Half my house plug sockets are dead???

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Not Too Sure, Dec 5, 2018.

  1. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    Thanks, apologies I know I’m not using the right terminology.

    Is the standard nowadays to use a radial ? Seems silly that one cable in a socket can impact the others!

    Assume that radial is used for safety purposes or something?
     
  2. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    If there are two conductors connected into the MCB that would be indicative of a ring final circuit . were there two ?
    If so it would appear that the circuit may not be intact ,as a disconnection in one socket would not cause other sockets on that circuit to not work. ( by the way the plug is what is on the end of an appliance flex ,the socket is on the wall and the plug goes into the socket ) just to clear up the terminology.
     
  3. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    There were 2 brown wires going into the ‘sockets 1’ mcb and then like a metal prong thing which the mcb sat on?
     
  4. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    From the info you have supplied so far ,I am of the opinion that you have a ring final circuit on MCB 1,and the circuit has a another break in it. A radial circuit would only need one conductor connected to the MCB .
     
  5. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    Hmmm...so how come it’s all working now ?
     
  6. spirits are real 2016

    spirits are real 2016 Screwfix Select

    if i was you i would go round every socket on that ring even though it all works and check all the connections just to be on the safe side.
     
    DIY womble likes this.
  7. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    I will do that tomorrow just to be sure...

    A few years ago my electricity all went off and that MCB or the one next to it started to melt the CU / fuse box - the electrician who came out fixed it through a bunch of work on the CU but never did explain why that had happened...

    I recall asking him why things hadn’t tripped for the issue to have developed and he was saying that the MCB melted in a way to stop it tripping...?
     
  8. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    New build electrics, "sparks" probably got about £400 to wire it, that's why the electrics are up the wall.
     
  9. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    Because you have reinstated part of the ring.
    I suspect there are More socket's or FCU's on MCB 1 than you think
     
    DIY womble likes this.
  10. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    I will check the other plugs and I’ll keep an eye on it too...

    :)
     
  11. You really need to get an electrician in with test gear to check that you actually have a ring.
    Things just do not sound right.
     
    Bazza-spark likes this.
  12. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    To be honest I’m relaxed about it - I have lived here 10 years from when the house was first built and it came with the appropriate electrical certificate.

    Based on what I’ve read, in a ring socket gets fed from the other (?)...so if one wires pops out the ring is impacted...I located the issue on the said ring and now all sockets are fine...

    I’ll keep an eye on it but like I said, I’m quite relaxed!
     
  13. Comlec

    Comlec Screwfix Select

    I am sure you will find that it is due an inspection. The date recommended will be on the original electrical installation certificate.
     
    Not Too Sure likes this.
  14. Bazza-spark

    Bazza-spark Screwfix Select

    Well you should be worried!

    A single break in a ring is dangerous and would go unnoticed, It appears from your post you had 2 breaks, you have repaired one but a second may still be present.

    As 2.5mm2 cable is rated for a maximum of 27 amps a broken ring can allow 1 leg to overload, overheat and potentially cause a fire.

    You really do need to get it checked by somebody with the proper test gear and knowledge.

    Do the right thing please.

    Kind regards
     
  15. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    Let me try to clarify . on a ring final circuit ,EVERY socket on the circuit is fed from both sides of the ring. If you take away one socket ,totally remove it ,so all the conductors that were joined at that socket are now effectively disconnected , EVERY remaining socket would still work. However,the current carrying capacity of the ring would be halved , and the MCB rated 32 amp is now too high as the remaining cables can not safely carry that amount of current.
    You may well feel relaxed ,but you are completely ignorant of a potential problem. There is something not quite right on your circuit as I and at least one other have pointed out to you. You should engage an electrician to check it out.
     
  16. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

  17. Bazza-spark

    Bazza-spark Screwfix Select

    So you have now had a number of professionals strongly recommend you get it checked asap.

    Kind regards
     
    Not Too Sure likes this.
  18. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    He's relaxing at the moment .
     
  19. Not Too Sure

    Not Too Sure Active Member

    Noted, I shall get an electrician out - but this time a different one to the last - just to make sure. Problem is last time the electrician was registered and spent an age doing the job and he didn’t flag anything despite checking.

    Hard to get good tradesman - which is why people start to become self-reliant :(
     
    candoabitofmoststuff likes this.
  20. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Maybe a diagram will help...
    brokenring.gif

    If you have connections broken at both points as shown, none of sockets A,B or C will work.

    If you repair EITHER of those connections, all 3 will work again... But you wont have a complete ring and the cable may well get overloaded.
    It's possible that what happened was, when whatever it was that caused the issue was plugged in, an increased demand caused a poor connection to overheat and fail, (or maybe even just a vibration)...

    But maybe you already had a poor connection elsewhere on the ring, that hadn't manifested.

    Now you've repaired one connection you're in the situation where all sockets work.

    But quite possibly, (probably), you have another poor connection somewhere, which may be making a part connection and so causing an overheat and possibly fire situation.

    That's why you should get it all tested. A proper electrician will test the resistance of the ring as a whole... this should indicate if there are any poor connections.

    Note that I'm writing this as a DIYer, so happy to be corrected on my understanding by any pros reading this!

    Regards,
    Cando
     

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