Socket suddenly stopped working - any ideas

[Golfer1]

Hi there

I'm no electrician but would appreciate your help.

Firstly - my house is up for sale so I don't want to have to spend anything on it if possible....

I noticed today that one of the power points in the bedroom was flickering on and off (lamps were flickering etc). On the opposite side of the wall is another power point which I presume feeds from the same source. I plugged the hoover in tonight and it ran for two minutes before stopping. Now both that socket and the one behind it do not work at all. Nothing. All other sockets in the house work fine. As do the lights.

Any ideas what might have happened. It seems like the cable that supplies those two sockets must be to blame as everything else is OK. Am I right in thinking they are on a ring so it must be the 'last' bit of cabling that runs from the ring to the sockets? Otherwise I would have thought that the entire ring would be dead.

Sorry if this sounds basic, but I haven't a clue and as I said, the place is for sale and I don't want to have to call an electrician out if it's a simple job.

Cheers!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you think about it, a ring doesn't have a "last bit", and if one of the cables came out at the CU, or if there was a break in it somewhere, all of the sockets would still work.

You need to turn off the power to the socket circuits and remove those two from the wall and see if you can see anything wrong.

And you should do it asap - loose/dodgy connections can start fires...

 

[Maboza-Ritchy]

Golfer1
Firstly, plug in a device you know works (eg table lamp) into both sockets.
If sockets still dead - check for tripped MCB at CU and reset if necessary. It might be worth checking if these sockets were originally spur units fed from an Off Peak CU and the time switch has turned them off.
If none of the above - unscrew the sockets and test the socket conections (where the cables terminate into) with a test meter for 230 volts. I you have voltage then check (with power off ) then cable connection is OK - otherwise replace the socket. No voltage on test meter - then you'll need to start tracing the cables to locate fault.
When you say the lights work - I take it you mean the LED indicator on the socket? If this flickers it may just be a loose connection for the LED.

Hope this is of some use.

Maboza

 

[Spark123]

Could it possibly be wired as a two socket radial from the ring through a fused spur unit? FSU could have a blown fuse.
Failing that, as ban says it sounds like there could be a dodgy connection which requires prompt attention.
If there is no FSU and the two sockets are spurred one from the other (i.e. 1st socket spurred from the ring and 2nd spurred from the 1st) from the ring main this is incorrect and requires remedial action.

 

[Golfer1]

Thanks for the replies...if I do call out an electrician, what should I expect to pay to have him look at it?

I know it depends what needs doing, but an idea of the call out charge etc would be useful. Don't want to get ripped off!

Thanks (I live in Surrey if that makes a difference).

 

[Nijinski001]

Golfer1

It depends on whether you know an electrician that won't rip you off.
Personally if it were local I wouldn't charge a call out for 'looking at' the sockets. If it was a loose wire a tenner in my sky rocket would do for re-attaching it. (But don't tell the tax man)
If however it isn't a loose connection in the socket and the wires have to be traced back you are looking at a minimum £15/hr upwards depending on the electrician. Expect £20-£25 an hour in most cases.

I would advise you to have a look at the sockets yourself first. Make sure you turn off the right circuit at the consumer unit first. If it is a loose wire then hey presto. Note though that as Ban says, a loose wire wouldn't stop a ring circuit working and a radial circuit with more than one socket on isn't good. Although it is doubtful anything in a bedroom would overload a spur with two sockets on.

If you don't know what you are doing don't try it. Somebody told me electricity kills you!! Trial and error doesn't work in this trade.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Note though that as Ban says, a loose wire wouldn't stop a ring circuit working

No, but if the cables came loose from a socket on the ring with a spur coming from it, you'd get exactly the symptoms described - dodgy connections at first, then nothing from either socket, but the rest of the sockets still working.

Another reason to investigate ASAP - if this is what's happened, then there is no longer a ring but two radials on an oversized fuse/MCB...

 

[TexMex]

could be mice

 

[Qedelec]

It would have to be pretty hefty mouse with rubber wellies to undo a connection!!!

 

[Nijinski001]

Has the mouse qualified for part P?

 

[Qedelec]

All mice are, by tradition 'Domestic Installers'

 

[Golfer1]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

It sounds to me like one or other of these sockets is on the main upstairs ring (the double, I guess). From that socket I have a spur with a further single socket. It sounds like there may be a loose connection on the feed to the double socket on the upstairs ring. Now that it's finally come loose altogether I have no power to either the socket on the ring or the single socket attached to the spur. Sound about right?

I will turn the power off and take a look at the connections to both - it might be a really simple loose connection. Failing that I have booked an electrician to come round at 8am on Monday to take a look.

In the meantime I guess I should switch the upstairs ring off by removing the fuse on the CU. At least that way I'll be safe.

Thanks for all your replies - this is a great forum

Golfer