Sockets tripping

[crystal ball]

Got called to a rental , ground floor ring tripping, probably a dodgy kettle, nice easy fix...... No RCD just plug in MCBs, looked like dead short, L-N reading almost zero, started disconnecting sockets, - why is it always the last one? Found short between sockets either side of chimney breast, wired in underfloor void, laminate floor of course.

Tenant took the floor up that night, I crawled under the floor and spotted a TV amp wired direct off the ring, on closer inspection I spied a slug hanging out of the cable entry, disconnected it and the fault cleared

 

[securespark]

I had a slug in a junction box once and that was causing a dead short.

 

[crystal ball]

Me too but it vaporised on power up, this was made of tougher stuff

 

[securespark]

Found it:

Called to the above yesterday. Finally traced it to a JB behind a fridge:

That lump sticking out of the top cable entry hole is a slug...

There were actually two other cables attached to this JB that were completely severed by repeated S/C's.

 

[crystal ball]

Took five hours in total over two visits

 

[Swwils]

Slugs are in on it.