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Just been to a flat where the Tennent had complained about the plug connected to a wall heater, had melted . These are the pictures and as you can see lucky there wasn't a fire .
I've come across plugs being slightly marked on wall heaters whilst doing PA tests. again the plugs on those occasions didn't have BSI markings.
has anyone else noticed a rise in this type of event
the premises were protected by old style fuse board and hadn't disconnected the circuit and the fuse in the plug was still operational .

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looks like that socket may have been cracked beforehand, leading to poor connection
 
Hi - common factors I've observed seem to be load and being left undisturbed for "a few years". Out of interest, if you disassemble things it might be clearer which part was the original source of heat (?). Unfortunately this type of failure happens with the load being at the high end of normal, so the over current protective device will not operate, whatever type.
 
Long term, high current devices will find a weakness in a circuit.
If the load is a wall heater, I would not use a plug and socket. Change the fried socket for an FCU and wire the heater in. Simples!
 
I used to just say replace the plug and socket with MK ones and it will be fine. However the last 2 MK safety plugs I bought appear to be made to very poor standards including loose rivets and pins, and the threaded studs breaking when tightening the terminal nuts. I returned both. There is a thread on another forum with someone having similar problems. The non-standard MK plugs were fine, though they could have been older stock.
 
The socket face plate has clearly sustained impact damage at some point, I have seen similar before, where the physical damage has led to subsequent movement of the contacts behind the face plate each time an appliance is plugged in and out, this resulting in loosening of terminal screws, in turn causing what you have here.
 
Does not look like a loose connection. In the plug this would cause the top end of the fuse to heat, not the pin. In the socket the heat would have been focused around the switch. Most likely the lower fuse clip in the plug or the socket female contact were slack, or both. Or the socket contact not positioned correctly due to the faceplate being cracked, but I think that has happened as a result of the heating even though it extends beyond the earth pin which was not hot.

Compare the construction of fuse clips in an old MK plug, a modern MK and a cheap generic brand for insight into this increasing problem.
 
no question. there is a plug top ( just a bit of plastic) and a plug bottom ( containing a few metal bits ). when combined they form a plug.
 
Lose connection in plug or socket? What load does the wall heater have. Could be poor products. But you'd know all that.

Your could have a look at this site, highlighting counterfeit plugs; BS 1363 Plugs and Sockets - http://www.bs1363.org.uk/
Thanks it was impossible to tell if a loose cable in the socket due to damage. The holding screw area in the socket had partially melted so live cables were loose .heaters are only a couple of kilowatts


looks like that socket may have been cracked beforehand, leading to poor connection
Eicr had been carried out about 8 months ago
I think the sockets may have been overtightened and the wall is slightly bevelled ,so possibly with the heat thats whats cracked the two sockets. but hey who knows as its my first visit to the premises

the plugs were marked masterplug
 
Lose connection in plug or socket? What load does the wall heater have. Could be poor products. But you'd know all that.

Your could have a look at this site, highlighting counterfeit plugs; BS 1363 Plugs and Sockets - http://www.bs1363.org.uk/
Thanks it was impossible to tell if a loose cable in the socket due to damage. The holding screw area in the socket had partially melted so live cables were loose .heaters are only a couple of kilowatts


looks like that socket may have been cracked beforehand, leading to poor connection
Eicr had been carried out about 8 months ago
I think the sockets may have been overtightened and the wall is slightly bevelled ,so possibly with the heat thats whats cracked the two sockets. but hey who knows as its my first visit to the premises

the plugs were marked masterplug
 
Hi - common factors I've observed seem to be load and being left undisturbed for "a few years". Out of interest, if you disassemble things it might be clearer which part was the original source of heat (?). Unfortunately this type of failure happens with the load being at the high end of normal, so the over current protective device will not operate, whatever type.

was hard to tell as the back of the socket in that area was damaged, whilst live cable was loose, it could have been due to heat damage
 

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