Downstairs socket tripping

[AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii]

we replaced some sockets covers yesterday for usb ones and all seemed to work ok yesterday but this morning the downstairs socket had tripped on the main unit? Any ideas? Perhaps trapped wire somewhere or not connected right?

You'll have to identify which one it is. Switch them all off, mains back on, then turn on one at a time to see which one trips. Then (mains off again, obv) open it to have a look.

Probably just loose connection.

Kettle or cooker on?

You plugged something into a socket whose faceplate had been changed to have usb charging points and that tripped the circuit breaker ( ‘fuse’ ) in the consumer unit ( ‘fuse box’ ) ?

Thanks everyone DH is going to have a look at them all tonight and try and figure it out he thinks the double one is maybe loose or nipped somewhere as he had to push it in a wee bit to get the new face plate on (slimmer than old white one).

@tanstaafl no nothing was plugged in at the time, I went to put the lamp on and it wouldn’t switch on so checked the main box and saw it was tripped so possibly happened over night and then again when I’ve come in from work it was tripped again and no one has been here all day?

@DataNotLore nothing else was affected by it literally just the downstairs socket switch was down, it was down again when I got home from work and no one has been here I have used the kettle and it hasn’t tripped

Have any of the sockets that have been changed got an appliance plugged in 24/7?

Usb enabled sockets need a deeper backbox.
we used 10mm socket spacers to create that depth where the only other option was to chisel out the wall.
you can get them from Screwfix, search for ‘socket spacer’ on the Screwfix website.

@tanstaafl the only one that did was the lamp in the corner it was in the plug switched off, I’ll suggest the deeper back box, can that be done DIY as well?

@tanstaafl just had a look at spacers that might be the ticket, only issue is it’s black or white and my sockets are like a brushed silver 😂

Assuming the backbox is in a brick/block wall then yes, but you need to get the power cable or cables if it’s one cable feeding the socket and one going off elsewhere to feed other sockets, out of the backbox first, then remove backbox, then drill, chisel the wall out a bit deeper, then fit a new backbox of the correct depth.

as always with diy, YouTube will have plenty of videos covering the subject.

@tanstaafl thank you very much for your help

@tanstaafl just a wee update, we went and got some spacers from screw fix as you recommended, DH says he managed to get the wires back in so much easier with the extra space, we think the issue was when he took one off one of the red wires had come out of the wee bit you screw it into so only one red wire was screwed in, fingers crossed that’s the issue solved 🤞🏻

Fingers crossed you’re sorted.

@tanstaafl so unfortunately not all sorted, the two single sockets with usb connection we installed are hardly working, when a lamp is plugged in to it it causes the bulb to flicker and be very dim? The double socket is working fine nothing has tripped either

Is the lamp dimmable and perhaps it’s on its very highest setting?
if so, adjust the brightness down slightly.

@tanstaafl no it’s just an ordinary light bulb in a normal lamp

And charger cables aren’t working out of the ports

Is the lamp fine when it’s plugged into the other existing sockets on the circuit?
Are these new usb sockets of a BS standard, ie bought in an UK store like Screwfix, B&Q?

Yes absolutely fine when plugged into the double socket in the same room it’s only those 2 single sockets that there is a problem. All bought from B&Q

Possibly some loose connection in there? What are the chances that both plugs are needing returned as faulty?

If you’re satisfied that the wiring is now secure and correct way around in the new sockets , and clearly the lamp works fine, then it seems like the sockets are at fault.

Are you’re sure the other sockets you’re trying the lamp on are on the same circuit?

sorry I’m really not up on electrics as in are they in the same room? All the downstairs sockets are on the same flip switch?

ok downstairs is the same circuit.
another test is to put the old socket back on and see how the lamp behaves.

Ok, DH is going to take them back off check the connections, as is typical they are now both working again since he came home 🤷‍♀️ honestly I didn’t think changing a couple of plug faces would be this stressful

if the old sockets go back on and work what does that mean?

If old sockets work then it suggests wiring is fine so it’s the usb sockets at fault - that statement assumes there was nothing wrong with the wiring of the usb sockets yesterday.