Is it a broken socket or what?

I live in a flat with an old type circuit breaker connected to an O Ring (i.e., not one of those new 'consumer unit', which allows you to switch on/off on a room by room basis, just one on/off switch to switch on/off for the whole flat).

Anyway, in one of the bedroom, where there are two electrical sockets + a switch for the lights, one of the electrical socket has stopped working (i.e., a lamp which turns on and lightens up when plugged into another socket and turned on does not lighten up when I do the same thing with this particular socket).

Given this situation, do I just need to replace the socket or how likely is it that there might be something wrong with the circuit (without buying more equipments/meters, etc. to do more tests)?

Reply to
help
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Highly likely to be a broken socket or loose screw in the back or just maybe a broken wire.

Turn off your mains switch, remove the two screws on the sokect and ease from the wall. Broken wire should be obvious as will the locations of three screws one for each wire which you should tighten. with the socket dangling, plug in the lamp again switch it on and then turn on the mains. If the lamp still does not work then a new socket is alikely cure. Turn off the power again and either fit a new socket(few quid from DIY or hardware store) or if you want to be really sure with out spending any cash, still with the power OFF, swap the socket with another in the flat, noting which wire goes where. there could be upto three wires of the same colour connecting to each terminal at the back of the socket.

When you have made all connections again, try the lamp test again with both sockets. If the fault has moved to the other location then it's a dead socket, if the swapped socket in the original faulty location is dead then you have a wiring problem. Time to call a personally recommended electrician or competant diy friend for detailed help.

HTH

Bob

Reply to
Bob Minchin

Or get a socket tester (available from most DIY stores) and try that first. That should narrow down the fault for you, and give you a better idea of what you're looking for when you take the socket off the wall. And do remember to turn the mains off before undoing the socket!

Richard

Reply to
Richard Packer

Wall won't have to be knocked down, but may need a channel cutting in the plaster to get replacement lengths of cable in. Depends on type of construction and how the wiring was put in. If it is a hollow partition wall, it may be possible to thread the cable through without too much mess, similarly if the wiring was put in in conduit (pipe). There may also be other disruption required though to gain access to wiring runs under the floor/ceiling.

Check the socket first before fearing the worst though, they do go wrong, often the switch contacts.

Reply to
John Armstrong

Hello help

Firstly, take off the power and look at the connections inside the socket. The most common fault is simply that one is loose. Tighten, re-assemble, return power, have a cuppa.

(Note: DO buy a neon electricians screwdriver and DO test the live/neutral before continuing. Flats in particular sometimes have really messed up wiring, and one socket being fed from another flat's supply is not unknown. NEVER assume the power is off just because you've flicked a switch.)

If, however, it still doesn't work after having done that, by all means replace the socket (internal failure is rare, but does happen).

If it still doesn't work, only then start worrying about the wiring.

Reply to
Simon Avery

Not very likely. You may be describing a main on/off switch but there will still be fuses to disable/protect certain circuits. The fuses may be hidden from sight if it is an old fuse box, usually the old grey MEM boxes or the yellow telecom boxes. Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

No. I mean the MEM boxes that look like something from a Frankenstein film. There are still fuses inside but they are a pig to change. I think the OP is a little confused as I cannot decide what the O ring is that he mentioned Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

"ARWadsworth" wrote | "Owain" wrote | > | from sight if it is an old fuse box, usually the old grey MEM boxes | > | or the yellow telecom boxes. | > I hope you mean ivory Wylex boxes :-) | No. I mean the MEM boxes that look like something from a Frankenstein film.

It was the 'yellow telecom' boxes I was querying.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

They do exist. There is one council estate near me (called Intake) where all the fuse boxes are bright yellow, and I am certain they are made by BT or whatever they used to be called in the 50's/60's. There are usually 3 metal boxes, one contains the supply fuse, the next contains an isolator switch and the third contains the fuses which you can only access after unscrewing the metal cover. All the boxes are bolted together. Horrible things and the next time I work on one I will take a photo, post it on the web and try find out if they are unique to this estate. I have never seen them anywhere else.

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Close. It is Intake Doncaster. Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

"ARWadsworth" wrote | > It was the 'yellow telecom' boxes I was querying. | They do exist. There is one council estate near me (called Intake) where all | the fuse boxes are bright yellow, and I am certain they are made by BT or | whatever they used to be called in the 50's/60's.

Post Office Telephones ?

| There are usually 3 metal boxes, one contains the supply fuse, the next | contains an isolator switch and the third contains the fuses which you can | only access after unscrewing the metal cover. All the boxes are bolted | together. Horrible things and the next time I work on one I will take a | photo, post it on the web and try find out if they are unique to this | estate. I have never seen them anywhere else.

Please do. If it is fairly immediately post-war I might be able to identify it.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

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