Got a call to take a look at an rcd that wouldnt reset.
Got to the house & found a socket in the kitchen supplying a 4way trailing lead looking like this.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket001.jpg
The plug looked like this (had to prise the top off) & neutral pin melted to half size.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket004.jpg
Inside socket (found it was a spur off upstairs ring & traced back some 9 meters to under bedroom floor & joined to ring with JB ) neutral blown apart.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket002.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket003.jpg
So I isolated the spur tested ring all tickety boo IR at 140meg, re-energised rcd & all circuits...big american fridge starts humming burping & farting............bang rcd trips.
Fridge is on a totally different ring to the burntout socket (3 rings in total) so think AHA the fridge is possibly faulty also, test that ring all is well so has to be the fridge.
Isolated all circuits on the rcd side & moved fridge to another ringmain re-energised that ring & rcd trips......"yep there you go Mrs its your fridge & to proove it look no fridge plugged in & with the circuit live the RCD stays in & now plug the TV in & the rcd will still ............................. trip" B***OCKS
Anyway to cut a long story short it turns out the lady of the house smelt burning + rcd tripping that initially led to the disscovery of the burntout socket, she calls hubby working in Dubai & he tells her how to reset the rcd & not wanting to interrupt the washing/drying she used his 50mtr extension reel plugged into another socket hidden inside a kitchen base cupboard because she doesnt want to reuse the burnout socket above the worktop in the kitchen.
Gets one load of washing done starts the dryer & second load of washing then all the sockets stopworking & she cant reset the rcd so rings hubby who calls me from Dubai to arrange an emergency call out ?:| .
Finally traced fault to the extension reel fully wound up with washer / dryer / portable aircon unit plugged into it.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket005.jpg
Got to the house & found a socket in the kitchen supplying a 4way trailing lead looking like this.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket001.jpg
The plug looked like this (had to prise the top off) & neutral pin melted to half size.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket004.jpg
Inside socket (found it was a spur off upstairs ring & traced back some 9 meters to under bedroom floor & joined to ring with JB ) neutral blown apart.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket002.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket003.jpg
So I isolated the spur tested ring all tickety boo IR at 140meg, re-energised rcd & all circuits...big american fridge starts humming burping & farting............bang rcd trips.
Fridge is on a totally different ring to the burntout socket (3 rings in total) so think AHA the fridge is possibly faulty also, test that ring all is well so has to be the fridge.
Isolated all circuits on the rcd side & moved fridge to another ringmain re-energised that ring & rcd trips......"yep there you go Mrs its your fridge & to proove it look no fridge plugged in & with the circuit live the RCD stays in & now plug the TV in & the rcd will still ............................. trip" B***OCKS
Anyway to cut a long story short it turns out the lady of the house smelt burning + rcd tripping that initially led to the disscovery of the burntout socket, she calls hubby working in Dubai & he tells her how to reset the rcd & not wanting to interrupt the washing/drying she used his 50mtr extension reel plugged into another socket hidden inside a kitchen base cupboard because she doesnt want to reuse the burnout socket above the worktop in the kitchen.
Gets one load of washing done starts the dryer & second load of washing then all the sockets stopworking & she cant reset the rcd so rings hubby who calls me from Dubai to arrange an emergency call out ?:| .
Finally traced fault to the extension reel fully wound up with washer / dryer / portable aircon unit plugged into it.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j293/gazjothomas/fireinasocket005.jpg