Short in socket - why/how?
Hi. I'm in the process of getting my qualifications and am taking on some small jobs for family to try and get some experience in.
Today I was looking at a socket on a final ring circuit. The house was built in the 80s and the socket is almost certainly original to then.
There were 3 cables running through the wall connected to the socket - with all 3 conductors twisted together (ie all 3 lines twisted together and connected to the socket as one).
I presumed 2 would be part of the ring, and wanting to know where the other was spurring to I untwisted everything and with a bit of tugging worked out that one was connected to a socket in an adjacent room.
I then attempted to rewire the socket, but rather than retwisting everything I put the conductors back in individually (it was a bit of a faff as it was tight, and the old cables quite inflexible) but I got there in the end.
However when I re-energised the circuit and plugged the appliances back in there was a crack, a small bang, and a weird (perhaps acidy) smell, which I understand to be a short circuit.
Confusingly nothing tripped.
I'm baffled though as my understanding is that a short would be due to the live conductors touching, however I definitely did not incorrectly rewire it - ie lines and neutrals separate.
I'd be so grateful if someone could shed some light please?
Short in socket - why/how? for more information
You may reply to this message here.
Hi. I'm in the process of getting my qualifications and am taking on some small jobs for family to try and get some experience in.
Today I was looking at a socket on a final ring circuit. The house was built in the 80s and the socket is almost certainly original to then.
There were 3 cables running through the wall connected to the socket - with all 3 conductors twisted together (ie all 3 lines twisted together and connected to the socket as one).
I presumed 2 would be part of the ring, and wanting to know where the other was spurring to I untwisted everything and with a bit of tugging worked out that one was connected to a socket in an adjacent room.
I then attempted to rewire the socket, but rather than retwisting everything I put the conductors back in individually (it was a bit of a faff as it was tight, and the old cables quite inflexible) but I got there in the end.
However when I re-energised the circuit and plugged the appliances back in there was a crack, a small bang, and a weird (perhaps acidy) smell, which I understand to be a short circuit.
Confusingly nothing tripped.
I'm baffled though as my understanding is that a short would be due to the live conductors touching, however I definitely did not incorrectly rewire it - ie lines and neutrals separate.
I'd be so grateful if someone could shed some light please?
Short in socket - why/how? for more information
You may reply to this message here.
