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Thread: Electrical socket question.

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  1. #1
    Master
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    Electrical socket question.

    Any help appreciated. I keep the tumble drier out in the shed ( don’t ask) and run a proper outdoor cable to it when its used. Noticed the other day when taking the plug out both it and the socket were very hot. Cable to the dryer about 10 m is stretched out , not coiled and the drier only a few months old. Any ideas? Suffice to say socket now not being used. Electrician the obvious answer?

  2. #2
    Master jools's Avatar
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    Dirty contacts on the plug and/or socket. The extra resistance has a heating effect. If it's damp in the shed the plug pins could have corroded as could the socket's, or they could just be old and dirty. You could try cleaning the metal of the plug's pins. Or it could be a loose wire in the plug or socket, try tightening the plug's terminal screws.

  3. #3
    Master
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    Is it a heavy duty cable?

    I’d wonder if the cable is of sufficient gauge to carry the current for a tumble dryer over ten meters for the extended time periods drying takes.
    The copper cable needs a to be a larger gauge to account for losses over the long length.

    How does this compare to what you have already?

    https://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplu...xoCPwAQAvD_BwE

  4. #4
    Master
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    Cheers guys. Inside the socket was filthu, full of cobwebs etc. All connections were tight and no damage. So cleaned it out etc. Just opened the cable plug and the 13a fuse is burnt so I know where the heat came from. Cable is a proper outdoor one but maybe not heavy duty so will just get one of them for now. Tumble dryer was on longervthan normal so maybe that caused the issue.
    cheers

  5. #5
    Master
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  6. #6
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Morgan View Post
    That could scare the bits off you. Wife will not have the tumble dryer in the house after all the scares the last few years so will just have to convince her to move it into the porch or divorce her. So heavy duty cable till that happens.

  7. #7
    Master jools's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alas58 View Post
    Cheers guys. Inside the socket was filthu, full of cobwebs etc. All connections were tight and no damage. So cleaned it out etc. Just opened the cable plug and the 13a fuse is burnt so I know where the heat came from. Cable is a proper outdoor one but maybe not heavy duty so will just get one of them for now. Tumble dryer was on longervthan normal so maybe that caused the issue.
    cheers
    If the clip holding the fuse in the plug isn't tight or is corroded that can also be a source of heating. To be honest even clean plugs and sockets get warm if the current draw is high enough. Those quick-boil 3000 watt kettles are a good example, check the plug's live pin after boiling a full load.

  8. #8
    Master Tifa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jools View Post
    Dirty contacts on the plug and/or socket. The extra resistance has a heating effect. If it's damp in the shed the plug pins could have corroded as could the socket's, or they could just be old and dirty. You could try cleaning the metal of the plug's pins. Or it could be a loose wire in the plug or socket, try tightening the plug's terminal screws.
    Nailed it.

  9. #9
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    With things like tumble dryers and washing machines never use a double adaptor, it's one plug, one socket.

  10. #10
    Master IAmATeaf's Avatar
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    Is the cable also hot? Also is the other end that’s plugged in in the house also getting hot?

  11. #11
    Master
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    The cable was cool but the extension plug into the house socket was the one that was hot as shown up by the fact the fuse was burnt in that plug.

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