ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Burnt Receptacle

I got a call from my brother in-law yesterday to see why his freezer stopped working.

So what was the problem?


Where you able to get some good conductor into the box?

Good morning Bob. Yes, they had a switch right above the receptacle, and thanks to poor workmanship, tghe failed cable wasn't stapled to the stud. I was able to hook on some new 12-2 and pull it through. All said I was done in about an hour.

It was sure spooky though, looking at how the wood paneling had already started to discolor and carbonize.

Good grief! That looks like it might've been a close one! I hate coming in on things & finding evidence that a burn was actually imminent under existing circumstances.....
Was the Slater push & pray connected or were the side terminals loose? This looks like copper, but I have to ask... Is it?

-Randy

See!! That's what happens when you install receptacles upside-down.

I hope you replace that cordcap
and did a breaker trip?

[This message has been edited by ComputerWizKid (edited 06-19-2004).]

The "neutral" is the burnt side here, correct?

Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy ..... Talk about lucky!

Yes I did replace the cord cap, and no, the breaker didn't trip...I would assume that is because, as TG pointed out, it was on the nuetral side. The conductors were actually copper. I think what was happening is that, if you notice, the receptacle is very close to the right side of the box. I think it had started arcing from teh nuetral to the box, and it just generated heat.

I'll tell you the scary part though...as I said, this was a relative of mine. There is no denying that this really could have started a fire. I mean, when I cut the paneling a little to install a new cut-in box, it just crumbled...it was that burnt. Anyway, the scary part is that we are all going on vacation next week. I really think that they could have came home from vacation and found that they had no home.

Ryan J wrote:


Ryan... Your ground & grounded phase are supposed to be at the same potential! If there was high resistance between the outlet terminal & the actual neutral wire, I can see were you're coming from.. but if you really think this was happening, I'd look a little closer at the service panel neutral/ground bonding & ohm out the neutral back to this point from there to make sure they are, in fact, at the same potential!

-Randy