Live Earth Reverse on just 1 socket of double socket

Joined
27 Sep 2012
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Location
Ayrshire
Country
United Kingdom
Many posts already on Live Earth Reverse but couldn't find one for my situation.

I have a double socket in our conservatory. One of the sockets works no problem but the other has been working intermittently .. maybe doesn't work one out every 20 switches on. Checked the wires all looks fine. Borrowed a LAP plugin tester and informs me of a Live Earth Reverse on the intermittent socket.

Could this just be a dodgy double socket? Thanks
 
Sponsored Links
It's unlikely anything in the socket could cause that.

How many wires are there in the socket - just three or six (three pairs)?


You need to be careful. If it is correct then any metal appliance plugged in would be live.
 
I vaguely recall mention that one socket tester could report "Live Earth reversal" when the actual fault was a missing Neutral
 
You should not interpret those testers too literally. It is saying “something is wrong”.

Do you have a multimeter?
Is anything plugged in to the other socket when you see that on the tester?
 
Sponsored Links
Thanks everyone for the quick response (you have caught me out as I am not at home at the moment). Just to answer some of your questions ...

1. There are 2 cable, 6 wires (3 pairs). Will one be a spur from the kitchen and the other feeding another socket in the Conservatory?
2. There is nothing else plugged in to the other socket when testing using the plugin tester
3. I can borrow a multimeter and will check tomorrow using the following guide

https://metertestlab.co.uk/how-to-test-a-plug-socket-with-a-multimeter/

If the wires have been crossed will I have to trace it back to the kitchen?

The thing that is throwing me is that it is only one socket of the double that is displaying the fault.
 
The thing that is throwing me is that it is only one socket of the double that is displaying the fault.
Possibly the switch on the socket is failing, as they are mostly Double pole the Neutral is possibly poor to the one outlet, my view is that a certain resistance on the Neutral may possibly fool them testers to display a different fault to the actual fault.
After you change it dismantle it and have a look inside.
 
Definitely change the socket, probably a bad, maybe not broken, contact/connection. The price of good quality sockets is low, not worth the risk.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top