KItchen Ring Extending

I've been updating the kitchen ring and came to a point where it was ready for testing. Most of the sockets are ok (3 lights on the socket testing device) I put the testing device in the left hand socket of the last one and this gave the ok (3 lights) When I pushed the testing device in the right hand socket it went bang before even switching it on. But after resetting the consumer unit the other sockets where still good and left hand side socket was still good.

Any ideas, gents?

Thanks.

But there is no discolouration and with the mcb rset the good side of the socket still gives 3 lights. Thats the odd thing! It went bang twice, the 2nd time a tad more of it.

Important Update!!! All of the socket plates are not yet screwed down and I've just retested it after twisting it a bit further away and now both sockets show 3 lights from the tester.

You need to check for loose or trapped wires behind the double socket that went bang.

Yes, ensure there is no bare copper showing where the wires enter the terminals, the earth wire must be sleeved, a short length sleeved copper wire must be run from the earth terminal of the socket to the earth lug on the back box, and try to get all the wires neatly dressed away from each other as you fit the socket to the box.

Thanks, Graham.

I'd check that is the case by dropping a sheet of plastic in behind it and then screwing it back, if it works then I think we can say that it is flexing. I'm sure many moons ago when dimmer switches were all the rage, some of them did come with a back box sized bit of plastic as often they were deeper than a normal switch, and it meant that unless the earth lug was in a very dafter place, then you got away with it. Brian

ERm could you actually have a faulty bit of cable. It will be interesting to see what happens as you screw them all in starting from the one you had issues with. Brian

Arthur Ravenscroft was thinking very hard :

You do know that those testers are only a rough and very basic test, don't you?

The continuity of the ring needs to be tested through all three conductors at the origin of the ring, the earth loop impedance needs to be checked and the insulation resistance too.

It concerns me, that someone who claims to have extended a ring, has to come on here asking about such an easily and obvious to sort out issue as the one you are asking for advice about.

While you may be right in this case, some of "those testers" which use 3 lights to sihnal pass/fail are far from rough and basic. I saw - and coveted - recently a Socket and See SOK36. Only problem I could see with it is that the continuous tones makes it harder to nick one while the owner's away ;)

I doubt the OP has one of those though and it is still quite limited..

When you say "went bang" do you mean that there was an explosive noise from the socket itself, or just that the protection tripped back at the consumer unit?

Cheers

Dave R

Basic they may be, but they're the quickest way I know of to check the 3 wires are connected and to the right connectors.

NT

Hi. Sorry for delay in replying. I'm fairly sure that the 2ndbang came from the socket and it gave off a spark. But it seems to be working now..tester shows 3 lights.

I wouldn't regard it as "fixed" ... either turn off power and investigate the cause or call in an electrician.

on 09/08/2019, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com supposed :

They only guarantee that the live is connected to the live terminal.

if that's all that's connected nothing lights. They do more than that. This isn't something we need to discuss, if you know how they work it's completely obvious.

NT