burgers of ElectriciansForums with.

Hope all gets sorted out in the end!

EDIT: Plus what Danny said.
Click to expand...

That link is for wii, not wii u. Incidentally though, nope I never had any unlicenced accessories on it.

The ac adapter could be a possibility though. I don't think nintendo replaced that, which is stupid if they didn't, if it's known to cause issues.
 
Logically, if the supply has a blip, it's the supply to your home. Everything would be subject to the blip. Computers and similar items (like clever TVs and recorders, etc) are more sensitive to such things.
 
TeeCee said:
Logically, if the supply has a blip, it's the supply to your home. Everything would be subject to the blip. Computers and similar items (like clever TVs and recorders, etc) are more sensitive to such things.
Click to expand...

In that case then I don't think it was a supply blip, because other devices upstaris, like my pc that I have on a lot of the time, remained on
 
I would go and buy an extension lead and power said gaming device from another socket...... And see what happens.

£5.99 at Argos
 
Murdoch said:
I would go and buy an extension lead and power said gaming device from another socket...... And see what happens.

£5.99 at Argos
Click to expand...

Did that. Same thing happened. The other socket being on the same outlet that is

My knowledge is limited so I can't word it right.

Got an electrician coming tomorrow anyway
 

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