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appliances burning up (the plugs) Mike_in_SD 11-10-2006
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Posted by Mike_in_SD on November 11, 2006, 2:32 am


hallerb@aol.com (hallerb@aol.com) wrote in <1163209178.875262.197300
@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>:

>Replce all receptables and plugs with high quality new ones/
>
>poor connection of worn c0ntacts causes heating of plugs/
>
>use circuit tester 6 bucks to confirm receptables are wired right both
>before you begin and after your finished.
>
>are your receptables 3 prong?
>
>

wow .. lot of help .. thanks.

yea .. they are three prong, dont know if the sockets are grounded
but .. the plug I saw was a crispy critter. then the renters called
and said that their rice cooker burnt up on a different socket.

the wiring is pretty old. the mains box uses these old breakers that
cost me 30 bucks a piece at hd.

mike

PexSupply Full Banner
Posted by Jeff Wisnia on November 11, 2006, 12:17 pm


Mike_in_SD wrote:

> hallerb@aol.com (hallerb@aol.com) wrote in <1163209178.875262.197300
> @e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>:
>
>
>>Replce all receptables and plugs with high quality new ones/
>>
>>poor connection of worn c0ntacts causes heating of plugs/
>>
>>use circuit tester 6 bucks to confirm receptables are wired right both
>>before you begin and after your finished.
>>
>>are your receptables 3 prong?
>>
>>
>
>
> wow .. lot of help .. thanks.
>
> yea .. they are three prong, dont know if the sockets are grounded
> but .. the plug I saw was a crispy critter. then the renters called
> and said that their rice cooker burnt up on a different socket.
>
> the wiring is pretty old. the mains box uses these old breakers that
> cost me 30 bucks a piece at hd.
>
> mike

You told us it was the PLUGS that fried. Was it the plug on the rice
cooker that burnt up or the cooker itself?

If it was the cooker, you may have more than one electrical problem in
that house.

A poor (loose) neutral connection from the incoming line at the breaker
panel panel can increase the voltage on one side of neutral when it's
decreased on the other by loads being connected. That's often indicated
by some lights dimming noticably when other electrical loads elsewhere
in the house are switched on.

You may need professional help to locate that kind of problem.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*10^14 fathoms per fortnight.

Posted by Mark Lloyd on November 11, 2006, 1:21 pm



>Be SURE to turn power off before replacing receptacles.
>Mike_in_SD wrote:
>
>> Hi guys .. the plugs on my appliances keep burning up.
>>
>> A friend said something about something possibly being crossed at the
>> mains box (fuse box)
>>
>> just bought this house, its a rental
>>
>> any ideas
>>
>>
>> thanks
>> mike
>
>
>I'd guess your wall recepticals are old and far from virginal. the
>female contacts are probably loose

It actually seemed funny to see that word used appropriately. TOO MANY
usenet posters write "loose" when they mean "lose".

> and aren't making good tight low
>resistance electrical connections with the male plug blades on your
>appliance cords, causing heating when current passes through that
>resistance.
>

Yes, I have had problems with loose contacts in outlets. I even used
one where you couldn't get a plug to fit unless you squeeze the
prongs together while inserting it.

>Replacing the recepticals with GOOD quality ones using screwed
>connection to the house wiring should make the problem go away.
>

There should be some where you can insert the wires in holes in the
back, and tighten screws around them. I have used switches and GFCIs
with those. You get the ease of the holes combined with the security
of screws.

BTW, I just watched a neighbor wiring a wall (to put a closet in a
big room). He used 14/2 Romex instead of 12/2 because the 12/2 was too
big for the backstab holes. When I installed receptacles, I used the
screws.

>HTH,
>
>Jeff
--
44 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"God was invented by man for a reason, that
reason is no longer applicable."

Posted by hallerb@aol.com on November 11, 2006, 2:08 pm


BTW, I just watched a neighbor wiring a wall (to put a closet in a
> big room). He used 14/2 Romex instead of 12/2 because the 12/2 was too
> big for the backstab holes. When I installed receptacles, I used the
> screws.
>
> >HTH,
> >
> >Jeffapplicable."

I dont believe any 15 amp receptables accept more than 14 gauge wires
unless you wrap them around screws.... ran into that when upgrading my
batrhroom the GFCIs made for a tight fit i ended up going with 20 amp
receptables, the only 20 amp ones in the house.

my memorey of that some 10 years ago was a big hassle


Posted by Mark Lloyd on November 11, 2006, 6:45 pm


wrote:

>BTW, I just watched a neighbor wiring a wall (to put a closet in a
>> big room). He used 14/2 Romex instead of 12/2 because the 12/2 was too
>> big for the backstab holes. When I installed receptacles, I used the
>> screws.
>>
>> >HTH,
>> >
>> >Jeffapplicable."
>
>I dont believe any 15 amp receptables accept more than 14 gauge wires
>unless you wrap them around screws....

The older ones would.

> ran into that when upgrading my
>batrhroom the GFCIs made for a tight fit i ended up going with 20 amp
>receptables, the only 20 amp ones in the house.
>
>my memorey of that some 10 years ago was a big hassle

I stopped using the backstab connections, after reading this group.

That neighbor I mentioned before has 4 Romex cables to connect to a
receptacle. He connected 2 to the backstab holes and the other 2 to
the screws. I suppose I would have used pigtails.
--
44 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"God was invented by man for a reason, that
reason is no longer applicable."

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