Receptacle shorted

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rcfoolinca

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Electrical Engineer
A friend Sent me this photo below. Looks like a short of some sorts, could it be caused by the appliance that was being used? Looks like she just need the receptacle replaced, nothing else correct? Thanks.


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That's damage from a long-duration high current, like a heater.

It may be the feed-through terminals from another receptacle.
Yes, replace the receptacle, and don't overload it again.
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It looks like either a loose connection on the device or a contact failure due to low spring pressure on the inserted plug.
 
See how the cover plate is burnt on the right side almost in line with the ground pin?
That just happens to be where the screw for the hot wire is located.
Agree. Loose connection.
 
I agree with all above. Poor connection along with a high current load.
QUIT using those dang little heaters! Hard wire a heater if you need one.
Plugging in that unit with the now damaged cord end is just going to give you another burnt receptacle in the not to distant future.


eta: Tell her to quit spray painting over the devices. Another source of PP connections.
 
rcfoolinca said:
A friend Sent me this photo below. Looks like a short of some sorts, could it be caused by the appliance that was being used? Looks like she just need the receptacle replaced, nothing else correct? Thanks.
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You can only get a limited amount of infromation from a picture. In this case you know the receptacle is burned and needs to be replaced but that's all you can see.

You really can't tell if there is an open ground or open neutral or bad breaker or almost any other problem. The only way you know the extent of the problem is to check it out.

Most of the time replacing the bad receptacle is all that's needed but not all the time.

 
growler said:
You can only get a limited amount of infromation from a picture. In this case you know the receptacle is burned and needs to be replaced but that's all you can see.

You really can't tell if there is an open ground or open neutral or bad breaker or almost any other problem. The only way you know the extent of the problem is to check it out.

Most of the time replacing the bad receptacle is all that's needed but not all the time.
Click to expand...
How can any of these cause that burn?
 
growler said:
You can only get a limited amount of infromation from a picture.
Click to expand...
Hv&Lv said:
That just happens to be where the screw for the hot wire is located.
Click to expand...

I would certainly expect to find the wire on that side (hot if wired correctly) to have the insulation burnt or melted back some. So I would be also ready for a little wire repair as well. Again, can't really tell without removing the plate, but I am pretty sure I'd not want to reuse the last inch or two of that "hot" wire (sorry, bad pun).
 
ptonsparky said:
I agree with all above. Poor connection along with a high current load.
QUIT using those dang little heaters! Hard wire a heater if you need one.
Plugging in that unit with the now damaged cord end is just going to give you another burnt receptacle in the not to distant future.


eta: Tell her to quit spray painting over the devices. Another source of PP connections.
Click to expand...
The problem with explaining this to her is that she thinks that in general, receptacles are not ganged to each other back to one breaker. Most people don't think it in electrical terms. They see an outlet, and they will add all sorts of things, plug strips, and then even more appliances to said plug strip. Then wonder why the breaker trips. She rented the place and the owner wants a licensed electrician to check it oiut, and she is whining about it.
 
MD Automation said:
I would certainly expect to find the wire on that side (hot if wired correctly) to have the insulation burnt or melted back some. So I would be also ready for a little wire repair as well. Again, can't really tell without removing the plate, but I am pretty sure I'd not want to reuse the last inch or two of that "hot" wire (sorry, bad pun).
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I think so too, but she thinks that she should only replace the receptacle. Once of her *brilliant* friends think ony the faceplate needs replacement LOL.
 
rcfoolinca said:
She rented the place and the owner wants a licensed electrician to check it out, and she is whining about it.
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They should have an electrician check it out. There may be burned wiring in the box behind the recepacles. If this is a counter top the receptacles may need GFCI/AFCI protection.

The owner would normally be the one calling the electrician and paying for it.
 
growler said:
I didn't say that any of those would cause a burn.

The OP stated that she just needs a receptacle replaced and nothing else, correct.
I am stating that because you see one problem doesn't mean there are not others.
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Oh I see.
 
growler said:
They should have an electrician check it out. There may be burned wiring in the box behind the recepacles. If this is a counter top the receptacles may need GFCI/AFCI protection.

The owner would normally be the one calling the electrician and paying for it.
Click to expand...
The owner wants her to pay for it, hence she is whining. I would check it out myself, but then, I'm not a licensed electrician. Thanks.
 
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