burning smell from cable or somewhere?

[jurgenjay]

Hi,

In the middle of today, we smelled something burning, the first reaction is electrical cable burned! We looked for where it smelled strongest and found it is upstairs hallway near radiator (which was not on at the time) and downstairs living room.

We called the electrician who did the electrical works for the house to come and check, he tested each socket which all worked, and all the lighting & switches were working, so it seems the sockets are fine, the lighting is ok!
He said halogen bulb could get hot and burned but my house is all LED so would not get burned.
Also, the consumer box & RCD was not tripped.

Clearly we smelled it like cable/plastic burning smell so where could it come from?
Or was that burning smell not related to electrical thing?

Thanks!

 

[westward10]

Did they actually look inside any of the sockets etc.....

 

[Deleted account]

Impossible to comment on this one. It needs a visit.

not really helpful I know. Sorry, but there are so many possible places it could be.

 

[jurgenjay]

Did they actually look inside any of the sockets etc.....

No! He did not. Only used a plug thing to test the socket.
Does that need to open the socket to see? Is that possible that the socket is working but inside burned?

 

[jurgenjay]

Impossible to comment on this one. It needs a visit.

not really helpful I know. Sorry, but there are so many possible places it could be.

Even the socket checking was suggested by me... the electrician seems no idea what to check and concluded it is no problem...
We are worried...

 

[Deleted account]

Even the socket checking was suggested by me... the electrician seems no idea what to check and concluded it is no problem...
We are worried...

Is the burning smell still there?

 

[jurgenjay]

Is the burning smell still there?

No, it's gone. Only happened in middle day, after one our by the time electrician arrived it already gone.
I suggested take the oven out to check the cable behind but he didn't...
I suspect something related to the oven as it was the only thing we were using.

 

[partplonker]

Does it smell like fish? That's what the plastic that sockets are made of smell like when they get hot.

If you have loose wiring in an appliance or extension lead, it can cause damage to the socket as the terminals and wiring heat up. You'd smell it, but you might not necessarily see it on the front and the sockets could still test ok.

If you unplugged everything and haven't plugged them back in again yet, you might find the smell goes away but will return when you plug the faulty item back in.

 

[partplonker]

Apologies, I apparently gave inappropriate advice for a DIYer. I had no idea there were people watching for that kind of thing!

 

[jurgenjay]

Does it smell like fish? That's what the plastic that sockets are made of smell like when they get hot.

If you have loose wiring in an appliance or extension lead, it can cause damage to the socket as the terminals and wiring heat up. You'd smell it, but you might not necessarily see it on the front and the sockets could still test ok.

If you unplugged everything and haven't plugged them back in again yet, you might find the smell goes away but will return when you plug the faulty item back in.

Thank you for your advice!
The sockets in the house are either BG screwless flat plate brushed stainless steel or BG brushed steel, so not plastic material.
Please see attached photos. So they are not smelling like fish? But we do know that's burning smell just normally something like plastic or cable burned.
How do we know loose wiring in an appliance? We were using oven at the time when we smelled it, so could it be caused by oven/cable connected to oven?
We did unplug some computer plugs and extension lead but they are not in the area that we smelled it, the smell came from upstairs hallway and downstairs living room.
I'd take all the sockets off in the rooms that smell to check them for damage.===so I need to take the sockets off in the upstairs hallway and downstairs living room?

 

[partplonker]

Thank you for your advice!
The sockets in the house are either BG screwless flat plate brushed stainless steel or BG brushed steel, so not plastic material.
Please see attached photos. So they are not smelling like fish? But we do know that's burning smell just normally something like plastic or cable burned.
How do we know loose wiring in an appliance? We were using oven at the time when we smelled it, so could it be caused by oven/cable connected to oven?
We did unplug some computer plugs and extension lead but they are not in the area that we smelled it, the smell came from upstairs hallway and downstairs living room.
I'd take all the sockets off in the rooms that smell to check them for damage.===so I need to take the sockets off in the upstairs hallway and downstairs living room?

Those sockets still have plastic inserts around the terminals. Do not take the sockets off if you are not comfortable doing electrical work. I have many years experience with electrics and qualifications, I was just saying what I would look for. Were there any appliances plugged in in the rooms that smelled? Was it a fishy smell?

Yes, it's possible it could be your oven. Your oven will have an isolation switch and possibly an outlet plate which are also places to get your electrician to check for loose connections.

If you are using everything normally again and there is no smell, I would stop looking.

 

[jurgenjay]

Those sockets still have plastic inserts around the terminals. Do not take the sockets off if you are not comfortable doing electrical work. I have many years experience with electrics and qualifications, I was just saying what I would look for. Were there any appliances plugged in in the rooms that smelled? Was it a fishy smell?

Yes, it's possible it could be your oven. Your oven will have an isolation switch and possibly an outlet plate which are also places to get your electrician to check for loose connections.

If you are using everything normally again and there is no smell, I would stop looking.

Thank you! Understand your point!
At the time, the vacuum cleaner was plugged in the living room, nothing else. but it did not smell.
The electrician came and turned on the oven and cooker hood for a long time to see if there's further smell. He did not check isolation switch or outlet plate....
I do hope this is forgettable but just concern it meant something bad? Or something worse could happen?

 

[OnlQQker]

No, it's gone. Only happened in middle day, after one our by the time electrician arrived it already gone.
I suggested take the oven out to check the cable behind but he didn't...
I suspect something related to the oven as it was the only thing we were using.

Is it a floor mounted oven, or a built in oven?
Anything in oven that was not heatproof, like a tuppleware dish or similar.
Was the grill on and door shut, is the grill handle made of plastic.

Sometimes it can be something more simple.
Not always , but sometimes!

 

[jurgenjay]

Is it a floor mounted oven, or a built in oven?
Anything in oven that was not heatproof, like a tuppleware dish or similar.
Was the grill on and door shut, is the grill handle made of plastic.

Sometimes it can be something more simple.
Not always , but sometimes!

it is a built-in oven.
the smell was not from oven as we tried to smell near the oven, it was not same.
the burning smell like fishy smell is like plastic burning as we commonly know, that's why we instinctively thought of cable or socket burning.
And it was from upstairs and living room, not from kitchen where oven is.

I hope it is something simple but seems not....

 

[Petej999]

Impossible to comment on this one. It needs a visit.

not really helpful I know. Sorry, but there are so many possible places it could be.

 

[jurgenjay]

I know. But you guys are not from near Dorset...
I will need to find some electrician, possible here the forum?

 

[ferg]

Was it the first time you used that particular part of the oven?
Oven elements are oil coated and this burns off during the first use.
Can be smelly / smokey.

 

[jurgenjay]

Was it the first time you used that particular part of the oven?
Oven elements are oil coated and this burns off during the first use.
Can be smelly / smokey.

Thank you! No, it's not first time, have been using it for months.
Just yesterday the fishy smell/burning smell same out.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Have not read the whole thread, but normally a fishy smell is a loose connection in one of the sockets or plugs arcing and burning the plastic of the socket or plug, switch off your power and take each socket off the wall, give the cables inside a bit of a tug to see if they are loose, when you find the loose one tighten the terminal, it can sometimes be the terminal has been screwed onto the insulation and not making proper contact with the copper, but please only carry out this if you are competent to do so, and DO remember switch off the power first.

 

[littlespark]

Have you distinguished it as a “fishy” smell or just taking cue from suggestions here?

Yes, it could be a loose wire causing heat and melting the plastic, but a burning smell could also be faulty electronics… found in dimmer switches, LED lamps, extractor fans etc.

 

[FatAlan]

Any portable lamps or hot light fittings that an insect has crawled into and fried? Probably the wrong time of year but there are still the odd fly or spider about? We used to have a corner lamp with a 150w bulb that used to cook loads of insects and make a right old stink.

 

[jurgenjay]

Have not read the whole thread, but normally a fishy smell is a loose connection in one of the sockets or plugs arcing and burning the plastic of the socket or plug, switch off your power and take each socket off the wall, give the cables inside a bit of a tug to see if they are loose, when you find the loose one tighten the terminal, it can sometimes be the terminal has been screwed onto the insulation and not making proper contact with the copper, but please only carry out this if you are competent to do so, and DO remember switch off the power first.

Thanks Mike! I wish I had raised this issue here just after it happened!
I called the electrician who did all the electrical works in this house (all sockets & switches, lights, circuit installation) to check, he had no idea what happened, said never seen this kind of thing before...
Even using a plug-like tool to check the sockets working or not was my suggestion....
Maybe because I had paid him all the money he had no willing to do anything further, or he just didn't know what to do...

He simply said nothing wrong but strong smell came from upstairs hallway and downstairs living room can not be nothing wrong!

 

[jurgenjay]

Have you distinguished it as a “fishy” smell or just taking cue from suggestions here?

Yes, it could be a loose wire causing heat and melting the plastic, but a burning smell could also be faulty electronics… found in dimmer switches, LED lamps, extractor fans etc.

To be precise, it was normally what we all know the plastic thing burning or some electrical cable burning smell, this is called "fishy smell", right?
Yesterday middle day was bright & was not using LED lighting, no dimmer switches in the house, no extractor fan was in use, but we were using oven at the time, so I gave this as a clue, but not sure if it was related or not.
We smelled it from upstairs hallway and downstairs living room, not one place...

 

[jurgenjay]

Any portable lamps or hot light fittings that an insect has crawled into and fried? Probably the wrong time of year but there are still the odd fly or spider about? We used to have a corner lamp with a 150w bulb that used to cook loads of insects and make a right old stink.

Thank you for the clue provided!
But yesterday middle day we did not use any light as it was bright, so this should not be the cause.
Also, the smell was strong in upstairs hallway and downstairs living room, so wouldn't be a portable lam caused.

 

[SJD]

I'm assuming this smell has only appeared after recent electrical work in the house that you mentioned?

So exactly what electrical work has been done?
And for example, anything involving high current appliances such as hobs, ovens, electric shower, etc?
Such as moving a hob, oven etc to a new location, and extending the supply cable?

 

[jurgenjay]

I'm assuming this smell has only appeared after recent electrical work in the house that you mentioned?

So exactly what electrical work has been done?
And for example, anything involving high current appliances such as hobs, ovens, electric shower, etc?
Such as moving a hob, oven etc to a new location, and extending the supply cable?

Thank you for your reply!
The house electrical works were done in July & August last year. After that, there indeed socket/cable issues happened: the upstairs hallway light was on and off after switched on, the electrician who did the house electrical work came and repaired that cable in the socket.
And downstairs dining room light flicked but when the electrician came it did not flick so he left.

Electrical works he did: all house sockets/switches//lighting installation, new circuits/cables installed. And yes, hob, oven, fridge freezer, washing machine, dryer all fitted into positions and cables/plugs installed etc.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Thanks Mike! I wish I had raised this issue here just after it happened!
I called the electrician who did all the electrical works in this house (all sockets & switches, lights, circuit installation) to check, he had no idea what happened, said never seen this kind of thing before...
Even using a plug-like tool to check the sockets working or not was my suggestion....
Maybe because I had paid him all the money he had no willing to do anything further, or he just didn't know what to do...

He simply said nothing wrong but strong smell came from upstairs hallway and downstairs living room can not be nothing wrong!

If he had never seen this kind of thing before, it tends to indicate little experience, did you get an EICR after this work was completed?

A plug in socket tester is very limited in what it can tell you, it would need physical inspection at the least and a Multi function tester at the best.

Check your sockets in the upstairs hallway and the downstairs living room, if the upstairs hallway is directly above the living room it could be transference between to two in what may be hollow walls.

I would suggest you get in a qualified electrician to do a thorough check, maybe someone on here is in your area?

 

[SJD]

Electrical works he did: all house sockets/switches//lighting installation, new circuits/cables installed. And yes, hob, oven, fridge freezer, washing machine, dryer all fitted into positions and cables/plugs installed etc.

If the property was completely rewired, then there should not be any hidden junctions that might be failing. But if perhaps the hob / oven was moved to a new location (e.g. in a kitchen refurb) and the old circuit extended, you could easily be a hidden junction with loose connections overheating and melting the plastic.

It might help to narrow it down to a specific circuit, e.g. if you were sure it was due to the oven or the hob.

Otherwise you need someone who has a bit more of a clue about what they should be looking for to investigate.

 

[jurgenjay]

If he had never seen this kind of thing before, it tends to indicate little experience, did you get an EICR after this work was completed?

A plug in socket tester is very limited in what it can tell you, it would need physical inspection at the least and a Multi function tester at the best.

Check your sockets in the upstairs hallway and the downstairs living room, if the upstairs hallway is directly above the living room it could be transference between to two in what may be hollow walls.

I would suggest you get in a qualified electrician to do a thorough check, maybe someone on here is in your area?

I had an Electrical Installation Certificate from him after the works done (it was insisted by me after Googled it that I should have it)
He is around 50 years old so he should have this experience before, to say: "never seen it before" probably he tried to say: "This only happened to you from my work done, the work I did never had this thing before....so that's your fault".

Thank you for letting me know the plug in socket tester is very limited! Yes, that's the thing he did and then concluded nothing wrong.
I will try to get some electrician to check properly!

 

[jurgenjay]

If the property was completely rewired, then there should not be any hidden junctions that might be failing. But if perhaps the hob / oven was moved to a new location (e.g. in a kitchen refurb) and the old circuit extended, you could easily be a hidden junction with loose connections overheating and melting the plastic.

It might help to narrow it down to a specific circuit, e.g. if you were sure it was due to the oven or the hob.

Otherwise you need someone who has a bit more of a clue about what they should be looking for to investigate.

Thank you for your input!

The house was not completely rewired, although all sockets/switches/lights fitted, and some new circuits and cable extended etc.
Yes, the hob/oven were moved to a new location and kitchen was refurbished---the aforementioned new circuits and cables were done in kitchen. So your are probably right that "a hidden junction with loose connections overheating and melting the plastic"----but the electrician did not mention or check kitchen loose connections etc. He just turned on oven to smell, but that smell was not from oven, it was from upstairs hallway and living room!

I am not sure if it was oven but only oven was in use at the time of burning smell came out.

I will get some electrician to investigate it properly.

Thanks again!

 

[littlespark]

Let us know what the new electrician finds.

Hopefully, if they’re an experienced tradesman, they can sniff out the problem fairly quickly

 

[jurgenjay]

Let us know what the new electrician finds.

Hopefully, if they’re an experienced tradesman, they can sniff out the problem fairly quickly

Thanks! Will let you guys who contributed in this thread here know later! I hope what you said is proved to be the case!
Strong burning smell does need to be traced otherwise it is a concern still.