Urgent help needed!!!

[LondonGrower]

Hey guys,

so basically its around the time I switch my CFL light for the 400watt M.H light with reflector I have. and in doing so I switched them over as all my sprouts are in the seedling stage. having plugged in the light, a few hours passed and I started to smell burning plastic coming from the mains socket. instantly googled that, and I'm assuming the lights too powerful for the socket?? I currently have 2 mains sockets together, one has an extension lead that has a small fan, my broadband router, and what was the CFL. in the remaining socket on the wall was where my ballast plugged into a heavy duty timer. would this really cause the burning in the socket?? Is there an alternative light system that you think would run more efficiently or does the problem solely lie with the mains socket, cus I wouldn't have thought this amount of equipment would be too over powering to cause it to burn. Thanks in advance guys

 

[MrSteroids1]

Normally when you buy a socket for a light bulb, it says in the description how much Wattage they can handle. Yes they can burn.

 

[Yodazherb]

if the plug feels hot its overloaded for sure.
Big fire hazard.

 

[sohighifly]

Are you talking about the outlet you plug into burning or the socket for the light to screw in?

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

400w is nothing for electricity usage, i have space heaters that rin 1500w


something is wrong in your wiring somewhere, are you using a ballast....there arent many plastic components in a 400w mogul base that fits most 400w light bulbs. the only plastic i can think of would be the sheathing of the wires. take it all apart and visually inspect it for any crossing wires or wires touching any metal they shouldnt.


if its the outlet then i would say the outlet is bad and you should plug in else where. turn off the breaker to the outlet and remove the screw holding the faceplate on, then visually inspect that. if there was a burning plastic smell chances are you will be able to see the area burned and if you have any common sense figure out a reasonable solution to the problem. if you hae no clue whatsoever about electricity i would get a electrician or someone who knows a bit about this stuff. its not like your working in a breaker panel.

I personally wouldnt touch a breaker box unless it was to flip a popped breaked but i would work on outlets because they are fairly simple and i do know a little bit about them.

if your not sure always play it safe with electricity and call a licenced electrician.

 

[Bakatare666]

400w is nothing for electricity usage, i have space heaters that rin 1500w


something is wrong in your wiring somewhere, are you using a ballast....there arent many plastic components in a 400w mogul base that fits most 400w light bulbs. the only plastic i can think of would be the sheathing of the wires. take it all apart and visually inspect it for any crossing wires or wires touching any metal they shouldnt.


if its the outlet then i would say the outlet is bad and you should plug in else where. turn off the breaker to the outlet and remove the screw holding the faceplate on, then visually inspect that. if there was a burning plastic smell chances are you will be able to see the area burned and if you have any common sense figure out a reasonable solution to the problem. if you hae no clue whatsoever about electricity i would get a electrician or someone who knows a bit about this stuff. its not like your working in a breaker panel.

I personally wouldnt touch a breaker box unless it was to flip a popped breaked but i would work on outlets because they are fairly simple and i do know a little bit about them.

if your not sure always play it safe with electricity and call a licenced electrician.

I'm always hesitant to give any electrical advice to someone asking "What is that burning smell?"

 

[longophil]

i had a new ballast that smelled like fuck for the first couple of weeks and then it wore off - are you sure it isn't that as 400w should not overload a socket - they should be good for 4kw or so - bearing in mind a fan heater could be 2kw and so could a kettle, and you could plug them both in and operate at the same time in a double socket. My point is you are only at about 10% load on the socket so it's probably not that.... try the ballast in another socket and see if it smells. If it does it may be the same as what happened to me. If in doubt though don't risk it. For £40 - £50 it isn't worth it.

 

[sino13b]

i only ask this question from experience (unfortunately) my ballast has a 120/240 volt option, mine is on 120, maybe yours is on 240? idk

 

[fir3dragon]

That's why you avoid plastic with high wattage bulbs.