Jethro wrote:
On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:35:26 -0500, "RBM" rbm2(remove
wrote:

Sounds like something shorted inside the male plug. Breakers don't
always trip as quickly as we'd like them to

It sure surprised me. I feel if I had not been 'right there', that I
would have had a fire! Now if I haven't damaged the compressor.

Thanks

Jethro



"Jethro" wrote in message
...
I did a stupid thing - but I am curious.

Someone lent me his air compressor on which he had a 3-prong male
plug. He had clipped off the ground, leaving the other two. I
carelessly plugged the thing into a wall receptacle without paying
any attention. That's the stupid part.

I turned my back on the receptacle to flip the compressor on switch
on.
I heard a strange sound, turned around, and a little black smoke was
coming out of the receptacle where I had plugged the male plug in.
Needless to say, I immediately removed the plug. When I did, one
metal prong pulled out of the plug remaining in the receptacle. I
turned the circuit breaker off and removed the prong.

I think I must have plugged the thing in backwards, since the ground
was missing on the plug to prevent that. Dumb! Anyway, I now am
curious as to why the goof did not trip the 15A breaker. I think it
should have. Maybe the breaker is bad?

Agree?

I will replace the compressor plug of course.

Thanks

Jethro

If you did, it clearly is NOT your fault!