Double socket outlets

nick burley · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:07 am Post Subject: Double socket outlets

There seems to be several faulty double socket outlets throughout my friends house. Only one of the two sockets in each instance seems to work. Is this faulty wiring at the socket outlet or poor wiring practise i.e. too many sockets on a radial circuit? Could it be simply that the neutral and live wires have been put into the wrong terminals at some of the outlets?

Qedelec · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:18 am Post Subject:

Sounds to me like you have several faulty outlets.
This should be addressed urgently as if a socket is making poor contact with the plug, you might find that when a large load is applied it will work, but the high resistance union between plug and socket will cause it to overheat and damage your wiring.

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nick burley · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:36 am Post Subject: Double Socket Outlets

Thanks for the reply but, I'm not sure that this explains why only one of the two sockets on each of the socket outlets would work... If one works then why shouldn't the other?

Big_Spark · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:48 am Post Subject:

Nick, if the wiring was at fault, then the sockets would either work or they would not, that simple.

Inside the sockets have common parts except for the phase links which go through individual switches for each outlet. More likely than not, if these are very old or even cheap sockets, the rocker in the switch has broken down or the contacts do not meet when the switch is thrown.

I would suggest you do as QD suggests, this type of problem can lead to excessive heat build up and could in extreme cases lead to fire.

JohnD · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:34 pm Post Subject:

I had a few cases where one of the sockets (both were switched) would not switch on. After fitting a new d/socket I took one of the faulty ones apart, and found the trouble was in the switch. They were MK, the white plastic tumbler for the switch has two tiny springs to locate a little grey lever, one of the springs had come off its plastic pimple so was not letting the tumbler move correctly. in this case there had been a wall lamp plugged in, so I would guess the owner had switched it on and off very day until the switch eventually failed due to wear.

It seems to me that a moving part in a switch is more likely to go wrong than anything else in a double socket (provided the connections are firm).