Burning smell from our tumble dryer

[Petenshell]

My partner and I noticed a burning smell coming from our tumble dryer earlier, we turned it off and pulled it out to find the plug was melted to the wall socket!!
It's a fairly old tumble dryer which gets a lot of use I'm just wondering if anyone knows whether it could be the tumble dryer or the socket itself that caused the issue?

 

[woodbine]

Resistance has caused heat, which caused things to melt. The resistance may be caused by a bad connection - in your case most likely either in the appliance's plug or poss the wall socket.

As it looks like the plug and socket need replacing, I would re-new these and check the cable on the appliance, as well as the wiring behind the socket. If you have no DIY skills to be able to do this safely yourself, best to get a spark in.

 

[Petenshell]

Image

• Petenshell
• 22 Aug 2016
• 1

Image

• Petenshell
• 22 Aug 2016

 

[Petenshell]

As you can see from the pic the plug socket is not even attached to the wall properly do you think this could have contributed to the problem?

 

[Burnerman]

Replace the plug, and socket, with quality items such as MK and it's likely that all will be well. It's best that the socket is secure, but that hasn't been the issue here.....I'd guess the contacts inside the socket weren't connecting perfectly as woodbine indicates.
John

 

[woodbine]

Yes, as above. Replace both socket and plug. Looks like there has been poor contact between the live pin of plug and the contacts that it connects to inside socket. I'm hazarding a guess on the evidence that the appliance isn't the problem and hopefully should work when the plug and socket are re-newed.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I had this once on an old tumble drier in a relatively new extension (as in house)

I replaced the socket and all was fine

Just keep an eye on it.

Recon the sparky that did the LX in the extension was a it of a cowboy as when I changed the batten fixing to a fluorescent, the wires in the ceiling were just twisted together and taped with no proper mechanical connection

 

[EFLImpudence]

Recon the sparky that did the LX in the extension

Que?

 

[handyjack]

You will have to cut back (to clean copper) any damaged cable behind the socket if there is any which might make reconnecting a bit of a problem.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Recon the sparky that did the LX in the extension

Que?

Sorry was in a rush

I reckon that the electrician who wired my extension where I had a similar fault was incompetent

 

[EFLImpudence]

 

[gasbanni]

You must have read all the news articles about tumble dryer catching fire ? Not from your particular problem, but Google it and get yours checked .......there's been fatalities over dryers catching fire !!!!!!!!