What could be the reason for the malfunction of the socket in one room, and why does it not work, but there is light?

We have all faced the problem at home when the light goes out. Often the cause is unknown, especially if you don't understand electricity. The main difficulty is that there is no knowledge or tools. In reality, there is no particular problem; you can figure it out on your own. Another interesting case is that the sockets do not work, but there is light. Let's take a closer look at this case.

What to do if the outlet in the apartment does not work, but there is light?

Before starting repairs, you need to make sure that there is no voltage in the electrical outlet. The test is performed using a multimeter or an indicator screwdriver. The tester probes are connected to the outlet, the device will display the voltage value.

It is then determined whether voltage is applied to the power input to the room. If the light turns on in at least one room, electricity flows into the apartment. Next, check the voltage at the sockets in the apartment.

When checking there can be 3 options:

• All sockets do not work;
• Electrical sockets do not work in only one or several rooms;
• One electrical outlet was broken.

The repair method depends on what type of breakdown occurred.

When to ask for help?

It is not uncommon to have to replace an electrical outlet or part of the wiring in your home. Not everyone can do this, so if in doubt you will have to call a specialist. You cannot do without a technician if all the steps described above did not produce results, the malfunction remains unclear.

The easiest way is to contact the management company - they always have full-time electricians. The master will carry out all the work safely and reliably, you will be able to use the equipment in the apartment without fear.

Electrical wiring is a rather complex system with important features and nuances. It happens that serious breakdowns occur in it. Two phases in an outlet are a good example. Let's consider what a malfunction is, for what reasons it occurs, and how it is eliminated.

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If a person does not have experience in repairing electrical circuits, it is better to contact specialists (electricians) who will help in resolving the issue. Alternatively, ask a friend of yours for help.

The simplest things, such as turning on the machine, drawing and stripping contacts, can be done yourself. But at the same time you need to remember about safety, have the necessary tools and be prepared for work. Without experience in electrical repairs, it is better not to joke.

The easiest way is to contact the management company - they always have full-time electricians. The master will carry out all the work safely and reliably, you will be able to use the equipment in the apartment without fear.

Possible causes of malfunction

To start repairing, you need to follow the following algorithm:

• Check all outlets. If one product does not work, they look for the reason in it.
• The electrical circuit is susceptible to breakage in weak points, for example, when connected by twisting or unreliable insulation. If everything is fine in the electrical outlet, a break is looked for in the junction box.
• Find out how the voltage went out - the devices stopped functioning or the machine was triggered before that.
• Determine whether the outlet is regular or special for high-power electrical appliances.

In one room there is light, but the socket does not work

The most common problem is when the lights in the room turn on, but the sockets do not work. At the same time, voltage is supplied to other rooms. Possible reasons for inoperability:

• exceeding the permissible load;
• failure of a cable section.

It is necessary to check the electrical wires in the panels, the working part of the power points. If the cable breaks or breaks, call an electrician, as new wiring may be required.

The most common problem is careless installation or damaged insulation. In this case, the indicator will show a power failure in the faulty area.

One outlet does not work, but the rest are working in one room

When one power point does not work, the cause may be a loose connection or melted insulation.
If during a visual inspection the cover is melted and the socket does not function, then the contact wire has burnt out. When disassembling the device, the burnt area is visible.

The problem may be in the wire itself, then you need to inspect the cable, check the condition of the core and insulation.

If overheating occurs repeatedly, there is a high probability of destruction of the core, so you will have to replace the faulty piece.

If the insulation breaks, put a cambric or electrical tape on the exposed area. Darkened contacts are carefully cleaned with sandpaper.

Another cause of failure is a short circuit (short circuit). A short circuit is determined simply - the closed section of the conductor is missing, and the inner part is covered with an oily coating. In this case, the socket cannot be repaired - only replaced with a new one.

The socket in the kitchen near the stove or hood stopped working

A stove, hood, and washing machine are appliances with a power above 2000 Watts that require separate sockets. The most common problem is choosing the wrong power point, which is designed for less power. In this case, replace the electrical outlet with a new one with the required value.

If the permissible power is exceeded, the wire may break. The problem should be fixed by a professional.

A separate machine is installed for powerful devices. It can be triggered by a current drop. To return the voltage to the outlet, you need to look at the machine and turn on the toggle switch leading to the kitchen.

What to do if the socket itself is broken, but there is voltage

Before starting repairs, make sure that the outlet can be repaired.
The burnt device is replaced with a new one. If there is no voltage when checking with a multimeter, the wires are checked. After making sure that everything is in order with the conductors, proceed with the repair. To repair you will need:

• screwdrivers;
• sharp knife;
• insulating tape;
• pliers;
• multimeter

Procedure:

1. Before carrying out work, turn off the power to the apartment. It is prohibited to repair a live power point.
2. Unplug devices from the electrical outlet.
3. Use a screwdriver to remove the housing.
4. Unscrew the clamping bolt and check the quality of the connections. Loose contacts are strengthened.
5. Trim the melted ends with a knife or wire cutters. Repair damaged insulation using electrical tape.
6. If the clamping bolt is broken, install a new one.
7. After troubleshooting, reassemble the socket.
8. Turn on the electricity and make sure the problem is corrected. To do this, you need to connect a low power device. If the outlet works without unusual sounds or odors, the repair was successful.

Breakdown of the junction box

Often the problem lies in the junction boxes, because it is there that a short circuit can begin and the connecting wires can break.

When the outlet stops working because of the box, do this:

• De-energize the apartment by turning off the machines;
• Open the device;
• Check the presence of current in the network with an indicator screwdriver;
• Inspect the reliability of the connection of the contacts (disconnect the twists and twist them again, if necessary, strip and insulate the wires).

Clean charred and oxidized wires with files and insulate them. Connect the device in reverse order.

Tips and tricks

If you need to replace part of the electrical wiring, you need to contact a professional.

When working with electrical equipment, safety precautions must be observed.

During repairs, it is necessary to stop supplying voltage to the apartment and turn the circuit breakers to the “Off” position.

Failure can be hidden or obvious. The latter are visible to humans - the body is melted, there is an unpleasant smell or an uncharacteristic sound, sparks.

In this case, the device is opened and inspected.

Socket failure can be caused by various factors.

Power overload, short circuit, lack of power in the apartment - this leads to inoperability of the device. Repairs should only begin after the cause has been determined.

Socket repair tools

It is impossible to understand whether the socket or wiring is broken without tools and devices to determine the voltage parameters in the network.

To carry out minor repairs you will need the following set of tools:

• Special screwdriver with indicator;
• Insulated pliers;
• A set of screwdrivers (a Phillips head is required);
• Cutting tool;
• Equipment for dismantling.

The last tools are additional and optional. The need for them arises during work of a cardinal nature. You will also need a chair and a table lamp to provide easy access to the electrical accessory.

Temporary measures

If, for example, a situation arises that the voltage in one of the rooms goes out in the evening and two phases appear in the sockets, then you can temporarily use an extension cord and power, for example, a TV from the corridor.

But this method is not convenient because you can only turn on one or two devices in this way, because they are not located in the same place. Yes, and the extension cord must be 6 or more meters long.

In order to solve this problem in our case, we had to disassemble the old 3-meter extension cord and connect another plug to it instead of sockets. The result is an unusual design; there are two plugs on both sides of the extension cord.

Stress relief work

About safety precautions

Any electrician in his practice, neglecting safety rules, received an electric shock. Therefore, he performs them comprehensively in three steps:

1. Turns off the circuit breaker.
2. Locks it or takes other measures to prevent unauthorized activation by random people.
3. Using a voltage indicator, it checks for phase loss on those contacts where it was present before disconnection.

Working with an unfamiliar circuit requires special attention to be paid to the third point: among home “craftsmen” there are still cases of theft of electricity and unauthorized connection to someone else’s phase wire. Only after these three steps have been completed can we consider that the voltage has been removed from the socket: the top decorative cover can be removed for internal inspection

Only after these three steps have been completed can we consider that the voltage has been removed from the socket: the top decorative cover can be removed for internal inspection.

Features of the work

It is necessary to turn off the power to the input circuit breaker to check the circuits:

1. working zero;
2. protective PE conductor;
3. assessing the installation of internal circuits.

Troubleshooting is based on the principle of measuring the electrical resistance of a separate circuit from a built-in EMF source.

Therefore, the supply voltage of household wiring will, at best, interfere with the measurement, and at worst, it will create an emergency short circuit. The input circuit breaker should be turned off to check the remaining circuits.

In both cases, the ohmmeter probes are applied to opposite ends of the conductor, for example, in the input panel and socket. The resistance of a good wire will be close to zero, and a broken wire will be ∞.

To test electrical circuits, color marking of the insulation of wires and cables is used.

It is customary to install the protective conductor with yellow-green conductors, and the working zero with one of the remaining colors. However, it is not always possible to adhere to this rule. Therefore, preference should be given to electrical measurements.

general information

The appearance of two phases is determined using special devices - voltage indicators and voltmeters.

In most apartments/houses the wiring is hidden. As practice has shown, it is more vulnerable than those installed openly. The latter will not be pierced by accident if it is necessary to hang a picture or a carpet. With hidden wiring it is more difficult. It is difficult to determine its location, because builders usually do not leave diagrams, and the equipment for such work is expensive.

Damage varies. Often an apartment/house or some separate room is left without electricity. In cases where circuit breakers are installed that quickly eliminate short circuits, this is not noticeable. If they are absent, the malfunction will be manifested by the appearance of sparks and smoke.

While such damage can be prevented, there is no protection against damage to the junction box. There are several reasons for their appearance:

1. The work on connecting the wires was done poorly.
2. The junction has oxidized and collapsed.
3. A connection has been made between the aluminum and copper wires. When exposed to moisture, the wires oxidize, resulting in breakage.

Such faults are easily detected by the smell of burnt insulation.

If there is a zero break, electrical appliances connected to the outlet will not work. Perhaps the voltage will disappear in other sockets.

If the breakdown occurred for this reason, then the solution is quite simple. It is enough to turn off the equipment from the network. What to do next:

1. Identify outlets without voltage. At this stage, a voltmeter, test load or indicator screwdriver will be useful. You should not use a single-pole indicator - it is useless. It is prohibited to use an incandescent lamp as an indicator. If exposed to 380V voltage, it may explode and cause injury.
2. Next you need to find the damaged part of the wiring.

If you cannot do the work yourself, you should contact an electrician.

If the neutral wire breaks with a short to phase, it is not enough to just turn off the electrical appliances. This will not eliminate the appearance of two phases.

If the indicator in the socket does not show anything, there has been a break in the so-called phase. Its location is easy to determine. It is necessary to check the presence of phase in the junction boxes located between the electrical panel and the damaged socket.

Protection devices

Despite the presence of protective elements (RCDs, circuit breakers), many houses have fuses. If the fuse at “zero” fails, the second phase will go to the sockets.

It is easy to correct the situation if you find the short circuit. It is necessary to turn off the lights, unplug appliances and install a new fuse. If it breaks, the breakdown concerns the wiring. Otherwise, when the fuse is OK, the fault should be sought in the equipment.

Another reason for the appearance of two phases in an outlet is a network failure. More often this is a break in the neutral wire. It can break anywhere, from a substation to a panel in a multi-story building. At the same time, electricity will not be lost in the apartments. In particularly difficult cases, the voltage will rise to 380 V, which will damage household appliances.

Two phases in an outlet also occur due to a phase/neutral short circuit on the power line. This is a dangerous malfunction, because even RCDs do not always have time to respond. As a result, a fire occurs.

Only electricians should search for and repair power supply faults.

Two phases also appear due to voltage surges (increase or decrease) in the network. This manifests itself in the blinking of light, too bright or, conversely, dim light bulbs. An increase is especially dangerous, because the equipment cannot work fully or burns out.

How to proceed:

1. Turn off the power supply to the apartment/house.
2. Turn off the equipment.
3. Turn off the lights (set the switches to the “off” position).
4. Call electricians.

Why can't you act on your own? Firstly, the slightest inaccuracy in work can lead to tragic consequences. Secondly, electricity is connected only after a fault report has been drawn up.

Damp walls

Often two phases are a consequence of excess moisture. Damp walls can cause a short circuit. The neutral wire will either fall off or stick to the phase.

To eliminate the breakdown, you need to find the location of the short circuit. Then you will have to change the wires from the outlet to the distribution panel. It is also important to get rid of dampness and prevent its further occurrence.

Induced current

This is a phenomenon that occurs when a high-voltage power line passes nearby. The sockets work fine, but the indicator detects two phases.

In such a situation, an experienced specialist may become confused, because the indicator will determine the voltage even if there is no current in the sockets. A voltmeter or multimeter will show the real picture.

How many phases should there be in an outlet? One, and if there are more, the reasons may be wiring faults (room and substation), increased humidity of the walls, induced current. Regardless of the cause, the malfunction must be repaired by a specialist.