Yikes!!!!!!!!

[Koolpc]

Friend heard a bang, electrics went off and discovered these from tumble dryer. They said they not used tumble dryer for over a year! Yet, this happened? Surely thats not right::

 

[EFLImpudence]

Something not right.

Need to get the socket replaced and wiring checked.

 

[Koolpc]

Looks scary!

 

[EFLImpudence]

Normally such things happen because of a loose connection - but only when being used and current flowing.

Could your friend be mistaken and the plug on the left is the unused TD and the burnt plug/socket was being used by something else?

 

[Koolpc]

No, the one on the left is for washing machine.

They said they only flicked the tumble dryer on, on the socket, by mistake and boom!

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't think that damage could have been caused in an instant.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Given the age of the plug and the tarnish, I guess it hasn't been checked in a while!
I wouldn't pass a plug with unsheathed L&N pins, if PATted.

It would be interesting to see the plug internals.

I may be completely wrong, but given the damage to the socket, it looks to me as if there was a high resistance contact between the neutral pin and the socket. As @EFLImpudence says above, the heat damage could have been building for a while, until it finally failed with a bang!

...and looking at the picture again, any heat damage wouldn't be noticed, if the plug has been permanently plugged in - the plug covers the damage pattern completely.

 

[Koolpc]

Given the age of the plug and the tarnish, I guess it hasn't been checked in a while!
I wouldn't pass a plug with unsheathed L&N pins, if PATted.

It would be interesting to see the plug internals.

I may be completely wrong, but given the damage to the socket, it looks to me as if there was a high resistance contact between the neutral pin and the socket. As @EFLImpudence says above, the heat damage could have been building for a while, until it finally failed with a bang!

...and looking at the picture again, any heat damage wouldn't be noticed, if the plug has been permanently plugged in - the plug covers the damage pattern completely.

Thats seems logical...

I know my friend flicked the switch by accident and it went boom.

She did say the plug used to get hot when they used to use the dryer quite some time ago...

 

[ericmark]

If not been used in ages and instant bang, then it rings alarm bells, neutral - line swaped, etc.

There is likely more than one fault, and careful testing required, but looks more like been faulty for ages, loose neutral cable.

 

[Koolpc]

If not been used in ages and instant bang, then it rings alarm bells, neutral - line swaped, etc.

There is likely more than one fault, and careful testing required, but looks more like been faulty for ages, loose neutral cable.

Its all.pointing to that.

Change socket and plug them...

 

[flameport]

That damage took days or weeks to occur.
The plug is 40+ years old.
Whole lot requires replacement.

 

[Koolpc]

That damage took days or weeks to occur.
The plug is 40+ years old.
Whole lot requires replacement.

Yep..

 

[wundaboy]

That damage took days or weeks to occur.
The plug is 40+ years old.
Whole lot requires replacement.

More like 60+ years old - that's the original design MK BS1363 plug from the late 1940s that was superseded in the early 60s! Amazing it was still in use on a high current appliance.

 

[SUNRAY]

More like 60+ years old - that's the original design MK BS1363 plug from the late 1940s that was superseded in the early 60s! Amazing it was still in use on a high current appliance.

I kinda sympathise with the longevity thought, however I think I was fitting that design of plug well into the 70's.

In my view they were probably the better design and I really believe the older sockets were much better built.

 

[wundaboy]

I kinda sympathise with the longevity thought, however I think I was fitting that design of plug well into the 70's.

In my view they were probably the better design and I really believe the older sockets were much better built.

There was a development of the design in the early 60s that had wider finger shields - that's what you'd remember fitting I'd imagine. That in turn was replaced by the Safetyplug in 1972. The one in the image is the original design.