kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I had a service call yesterday here is what was presented to me when I showed up.
Homeowner was painting laundry room pulled dryer out and sometime while unplugging it (the receptacle was pretty looslely mounted) heard popping noises in another room. In the other room was a multioutlet surge protector plugged into a receptacle with TV DVD satellite receiver plugged into it and there was black soot on the wall above the outlet and surge protector and a horrible burning smell. They also heard popping sounds in another room with a power strip type surge protector and computer equipment plugged into it. They immediately turned off the main breaker in the panel and eventually called me to see what was going on.
This was a mobile or manufactured home around 30 years old, Service was not properly installed but did have 4 wire feed to the panel and no bond screw installed in panel, Dryer receptacle was a 4 wire receptacle with 4 wires installed, the only issue with the receptacle was that it was loosley mounted.
I did not have all my service tools with me when I initially showed up because I unloaded the truck to do something else yesterday and did not intend to use them, stopped by because the customer was on my way home to take a look. I was able to open the panel and saw nothing obvious and open the dryer receptacle and nothing obvoius there either.
When I went home to get more tools I was thinking how could unplugging the dryer possibly cause these two surge arrestors to start smoking, and what else in the house may be effected. Before eventually returning I had a pretty good scenario in my mind and eventually found out it was mostly correct.
I want to pick some of your brains to see what you find for possible causes. I have given you all the information that I had that time before actually having a meter to check what was going on.
This is just for fun, education, whatever.
First person to solve the problem gets a dozen smilies
Homeowner was painting laundry room pulled dryer out and sometime while unplugging it (the receptacle was pretty looslely mounted) heard popping noises in another room. In the other room was a multioutlet surge protector plugged into a receptacle with TV DVD satellite receiver plugged into it and there was black soot on the wall above the outlet and surge protector and a horrible burning smell. They also heard popping sounds in another room with a power strip type surge protector and computer equipment plugged into it. They immediately turned off the main breaker in the panel and eventually called me to see what was going on.
This was a mobile or manufactured home around 30 years old, Service was not properly installed but did have 4 wire feed to the panel and no bond screw installed in panel, Dryer receptacle was a 4 wire receptacle with 4 wires installed, the only issue with the receptacle was that it was loosley mounted.
I did not have all my service tools with me when I initially showed up because I unloaded the truck to do something else yesterday and did not intend to use them, stopped by because the customer was on my way home to take a look. I was able to open the panel and saw nothing obvious and open the dryer receptacle and nothing obvoius there either.
When I went home to get more tools I was thinking how could unplugging the dryer possibly cause these two surge arrestors to start smoking, and what else in the house may be effected. Before eventually returning I had a pretty good scenario in my mind and eventually found out it was mostly correct.
I want to pick some of your brains to see what you find for possible causes. I have given you all the information that I had that time before actually having a meter to check what was going on.
This is just for fun, education, whatever.
First person to solve the problem gets a dozen smilies
