Fishy smell coming from socket

[OasisFan79]

I had our convector heater on in the conservatory earlier and after about 20 minutes of it being switched on we noticed a fishy smell coming from the switch socket just inside the house.

The electric setup in the conservatory is basically a double plug socket in the conservatory wired to a switch with a fuse just inside the house which in turn is wired to a double wall socket on the wall just above it. All fitted by a sparky when the conservatory was built 3 years ago.

It's only the convector heater (2000w) that causes the smell - we use our laptop in the conservatory connected to power all the time and it has never caused the smell.

We have a stereo plugged into the double socket just inside the house and this never causes any smells.

I'm assuming the smell is going to be caused by something burning in the wall switch/fuse box.

Is this likely to be something I can fix myself or is it an electrician only job?

I'm presuming that as its the switch/fuse box that smells - not the double wall socket that it's wired to - that there problem must be within the switch/fuse box?

 

[big-all]

thats a typical overheating smell
check the terminals are tight in switched box plus plug and socket with power isolated first
look for signs off discolouration and melting if either replace the socket and or plug

if the wire is discoloured or damaged post a picture

a laptop will use around 40w so no comparison really

 

[OwainDIYer]

poor connection is overheating.

Remake connections or replace fused connection unit as necessary.

 

[OasisFan79]

Cheers.

I'll isolate the power and check the terminals and connections in the fuse/switch box on the wall.

When you say also check the plug/socket do presumably you mean the wall socket that the fuse/switch box is wired to and not the plug/socket that the heater plugs into in the conservatory?

In terms of checking the terminals, if they just need tightening up, is it a case of just tightening them up and then retesting with the fire on?

 

[JohnW2]

Cheers. I'll isolate the power and check the terminals and connections in the fuse/switch box on the wall.
When you say also check the plug/socket do presumably you mean the wall socket that the fuse/switch box is wired to and not the plug/socket that the heater plugs into in the conservatory?

The main thing you need to check is whatever the smell is coming from - which, from what you've said, I think is the switch/fuse (a 'fused connection unit') just inside the house.

If it is already creating a smell, I think it's likely that enough heat damage will already have been done to warrant replacement of the unit. As others have implied, an important question is whether the cable has also been damaged by the overheating - and, as also has been said, a picture of what you see at the back of that unit might help people to advise you.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[OasisFan79]

I checked all of the wiring in the sockets. Everything looked fine - no loose screws or damaged looking wiring/insulation.

I then took the fuse cover off and upon inspection noticed that the bottom part was burnt (see the photo below).

The under side of the unit - at the bottom of the fuse container within the unit - had come up in a bubble (see the other photo below).

I will replace the socket later on in the week.

Cheers for your comments and assistance. Much appreciated.

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