Problems with electrical appliances may not always result from a failure of the equipment itself. They can be caused by the failure of electrical supply to the appliance via the socket. A three-pin socket must have a live supply, a neutral return and a sound earth path. When a plug from an appliance is inserted, firm contact must be made at all three points. If the live or neutral pins of the plug or connection point within the socket fail to make adequate contact or are free to move, localized heating will occur within the socket. Typical signs of this problem are listed below.
There are various reasons for such problems. They may be caused by one or a combination of any of those listed here. Read the rest of this entry »
