socket is live but wont work

[anthonylorenz]

Hi i hope you can help

the power cut out in an out building , i tested the socket and the live is live but no appliance will work.I have traced the spur back to the main building and this socket is also live but no appliance will work in it,
no circuits have tripped at the consumer box, so frustracted any help will be appreciated

I have been testing with a digital multi meter will this enable me to trace the fault type, if so how do i do it

many thanks
anthony

Thanks johnd
i have checked connections and all are sound ,the wiring then continues through the LOFT space and to the consumer box,can you suggest a way of tracing the fault

thanks again

anthony

 

[JohnD]

quite likely there is a poor, high-resistance connection, which enables a tiny current to flow that shows on your meter, but will make the voltage drop away when under load.

Or it might be that the wiriring of L/N/E is mixed up.

 

[SaladFingers]

Are you testing the socket by plugging in a tester, or from the terminals at the back?

If the latter, the switch may be the problem if it's not the problem that JohnD has suggested.

 

[anthonylorenz]

Are you testing the socket by plugging in a tester, or from the terminals at the back?

If the latter, the switch may be the problem if it's not the problem that JohnD has suggested.

tried a new socket and checked connections at source socket and spur all are sound. any ideas how to finf where the fault lies
thanks

anthony

 

[anthonylorenz]

quite likely there is a poor, high-resistance connection, which enables a tiny current to flow that shows on your meter, but will make the voltage drop away when under load.

Or it might be that the wiriring of L/N/E is mixed up.

have checked connections and all seem sound the wirring continues from the socket through a restricted loft space to a consumer box. and ideas as to how to trace where the fault lies
many thanks
anthony

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What test are you doing to confirm continuity of conductors?
As it sounds to me that you have a radial circuit and the neutral has become disconnected at some point either at or before the first socket with no power, it could be a loose connection or damage.
It is a case of taking the socket plates/junction boxes covers off and investigating for loose connection (this could be two pairs that are twisted together at the socket plate, therefore still offering continuity and power to the rest of the circuit, but not power at that socket) if non found and if you have continuity of live and earth but not neutral then you have a broken neutral along the route.
Do all the other sockets work, other than those two mentioned?
Is the appliance you are plugging working?
Are these sockets part of a spur that may have become disconnected?
Is this an historical fault or recent, did these sockets to your knowledge ever work?
Any recent work in house undertook?
Do you have rodents?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i tested the socket and the live is live
.
.
.
I have been testing with a digital multi meter

What did you measure, and where, which led you to say that the live is live?

 

[Iggifer]

i tested the socket and the live is live
.
.
.
I have been testing with a digital multi meter

What did you measure, and where, which led you to say that the live is live?

I'm guessing Live-Earth through the front of the outlet

 

[securespark]

Could well be a neutral fault.