Help! My wall sockets are melting! (still)

[rcolosi]

Hello. I posted this a few days ago and after trying to find it again this morning, it apparently didn't exist.

Anyway, I'm running a 1000 watt light/ballast (with no timer yet) . Since I was running it for 24 hours, I can understand the stress. After about 2 weeks I pulled the plug and smelled plastic, and saw meltedness.

Now in my last apartment, which was much newer and nicer, I ran the same ballast (only with HPS) and ran them for only twelve hours a day. It took about 4 to 5 months for that socket to start melting as well. That time I was using an intermatic digital timer, and also had my 8" fan plugged into the same timer. I figured that was the problem (having them both plugged in), but as it turns out the ballast can melt the socket on its own.

So currently I went back to 12 from 24, and put it back into its timer, WITHOUT the fan, and so far no meltyness (Although its only been a couple days).

Any help or suggestions? Thanks for your time!

 

[skefaman]

[h=1]What Are the Causes of a Melted Electrical Outlet?[/h]

If you have an electrical outlet that has melted, you need to replace it, but first you need to know why it melted, or the replacement may melt too. Outlets are designed to be reliable and safe, but they won’t work properly if they are mis-wired or used for the wrong purpose. A melted outlet is usually not a cause for concern, but it can signify a hazardous condition in the house wiring.[h=2]Find local businesses for[/h]

• Home Repair & Maintenance

​

[h=2]Undersized Outlet[/h]

If you use a 15-amp outlet in a circuit controlled by a 20-amp breaker, the current may overload it and cause it to overheat. This could happen if you plug a power strip into the outlet, load the strip with appliances and turn them all on at once. If the outlet were controlled by a 15-amp breaker, the breaker would trip before it overheated. You can avoid this situation by using 20-amp outlets in 20-amp circuits. These have a horizontal cross on one of the pin inserts, designed to accept the vertical/horizontal pins of appliances rated for 20 amps.​

[h=2]Undersized Wiring[/h]

When current passes through a wire, the wire heats up; thinner wire does so faster than thicker wire. Therefore, if you wire a 20-amp outlet with 14-gauge wire, which is only rated for 15 amps, the ends of the wire can overheat the terminals and melt the plastic when a sufficient load is placed upon them. When you examine the terminals of an outlet that has melted because of undersized wiring, you will notice discoloration on the screws and the attached wires.​

[h=2]Loose Connections[/h]

If a wire is not properly connected to the terminal, it can become partially detached and cause electricity to arc between itself and the terminal. Arcing electricity produces enough heat to melt plastic, and it is a fire hazard. An easy way to avoid loose connections is to bend wires clockwise when you attach them to the terminal screws. This will draw them into the screw when you tighten the screw and make the connection secure.​

[h=2]Worn Outlets[/h]

Sometimes outlet sockets can become worn from excessive use or rough handling, and will no longer hold the prongs from a plug securely. If the plug partially falls out of the sockets while it is in use, it can cause arcing, and this will melt the receptacle and deform the socket openings. The only remedy for this is to replace the outlet, which is inexpensive and easy to install. You can avoid wearing out the new outlet by exercising care when pushing in and pulling out plugs.

ref : http://www.yellowpages.com/yparticles/contractors-construction/of-a-melted-electrical-outlet​

 

[phillipchristian]

Your socket should NEVER melt!!! In 5 days or in 5 months. There could be a number of issues going on but to me it sounds like a problem with your ballast since it happened in the other apartment as well. It could be that your power cord is not rated high enough for your ballast and is heating up too much. I have 2 1000w (120v) ballasts plugged into the SAME dual outlet on the SAME circuit and they have been running pretty much 24 hours a day for 2 years and there is no "meltedness" or "meltyness" and there is no burning smell.

 

[silverserf]

Ya that is not cool, do you know what type of wire is in the house?

a lot of older houses have aluminium wire, over time it kinda shrinks and makes poor connections which heat up. Now if you plugs are melint....is there a junction box in the ceiling that is melting too?

I agree that it sounds like the ballast has something wrong with it....do you have a way of measuring the actual wattage it is drawing?

How hot is the ballast getting?

Any chance of a short in it's power cable?

Good luck, be safe.

SilverSerf

 

[skefaman]

Ya that is not cool, do you know what type of wire is in the house?

a lot of older houses have aluminium wire, over time it kinda shrinks and makes poor connections which heat up.

alum to copper connections heat up due to different resistance properties

 

[PJ Diaz]

Turn off the breaker and pull the socket out of the wall. Check all the connections where the wire is connected to the socket. You may also want to check the male plug for loose connections if possible. Most often a hot plugis going to be the result of lose contacts of a poor connection. I have seen things catch on fire this way, and once it goes down this road, it only gets worse if it's not repaired promptly. Don't burn down your house. Call an electrician if necessary.

 

[rcolosi]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll try to find out what gauge and what kind of wiring is in the apartment.

My ballast however... I don't think it's malfunctioning. At my previous apartment I had a different actual ballast, but it was identical to it in every way. It runs spectacularly cool. I don't even have to put it on anything but the carpet, it's so mild. No abberations of fuckups in the wiring connected to either side of the ballast.

The fact that this happened in a newer apartment as well though is what puzzles me. I spent a lot of money on this ballast, a Lumatek dimmable 4 setting 1000w digital and I know it's pretty nice. And it runs pretty cool. For what it's worth I'm just running one Hydrofarm 8" radiant

 

[cues]

Turn it off and call an electrician. Nothing is worth a house fire.

 

[missnu]

so 2 different ballasts in 2 different places have melted your wall outlets? Hmmmm....?

 

[Red1966]

alum to copper connections heat up due to different resistance properties

No. Silverserf was correct. The connections become loose due to different thermal expansion properties.
A bad cable is likely the problem. Is the cable the one that came with the ballasts? Or both places have substandard wiring. If its a 15 amp circuit, I wouldn't run any thing else on that circuit. This the whole circuit, not just that socket.

 

[phillipchristian]

You already stated that the ballast melted the sockets in your old apartment. Only that it took longer. Sounds funny to me.

 

[richinweed]

Your socket should NEVER melt!!! In 5 days or in 5 months. There could be a number of issues going on but to me it sounds like a problem with your ballast since it happened in the other apartment as well. It could be that your power cord is not rated high enough for your ballast and is heating up too much. I have 2 1000w (120v) ballasts plugged into the SAME dual outlet on the SAME circuit and they have been running pretty much 24 hours a day for 2 years and there is no "meltedness" or "meltyness" and there is no burning smell.

......single circut dual outlets were outlawed in the 1980s in canada....i would get my ballast replaced...if there is any shoddy work at all in your wires it will heat up far more in those weak links,,(in the wall)....say hello to the insurance adjuster...oh and buba.....

 

[phillipchristian]

......single circut dual outlets were outlawed in the 1980s in canada....i would get my ballast replaced...if there is any shoddy work at all in your wires it will heat up far more in those weak links,,(in the wall)....say hello to the insurance adjuster...oh and buba.....

Sounds like we have different meanings for what a "single circuit dual outlet" is. The ones that I am referring to (2 outlets on 1 breaker) are still legal anywhere in the world. Not sure what you are referring to.

 

[richinweed]

Sounds like we have different meanings for what a "single circuit dual outlet" is. The ones that I am referring to (2 outlets on 1 breaker) are still legal anywhere in the world. Not sure what you are referring to.

..in canada the dual outlet is on two cicuits ..of 15 amps each

 

[phillipchristian]

..in canada the dual outlet is on two cicuits ..of 15 amps each

How is that even possible? Do you guys have 150 breakers in your panels? In the U.S. entire rooms are put on one 15-30amp circuit. So you are telling me that every dual outlet in your house has 2 breakers for it? Are you allowed to at least pigtail from the outlet to another?

 

[richinweed]

no pigtails....the new houses have bigger breaker pannels ..in fact huge....a think the amperage is higher..i live in an ols 1920s house...60 amp breaker single curcuit duplex plugs,,,,how do you not blow breakers with 2 1000 watters on a 15 amp duplex

 

[phillipchristian]

no pigtails....the new houses have bigger breaker pannels ..in fact huge....a think the amperage is higher..i live in an ols 1920s house...60 amp breaker single curcuit duplex plugs,,,,how do you not blow breakers with 2 1000 watters on a 15 amp duplex

I'm not sure what you are talking about but we are definitely referring to two different things. Sounds like U.S. and Canadian terminology is different. I am talking about a single plate / dual outlet on your wall. something that looks like this.



you are telling me that you have to have a seperate breaker for each of those 2 outlets? I find that hard to believe. I know electrical supplies very well. The largest 200 or 225 amp loadcenter I have ever seen is 60 spaces I think. Not sure how that would even be possible.

I never said it was a 15amp breaker. It's actually 30amp with 10 gauge wire.

 

[Bshbloke]

SON im a liney and u must have a shit load of amps running through those sockets get a supply from another part of the house

 

[ohmy]

Pictures of the house on fire will get ya lots of rep

 

[silverserf]

Dude, thoses dual circuit outlets are for the kitchen...also the GFI is required around water. Are you just trying to bullshit people or do you really think that there are seperate circuits on each plug in the house, but there are what 10 outlets on each circuit? That makes no sense.

In the kitchen it is wired this way because the appliences are generally high power devices, you might want to put your microwave beside the toaster.

The rest of the house is divided up by room(s), for the most part....

SilverSerf