Problems with 'flashing' sockets!

[tom-the-sparky]

Hi Everybody,

Has anyone encountered 'flashing' sockets before? A client has a problem with plug in appliances in that when the socket outlet switch has been turned off, and the item removed an electrical spark/arc occurs?

Any ideas about this oh wise ones?

Thanks

 

[RWJ]

In a word........ NO


Have you checked our the sockets?
Are they faulty?
Wired correctly?
Double Pole / have you tried double pole....


I'm clutching at straws really!??

Do you think it's more appliance side?
Does it only happen on one appliance?

 

[pushrod]

Is it on a single outlet? The usual way to see a flash is to pull the plug out without switching the load off first. I am wondering if the socket is still switching properly. If it is a single outlet I would think the first port of call would be to replace it and if that has no effect then it is head scratching time

 

[malcolmsanford]

As phil say if it is a single socket doing this there could be a faulty switch on the socket and so your un pluging under load.

Nylon carpets.............. any sort of capatience .....no clutching at straws as well if not a faulty socket.

 

[tom-the-sparky]

Cheers guys, off to investigate now, i shall let you know what i find!!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Is it possible that the outlet has single pole switching, the polarity has been reversed and the appliance has functional earthing?

 

[RWJ]

Is it possible that the outlet has single pole switching, the polarity has been reversed and the appliance has functional earthing?

That was one of my thoughts, that why I asked about DP

 

[timo1]

Ha ha I had this on one of our sockets in our first home. My wife and I used to call it "old sparky". I replaced the socket which stopped the problem and could not see any damage, only happened when we took out a plug. I put it down to a dodgy cheapo socket.

 

[SMB]

err....don't get it really, however I am a village idiot.

From my way of thinking then if the appliance is isolated (switched off) from the socket supply then there definately would be no 'arc' when unplugging the appliance. The only thing I can think of is a dodgy socket outlet.

Have a proper look at the socket outlet, where was it made?

Replace it.

I reckon the only thing that could cause this problem is a faulty socket outlet. The socket outlet is not isolating the load when it is switched off and that is what is causing the arcing.




counterfit sockets?


ive always wanted to be a 'flasher' but I daren't.

 

[Sintra]

If I had to have a stab at a reason I would go for incorrect polarity at the socket.

 

[RWJ]

Will we ever know???!?!?!

 

[SMB]

villiage idiot replies to Sintra.

im not taking the pee here, this is a genuine question mate.

how would reverse polarity cause this problem?






ah.......if its not a double pole switch.....



mmm...ive graduated to worzel gummage and not a pure village idiot.

 

[topquark]

Flashing? ... depends on the appliance I guess...if it's a large current user, possibly. I'd go with Sintra on this and say incorrect polarity (not necessarily at the socket though...'tas been known at the head/CU all too often).

 

[topquark]

mmm...ive graduated to worzel gummage and not a pure village idiot.

At least you have a choice of heads to go for now, including a thinking head.

 

[SMB]

I think I get it, it is reverse polarity.

 

[SMB]

Thanks Aunt Sally.

 

[topquark]

I think I get it, it is reverse polarity.

See, quick change of heads and yer there ... ain't switched so those lil ole lecytron fellas will keep pushing along.

 

[SMB]

Ta...made me smile.



ive always wondered how electric goes up and down and around all those knots in the extention lead.




cheers for the giggle.



it will be interesting if the OP tells us what the prob was.

 

[topquark]

That's how one of my lecturers explained current flow the first time. Introduce a voltage (pd) first electron 'pushes' the next etc etc ... not quite like that in reality but close.

 

[mayfair]

You POSITIVE about that.....................sorry

 

[mayfair]

A hydrogen atom lost its electron and went to the police station to file a missing electron report. He was questioned by the police: "Haven't you just misplaced it somewhere? Are you sure that your electron is really lost?"
"I'm positive." replied the atom...............................................Just thought I'd post that before the nurse catches me out of bed ...lol

 

[topquark]

A hydrogen atom lost its electron and went to the police station to file a missing electron report. He was questioned by the police: "Haven't you just misplaced it somewhere? Are you sure that your electron is really lost?"
"I'm positive." replied the atom...............................................Just thought I'd post that before the nurse catches me out of bed ...lol

Haven't heard that before, very good! I like it, said florence hopefully (for all magic roundabout and Jasper Carrot fans).

 

[SMB]

night night Zeeberdee.

 

[mayfair]

Boyng....... bad spelling! anyway that noise a spring makes

 

[mayfair]

[FONT=VERDANA,HELVETICA,ARIAL][SIZE=-1]The Sex life of an Electron by Eddie Current
One night when his charge was pretty high, Micro-Farad decided to seek out a cute little coil to help him discharge. He picked up Milli-Amp and took her for a ride in his Megacycle. They rode across the Wheatstone Bridge and stopped by a Magnetic field with flowing currents and frolicked in the sine waves. Micro-Farad, attracted by Millie-Amp's characterisic curves soon had her fully charged and proceeded to excite her resistance to a minimum. He gently laid her at ground potential, raised her frequency and lowered her reluctance. With a quick arc, he pulled out his high voltage probe and inserted it in her socket, connecting them in parallel. He slowly began short circuiting her resistance shunt while quickly raising her thermal conductance level to mil-spec. Fully excited, Milli- Amp mumbled "MHO...MHO...MHO" With his tube operating well into class C, and her field vibrating with his current flow, a corona formed which instantly caused her shunt to overheat just at the point when Micro-Farad rapidly discharged and drained off every electron into her grid. They fluxed all night trying various connectors and sockets untill his magnet had a soft core and lost all of its field strength. Afterwards, Milli-Amp tried self-induction and damaged her solenoids and with his battery fully discharged, Micro-Farad was unable to excite his field. Not ready to be quiescent, they spent the rest of the evening reversing polarity and blowing each others fuses[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[mayfair]

A neutron goes into a bar and asks the bartender, "How much for a beer?"
The bartender replies, "For you, no charge.

 

[SMB]

Ha!

Shunting and over heating.

Im dischargingly grinning.

 

[telectrix]

too much sangria , mate.

 

[pushrod]

If it has always done it from new - then it is most likely reverse polarity (single pole switch only interrupting the neutral not the line). If it has only recently started happening it is not reverse polarity - more like dodgy socket failing. Either way the socket has to come off.

 

[mayfair]

Thought you knew me........... Bacardi

too much sangria , mate.

 

[telectrix]

just because it looks like water.......

 

[SMB]

im all con'fused'..........my polarity has all gone back to front.

 

[pushrod]

im all confused..........my polarity has all gone back to front.

If the line is in the neutral teminal of the socket and the neutral in the live terminal - then flicking the switch interrupts the neutral, leaving the appliance still connected to the line. Pull the plug and you are still breaking under load and so you get the flash/arc

edit or is that a joke on "fused" lol

 

[telectrix]

but if the neutral is switched, there can be no current flow, therefore no arc. think replace socket, checking the connections and polarity.

 

[pushrod]

but if the neutral is switched, there can be no current flow, therefore no arc. think replace socket, checking the connections and polarity.

Mmmh true , but would you not get the arc as you separate the line even though there is no current flow ??

 

[SMB]

If the line is in the neutral teminal of the socket and the neutral in the live terminal - then flicking the switch interrupts the neutral, leaving the appliance still connected to the line. Pull the plug and you are still breaking under load and so you get the flash/arc

edit or is that a joke on "fused" lol

Thanks, i really do think i understand this problem, and I hope the person who posted here for help gets back to the forum and explains what the score was.


zap.

 

[telectrix]

for arcing to occur, ther must be current flow. maybe there is an intermittent wiring fault behind the socket, shorting when wriggled taking the plug out.

 

[SMB]

for arcing to occur, ther must be current flow. maybe there is an intermittent wiring fault behind the socket, shorting when wriggled taking the plug out.

Nah.


we all know im thick...agreed?

the only way this problem can happen is by reversed polarity or a socket which is not double pole switched?

I did try to explain my thoughts in my previous post on this thread.






however, im thick.

 

[SMB]

err....don't get it really, however I am a village idiot.

From my way of thinking then if the appliance is isolated (switched off) from the socket supply then there definately would be no 'arc' when unplugging the appliance. The only thing I can think of is a dodgy socket outlet.

Have a proper look at the socket outlet, where was it made?

Replace it.

I reckon the only thing that could cause this problem is a faulty socket outlet. The socket outlet is not isolating the load when it is switched off and that is what is causing the arcing.




counterfit sockets?


ive always wanted to be a 'flasher' but I daren't.

This one.

 

[pushrod]

Thanks, i really do think i understand this problem, .


zap.

Well i thought i did lol

for arcing to occur, ther must be current flow. maybe there is an intermittent wiring fault behind the socket, shorting when wriggled taking the plug out.

You've got my brain going now Tel

Trying to remember my physics - have some recollection that 2 statically charged spheres that are touching will arc as they separate. This would be like the appliance and socket when the current has stopped - (mind, its been a long time!)