Plug socket in garage not working

[OM2]

I have a plug socket in my garage - it stopped working about 5 weeks ago
I bought a replacement. No change - still doesnt work (existing one was an MK - looks fine, no signs of a fuse burning or anything)

I've checked the wiring and all seems to be OK

How do I test? I've seen other people use an 'electric screw drive' where they test to check for a current
How do I use one of these? Never used one before

Below is a pic of the bit where the wire starts off being extended from:

This is where it ends up and shows the new socket:

Thanks


OM

 

[TonyW2]

Stand back and duck!
In the meantime why not purchase a cheap multimeter and see if you can work out/research how to use it.
You are playing with mains electrics so learning on the job is not the best of ideas.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have a plug socket in my garage - it stopped working about 5 weeks ago
I bought a replacement. No change - still doesnt work (existing one was an MK - looks fine, no signs of a fuse burning or anything)

They don't have fuses.

And remember this?

It maybe that you simply have a loose connection, rather than a faulty socket outlet. More investigation is required, isolate circuit and inspect!

Hope you kept the old one- you can put it back and keep the new one to be used somewhere else.

I've checked the wiring and all seems to be OK

How did you check it?

How do I test?

With a multimeter - carefully check for voltage, and with the power off test the continuity of the cables.

I've seen other people use an 'electric screw drive' where they test to check for a current
How do I use one of these? Never used one before

Don't start - terrible things.

 

[OM2]

Stand back and duck!
In the meantime why not purchase a cheap multimeter and see if you can work out/research how to use it.
You are playing with mains electrics so learning on the job is not the best of ideas.

yes, u probably are right
i turned off the mains and checked connections
some seemed loose - but they were all ok. i pushed a few wires in a little more and screwed everything back

unless a mouse has eat the wire in the middle, it doesn't make sense why the damn plug should work!

do u think i need to call an electrician?
it's winding me up! grrr!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

How do I test?

by the use of an approved two probe voltage indicator, testing between Line-Neutral, Line-Earth, Neutral-Earth.
If you cannot confirm voltage, you should isolate circuit and do some continuity tests.
If you get a reading of around 240V, when testing between, line and earth but none when testing between, line and neutral. You have a neutral out.
If you have no readings at all, then you could live, neutral or both out.

I've seen other people use an 'electric screw drive' where they test to check for a current

Electric screwdriver
What by plugging the charger in to to see if its works?

How do I use one of these? Never used one before

You charge the battery, slide battery on to driver and get some screws, screwed.

 

[OM2]

And remember this?

It maybe that you simply have a loose connection, rather than a faulty socket outlet. More investigation is required, isolate circuit and inspect!

ok... u've shown me up - i admit it, i'm lazy and never got round to it until now

how did i check? i opened up both ends and looked for loose wires - wires not screwed in properly

i've still got the old plug - so will use that again

how do i isolate the circuit?
more investigation...? what should i be doing?

I've seen other people use an 'electric screw drive' where they test to check for a current
How do I use one of these? Never used one before

Don't start - terrible things.

thanks
i won't say or do silly things - i honestly thought all u needed was one of those screw drivers

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

ok... u've shown me up - i admit it, i'm lazy and never got round to it until now

your naughty boy then!

how do i isolate the circuit?
more investigation...? what should i be doing?

You need to identify the device that is protecting the circuit, MCB, Fuse, RCBO.
Then isolate/remove. As it seems you have no voltage at the accessory, it will be difficult for you to confirm the circuit has been isolated, so could be wise to power the whole installation down and do continuity tests.

i won't say or do silly things - i honestly thought all u needed was one of those screw drivers

No they are dangerous, unless you are stirring the tea with it!

 

[OM2]

You need to identify the device that is protecting the circuit, MCB, Fuse, RCBO.
Then isolate/remove. As it seems you have no voltage at the accessory, it will be difficult for you to confirm the circuit has been isolated, so could be wise to power the whole installation down and do continuity tests.

i'm now officially lost!

it's just a wire extension leading to a socket - so i thought it can't be that complicated surely?
i had this put in by someone who was qualified about 6 months ago
the wires are leading to 2 extension sockets
the first extension socket is working

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

it's just a wire extension leading to a socket - so i thought it can't be that complicated surely?
i had this put in by someone who was qualified about 6 months ago
the wires are leading to 2 extension sockets
the first extension socket is working

Okay then, do you know where the circuit is powered from?
As you will need to isolate the power, it could be a fuse at the board or a circuit breaker, it maybe a fused connection unit, if the circuit is extend that way.
You must know as you have replaced the socket.
But you cannot do any remedial work to the socket, until you have isolated and proved it is safe to work on (ie circuit is dead!)
Once you have done that, go to the working socket on this circuit, as it could be a loose or broken conductor there. But if that fails to resolve your problem, then you require proper test equipment or an electrician

 

[RF Lighting]

i had this put in by someone who was qualified about 6 months ago

Get them back to rectifty the fault then. Properly installed wiring doesn't go faulty after 6 months.

 

[sparkwright]

Make sure the power is definitely off before doing any electrical work.

Is it me, or does the terminal screw for the browns in the round junction box look like it's not in so far as the others?

 

[flameport]

Unless that junction box is an unusual design, that screw for the line conductors is virtually falling out.
The other two are not much better either.

Not clear why a junction box should be used there anyway, as the socket box next to it would surely be big enough to make the connections inside.

 

[ricicle]

It all looks a bit 'DIY' with all that flex ?

 

[JohnW2]

It all looks a bit 'DIY' with all that flex ?

I don't know about 'all that flex'! I think only one is flexible cable; the other two cables have sleeved CPCs, so probably T&E. "DIY" obviously doesn't not necessarily mean bad/wrong, and there's nothing electrically wrong (or non-compliant) with the use of flex (particularly when in trunking). We don't know where it goes, so maybe there's a reason for it being flex.

Having said that, having multi-stranded flex and solid cores in the same terminal (even if the screw was tightened properly!) is potentially rather more of a (maybe 'DIY'!) issue!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ricicle]

At first glance I thought that there was flex going along the trunking to the socket. But the flex neutral doesn't look in the terminal properly (or there is a lot of copper out of the terminal) That suggests to me that the 'electrician' possibly wasn't competent, especially with the line screw apparently loose. (Unless someone has been fiddling afterwards !)