[Danjo]

hi there, i have a double socket (2 plug outlets) in my kitchen that's not working. all the other ones in the kitchen (one double and one single) and elsewhere in the flat work fine. i've checked the fuse box unit and all the mcb's are up (on). there are 2 red ones which are 32 amps so i think these are the ones controlling the socket outlet circuits. anyway, like i say they're all up so i presume none have tripped. as far as i can remember this socket has never worked but it would be really useful because at the moment we are having to run an extension cable from the nearby single socket to plug in the cooker (which is gas but also has a plug for its electric functions - lights, timer, clock, fan), and then another extention cable plugged into the first one to reach the fridge/freezer and washing machine. the kettle, microwave and toaster are all plugged into an exact same double socket on the other side of the kitchen. i've opened both double sockets and they both look like they're wired exactly the same and none of the connections are loose. do you think maybe the cable to this duff socket is damaged somewhere? there's no sign of it having been overloaded or anything as the white faceplate has no brown burn marks anywhere. i'm no electrician and don't wanna spend tons calling one over unless i have to so would appreciate any advice.

thanks in advance for any help

Danjo

[JohnWill]

Well, the fact that you don't know if it's ever worked indicates it may indeed never have worked.

I think the first thing I'd do is make SURE the power is off in the kitchen and pull the outlet out and see what's wired to it. It could be as simple as a loose wire or a defective outlet, no way of knowing without looking at it.

The next step will logically be to find out where the outlet is connected. You may have to remove adjacent outlets to see if the wire leaving those and feeding this outlet is disconnected.

If it has wires coming to it, they have to be coming from somewhere.

[Danjo]

Thanks JohnWill, appreciate your help. i've already opened up the outlet and the earth, neutral and live wires are all tight and wired in exactly the same as in the outlet that is working. the only adjacent outlet is a single one, which i've not yet opened up. i'll have another look when i get home but in the meantime, thanks again, Danjo

[blues_harp28]

Hi all sockets should be on what's called a ring main.
Starting from the fuse box..all sockets are linked together [in a ring] cables going from one socket to the other and then back to the fuse box.
How many wires are present ?
If only three..live neutral earth then it has been linked on it's own from another socket..it's called a spur.
If you can find which socket it has been linked to it will help with your search.

[Danjo]

thanks blues_harp28, yeah only the 3 wires you say are there. i don't know how to find out which socket it's linked to but will have another look when i get home after work. all the other sockets work so i guess there must just be a fault in the cable leading from the socket it's connected to. anyway, will see what i can find out and thanks again. danjo.

[blues_harp28]

Hi the nearest socket would be the best guess.
All sockets in the kichen should have 6 wires live..neutral..earth x2
3 coming in to feed that socket..3 going out to feed the next socket.

[mecury_2001]

is the socket hooked up to a switch? light switch for instance

[Danjo]

hiya, yeah i'm pretty sure you're right. actually, now i think about it, the nearest switch is the one for the cooker when the cooker was hard-wired in (we used to have a lecky cooker) and that switch was only ever on when the cooker was being used so maybe all i have to do is flick that switch to on and the adjacent 'duff' socket will work. ah, no, but then cookers and showers and immersion heaters an stuff are on different/separate circuits so that can't be. must then be the single socket next to the cooker switch. anyway, will check it out when i get home and get back to you. thanks again, danjo.

[Danjo]

hi mecury_2001, i don't think so, unless, as i said in my last post that it is indeed hooked up to the cooker switch (when the old lecky cooker we had was hard-wired in). but i thought cookers and lights and stuff are always on separate circuits to sockets? dunno really, am no sparx so am grateful for all and any help. thanks a lot, danjo

[blues_harp28]

Hi the Cooker has it's own 30amp supply and shouldn't be used for anything else.

[bp936]

aren't kitchen plugs supposed to be split- plugs? meaning, each has its own fuse? How come the amp is so high? shouldn't be more than 15 or maybe 20, what service is there? 220 or 110? Every country must have its own regulations, but with 110 amp service it would be deadly on only ONE plug to have that many units plugged in with extension cords.
Also it wasn't mentioned, split plugs have the brass connections at the sides broken of and each plug is wired on its own. If not, maybe that connection is somehow damaged

[JohnWill]

Note that in the US kitchen outlets must be protected by a GFI. Many times, they're ganged so that multiple outlets are controlled by one master GFI. You might want to look into that possibility.

[Danjo]

hi bp936 and JohnWill, thanks for the messages. i had an electrician come round a few months ago and she did a really thorough check of everything, all nearby sockets, cooker, testing continuity etc. finally found that the live wire to the socket had no or virtually no continuity, must be a nick in the wire somewhere, but almost impossible to find where due to the set up of the wiring (can't see where wires leading to as is a block of flats and can't trace all the encased wiring without totally dismantling things). it's all a fairly odd and old wiring circuit but we're gonna be doing renovations in the new year so hopefully will get it sorted then. in the meantime have been assured there's no prob having the different appliances connected via extension leads or that it will cause any surge or anything. ps. i live in UK so have no idea about electrics or regulations in the US. thanks anyway and happy christmas. Danjo

[JohnWill]

Hope the place doesn't burn before the renovations!