I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my third
wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring inspected
by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then most
electricians).


Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???

The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those tester
that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel and
checked the wiring there)

thanks

Punch wrote:

I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my third
wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring inspected
by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then most
electricians).

Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???

The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those tester
that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel and
checked the wiring there)

Since the outlets are testing ok, I can think of two possibilities:

1. Normal results when plugging in a live electrical device. It's not
unusual for some amount of spark when you plug in a live device. Try
the same test with some other light. Bring the shop light to another
part of the house, such as a bedroom, after dark and try the same test.
Try it with a vacuum. It's possible they've always done this, but you
just never noticed. This is the reason I tend to plug these puppies
into some kind of switchable outlet so I can turn them on and off.

2. Something wrong with the light.

I'm betting on a bad plug on the light you are plugging in.

It's natural to assume anything that happens soon after you are done was
the result of something you did, but in this case, I doubt it.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"Punch" wrote in message
...
I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my
third
wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring
inspected
by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then most
electricians).


Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???

The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those
tester
that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel and
checked the wiring there)

thanks

In article m,
C G wrote:
Punch wrote:

I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my third
wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring inspected
by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then most
electricians).

Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???

The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those tester
that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel and
checked the wiring there)

Since the outlets are testing ok, I can think of two possibilities:

1. Normal results when plugging in a live electrical device. It's not
unusual for some amount of spark when you plug in a live device. Try

By "live", you mean that "lights up" (for a lamp) as soon
as you plug it in, eg that the lamp's own switch was left on
when UN-plugged?

Given that, *why* the spark.

(I understand the spark when you *un*-plug eg a motor or
transformer -- the created magnetic-fields "collapse"
when you do -- ie, they *move* when collapsing, and *generate*
emf in the coils they collapse through.)

But on switching *on*, I'd like add to my very-weak knowledge
of this stuff. So thanks for the (coming?) explanation!

David

You can get a spark with either the make or break of the connection. Agreed,
the spark is going to be stronger on disconnect, but if the current draw is
heavy, and there is some oxidation on the socket or plug, you get sparks.
However, a shop light should not be making big blue sparks, unless it is one
of those 500w halogen lights. Take it upstairs and plug it in an outlet you
believe in. Do you still get a spark? does the light work normally? For
that matter, does the light work normally once you get past the spark stage
in the basement? If so, I wouldn't worry about it. It doesn't have
anything to do with your wiring, though your outlets might be funky in some
way.


"David Combs" wrote in message
...
In article m,
C G wrote:
Punch wrote:

I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my
third
wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring
inspected
by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then
most
electricians).

Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a
shop
light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a
different
outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???

The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those
tester
that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel
and
checked the wiring there)

Since the outlets are testing ok, I can think of two possibilities:

1. Normal results when plugging in a live electrical device. It's not
unusual for some amount of spark when you plug in a live device. Try

By "live", you mean that "lights up" (for a lamp) as soon
as you plug it in, eg that the lamp's own switch was left on
when UN-plugged?

Given that, *why* the spark.

(I understand the spark when you *un*-plug eg a motor or
transformer -- the created magnetic-fields "collapse"
when you do -- ie, they *move* when collapsing, and *generate*
emf in the coils they collapse through.)

But on switching *on*, I'd like add to my very-weak knowledge
of this stuff. So thanks for the (coming?) explanation!

David

In article ,
donald girod wrote:
You can get a spark with either the make or break of the connection. Agreed,
the spark is going to be stronger on disconnect, but if the current draw is
heavy, and there is some oxidation on the socket or plug, you get sparks.

Are you saying that the spark-on-connect is due to
it burning-through that oxidation-stuff -- that
that burning *looks like* one or more (electric) sparks?


Or perhaps it's the effect of (partial, actually a tiny amount of, compared
to what's there) magnetic/electric field-collapse, the field being
the one way back at the *generator*, (hundreds of?) miles away?

If not one of those two, I still don't get it. Probably it's
something totally obvious to everyone else here, and maybe
would be to me too, once someone points me at the answer/concept/whatever...

And thanks for what you'vd said so far.

David