A cracked plug socket which I use a lot for fan-heater.

[Jeff543]

Do you carefully insert and remove the plug? Could the plug have been yanked out in a slightly upward direction? Could the plug have been pushed in without much care?

I am careful with this plug socket because it is very slightly loose so no not in the past 20 years or so. The entire plug socket is not hanging out but I've never seen this crack i definitely think it's heat as the plugs of fan heaters get quite hot.

 

[Jackrae]

The old style (45 years type) uses only the earth pin to open the shutters and if the mechanism gets dirty or dry it may require undue effort to get the earth pin to operate the sliding shutter mechanism - resulting in the cracking pattern shown.

 

[Jeff543]

The old style (45 years type) uses only the earth pin to open the shutters and if the mechanism gets dirty or dry it may require undue effort to get the earth pin to operate the sliding shutter mechanism - resulting in the cracking pattern shown.

But what cracks it?

 

[Jackrae]

Newtons third law - Every force has an equal and opposite reaction.

The socket's old, it's cracked but not the result of an electrical fault and requires replacing.

 

[Jeff543]

Newtons third law - Every force has an equal and opposite reaction.

The socket's old, it's cracked but not the result of an electrical fault and requires replacing.

I had a similar cracked socket from last year in a bedroom. As below. I could smell that horrible fishy electrical burn out smell. I got an electrician out, he said it was overheating from the inside but the fuse-box should've picked it up and cut it out. After that i got a new fuse-box installation unit. My point is these cracked sockets are similar. I don't think physically plugging in and out cracks plugs unless you are the incredible Hulk.

 

[sparkwright]

I suppose a worn out socket could overheat inside, and cause cracking.

Your second picture, of your previous experience, clearly shows scorching from heat.

Anyhow, your socket which you create the thread about clearly does need replacing. It could well be heat damaged, who say for sure.

A well worn socket could cause heat damage, and I suppose it could cause cracking in in the most random of places on the socket.

Either way, it needs replacing. And the plug should be inspected inside and outside.

 

[JohnD]

I got an electrician out, he said it was overheating from the inside but the fuse-box should've picked it up and cut it out.

Excuse me for saying that is nonsense.

A loose connection will overheat.

It does not draw additional current.

A socket circuit will supply well over 32amp before tripping the MCB. A loose connection is unlikely to trip an RCD.

 

[Jeff543]

Excuse me for saying that is nonsense.

A loose connection will overheat.

It does not draw additional current.

A socket circuit will supply well over 32amp before tripping the MCB. A loose connection is unlikely to trip an RCD.

Haha well anyway he convinced me to get a total wiring check with a new fuse box installed so that good came out of it.

 

[sparkwright]

A modern fusebox or consumer unit does not detect an overheating plug and socket or loose connection.

 

[Jeff543]

A modern fusebox or consumer unit does not detect an overheating plug and socket or loose connection.

So what's the worse that an undetected an overheating plug and socket or loose connection could do?

 

[JohnD]

Most likely, the wire would gradually burn away and stop working.

If it was in a wooden box full of dry shavings, it could catch fire.

If it was in a steel backbox in a brick and plaster wall, probably not.

 

[big-all]

my suggestion
is the crack will line up fairly close to where the top off the internal socket parts line up
[because its a line] so below that point a plug inserted would spread the load via backing plastic parts meaning below that point no stress point but above over many many years the load has gradually caused a fracture in the same way as bending any material to and fro causing eventual weakness that can no longer take the load

 

[Jeff543]

Most likely, the wire would gradually burn away and stop working.

If it was in a wooden box full of dry shavings, it could catch fire.

If it was in a steel backbox in a brick and plaster wall, probably not.

Is it ok for these fan-heater's flexes to get hot and also and make the plug - sockets hot? That couldn't do some sort of damage?

 

[JohnD]

the flex is not likely to get hot, unless it has been bent excessively and repeatedly, breaking the metal fibres inside. I have only seen that in electric irons which are constantly moving in use. The plug has connections, which can be loose or badly made, and they are a more likely point of failure.

there are also connections in the socket, which you will see when you fit a new one tomorrow (get on with it!)

 

[Jeff543]

the flex is not likely to get hot, unless it has been bent excessively and repeatedly, breaking the metal fibres inside. I have only seen that in electric irons which are constantly moving in use. The plug has connections, which can be loose or badly made, and they are a more likely point of failure.

there are also connections in the socket, which you will see when you fit a new one tomorrow (get on with it!)

I mean any socket can get hot with these fan-heaters. I'm presently using a different socket for a fan-heater and the plug is getting very warm as is that socket..or part of it anyway.

Thanks.