Last night some lights went out and we heard a small “pop.” I looked towards the sound and saw something burning, falling from below a wall outlet. It burned away completely before reaching the floor.
Everything worked fine after resetting the switch on the circuit breaker.
The burning thing presumably fell from the outlet and was created by the same event that activated the circuit breaker. It’s an unusual outlet: There are four openings, but only one of them takes a plug. The other three are switches that control overhead lights, one of which had been on at the time.
What could cause this?
Janet
P.S. “Spark” in is quotes because I’m not sure if a spark is something burning, or just a flash of light. Whatever I saw last night looked like fire (flared up then died) but was too small to leave any traces.
Replies
Janet
I suppose it could have been a spider that stuck his feet into both slots of the outlet and became "to small to leave any traces".
or, something amiss in that box.
Shut off that breaker and then remove the cover plate to examine if there's any signs of burnt up switches or anything else b/4 you start removing the device screws. Check that all power is out to the entire box and all the devices-you can now carefully remove each device and take a look. Still see nothing?
You should call an qualified electrician to trouble shoot the problem. That the breaker tripped is good, that it reset and stayed on MIGHT be good. Nothing to play with. There could be more than one circuit in that box-which is why you should check each device to see if the power is really off to each.
You mentioned in a previous post of a breaker tripping and then I believe you replaced that breaker-Same one?
It's a different circuit from the one I replaced, otherwise it'd be too embarrassing to mention.
Our kitchen is going to be renovated, although the electrician won't be needed for a while. Guess I could disconnect the box and have the electrician replace it then.
Thanks for the information.
Janet
For quite awhile, electricians have been using stab connections on the back of switches and recepticle boxes rather than a wrap under a screw. I've seen many of the stab connections come loose and dance around making light contact instead of a firm contact. These are often a cause of breakers tripping and an unsafe condition which can cause sparks and maybe fire. Switches can also wear out from use, they are just a mechanical device and don't last forever. In any case, seeing sparks and breakers tripping should be a serious warning sign that something isn't right. Don't risk the house burning down by ignoring an obvious warning sign.
It wouldn't be backstab outlets -- the connections fail open and wouldn't trip a breaker.
Something got across the line (or between hot and ground).
It very well could have been a spider that got in the wrong place, or a bit of tinsel that got stuck near the outlet over Christmas, or any number of other things. Could also be due to a loose bit of wire either in the outlet or in the plug.
Frankly, it's probably not worth losing sleep over. If you'll be having an electrician in in the next few months, have him open the box and look for signs of arcing, but from the sound of it whaever happened was on the outside, and the spider/tinsel explanation is most likely.
Just keep an eye on it for a few days.
While it could be nothing..........
I would still take a look at the devices at the minimum and do advise an electrician be contacted for complete piece of mind on this.
I've been called a few times from customers that noticed a "burning" odor-chemical/rubber/plastic. Turns out one was a couple puck lights that were laid on top of kitchen cabs had been flipped upside down by cleaning people-charred vinyl cab tops.
Another, a slide fan control mounted in a 4 gang box had melted in on itself. Fan still worked, but the speed function at the switch, didn't.
Electrical is nothing to mess with.
Electrical/burning odors are definitely something that should be investigated ASAP, if not sooner.
Having done recent work on both...............
you bet it was ASAP response.
Luckily for me, caught it in time as a burn down is hard to pin point on whose work (or not) might have been the cause.
Electrical sub did work below that kitchen and about 15 ft from the melted switch.
No matter how good and thorough you are, remodeling leaves you open to a whole lot of potential liability. I don't think you could have "too much" insurance (within reason of course).