Double socket stopped working

[trevorbayliss]

I fitted my kitchen in 2008 with a full rewire in there.

I did the kitchen and i used a sparky to do the wiring.

I remember we fitted a socket on the opposite side to all the other sockets and this had to run in conduit under a new concrete floor.

Anyway we have run our kettle from this socket in all this time. Recently the rubbish morrisons kettle has not been clicking off at boil point so it has been running a little over if we our out of the kitchen. Prob runs over for 10 seconds.

Anyway the socket no longer works and i have changed it with a new one and still nothing.

This plug is a spur off the main ring on the opposite wall. So runs from our socket with a radio on it and a small table top mixer.

Any ideas if this could work again because there is little chance of rewiring it?

Thinking of buying a socket test plug tomorrow.

 

[JohnD]

It is very rare for cable to go wrong unless it has been drilled or nailed, it's more likely a connection.

If you know where it is spurred from, examine that point. It's possible there was a loose connection that has burned away. If so, as well as replacing the socket, you have to cut away the overheated bit of copper wire, because it will have softened and will not make a good connection in future. If there is no slack you may need an experienced electrician to extend it.

 

[trevorbayliss]

Ok, thanks.

Not checked that socket yet.

 

[terryplumb]

Re check the connections on your new socket as well ,is terminal screw clamping down onto copper conductor ,not the insulation . could a conductor have come loose or snapped whilst pushing socket back ?

 

[trevorbayliss]

Checked both plugs today. All terminals good, no blackening either, so no sign of a burn.

The ring plug works fully and tested fine (got new test plug today).

The spur plug is dead. No lights lit up on the tester.

Has this cable just burnt out somewhere along its run ?

I can fix this at some point. Instead of routing the cable under the concrete floor i can reroute a new cable in the ceiling void (office is above and i don't have carpet down). It just means i will need to take down a kitchen cabinet each side and remove a few tiles and make 2 new channels.

 

[terryplumb]

Odd .what is your " tester " indicating ? Line fault ,neutral ,other? Is it possible that there is a fused connection unit between the ring socket and the one you have a problem with. Any other electrics on this wall ,fan ovens ,gas hobs ,extractors , etc. Its very unusual for a cable within conduit ,ten year old, to just fail. Any problems with rodents ?

 

[trevorbayliss]

No rodents in the concrete

This happened when the kettle stayed on boil and would not click off. I think it was happening for a while before we realised the issue and one day the kettle just clicked off and the socket died.

This is my tester:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms6860d-socket-tester/91596

All sockets have 2 green lights except this spur and it doesn't light up and make any noise. It is dead it seems. I have also changed the socket.

There is a fuse spur on the ring in the kitchen and it is for the outside light. This is working fine. There is no link from there to the spurred socket.

This dead socket is away from the L shaped kitchen area which has all the fridges, oven, microwave etc on it.

The socket feeding the spur has the radio plugged in. The broken socket is where the fly spray can is sitting, but you can't see it.

 

[terryplumb]

Trevor ,there is something not quite right here . I know this was installed ,10 years ago ,could it be that some of the Info you are recalling from memory isn't totally accurate ? If the cable is totally in conduit ,why can't you pull thru a new cable ? Is any of it not in conduit ,for instance where it exits the floor and travels vertically ? Could there be a junction box ,floor level ,below socket with radio. The socket tester is very basic. You don't know if all three conductors are a problem or just line.

 

[trevorbayliss]

Well it is in conduit in the concrete and then it comes up the wall doesn't it. So getting this cable out is a big job.

No junction boxes used as new install.

No worries, but i think it has burnt out in the spur cable somewhere.

 

[terryplumb]

No worries, but i think it has burnt out in the spur cable somewhere.
************
I very much doubt it. No MCB / RCD / RCBO tripping , just suddenly stopped working. Spur cable protected in conduit and buried in concrete or wall ,no loose connections or signs of degredation in insulation at either end.

 

[JohnD]

more likely a forgotten joint or junction box somewhere.

Or a nail in the wall.

It's quite difficult to make cable go wrong.

Quite easy with connections.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You need to next test the connections on the back of the socket. To do this, you will need a two-probe voltage tester. A cheap multimeter will do.
Your socket tester doesn't help for this sort of thing.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

FYI - I know you've mentioned the kettle twice, but it is pure coincidence.

Whatever the problem is, it has nothing to do with the sluggish kettle, and vice-versa.

 

[trevorbayliss]

The kettle has gone now.

I will be getting the sparky over in the summer when my extension rewire starts, so he can check it out then.

A mystery then.

 

[securespark]

What is screwed into the wall under the cabinet where the "host" socket is?