Punch:

P I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my third
P wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring inspecte

P by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then most
P electricians).
P
P
P Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
P light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
P outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???
P
P The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those tester
P that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel and
P checked the wiring there)

I'm thinking the spark is normal. Is the shop light 'on' when it is
being plugged in? Does it have a higher-wattage bulb? Electricity
will spark (think lightening or the brush contacts of a motor).

-
¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

* Yo Mama's so old when God said let there be light, she flipped the switch
---
þ RoseReader 2.52á P003186
þ The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA 563-359-1971
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXMod V1.13 at BBSWORLD *

In article
1780783741.2003.75.9124755.1179008341.RIMEGateQWK @MoonDog.BBS,
(barry martin) wrote:

Punch:

P I have a new basement remodel,I have done the electrical ( this is my
third
P wiring job on different basements), and also I have had the wiring
inspecte

P by the required electrical inspector (he said I did a better job then
most
P electricians).
P
P
P Anyway, 3 days after he left and passed the wiring, I plugged in a shop
P light, and a large blue spark shot out of the outlet, I tried a different
P outlet and the same thing happened, any ideas whats going on???
P
P The inspector just looked at the wiring and plugged in one of those
tester
P that light up, and said all was good (he also opened up the fuse panel
and
P checked the wiring there)

I'm thinking the spark is normal. Is the shop light 'on' when it is
being plugged in? Does it have a higher-wattage bulb? Electricity
will spark (think lightening or the brush contacts of a motor).

-
¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

* Yo Mama's so old when God said let there be light, she flipped the switch
---
þ RoseReader 2.52á P003186
þ The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA 563-359-1971
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXMod V1.13 at BBSWORLD *

I probably don't pay close enough attention to every bit of unremarkable
minutiae that happens in my life, but for some reason, it strikes me
that I've seen this same small blue spark plenty of time when plugging
in an appliance, but only with appliances that have a two-prong plug --
and never the ones that have the three-prong (ground/ed?) plug.

If that's indeed the case, perhaps grounding (or lack of it) in the plug
may be the cause and, from all indications, a pretty normal occurrance
that has no reflection on how good or bad the actual wiring job in the
wall was -- unless maybe flames start shooting out of the socket or
something afterward.

AJS

A.J.:

A I'm thinking the spark is normal. Is the shop light 'on' when it is
A being plugged in? Does it have a higher-wattage bulb? Electricity
A will spark (think lightening or the brush contacts of a motor).
A I probably don't pay close enough attention to every bit of unremarkable
A minutiae that happens in my life, but for some reason, it strikes me
A that I've seen this same small blue spark plenty of time when plugging
A in an appliance, but only with appliances that have a two-prong plug --
A and never the ones that have the three-prong (ground/ed?) plug.

I'd venture to guess there are qui8te a few sparks we don't notice.
Normally the switch is off so there is no electricity flowing. If the
device is one the spark occurs in the outlet or the ambient light is
bright enough we don't notice the spark.

I'd guess the ground prong (or lack of) doesn't have anything to do
with the occurrence or lack of of the spark. My soldering iron has a
three prong plug and I have not seen it spark when plugging in. I've
plugged in the radio but haven't seen it spark. The radio has a two-
prong cord.


A If that's indeed the case, perhaps grounding (or lack of it) in the plug
A may be the cause and, from all indications, a pretty normal occurrance
A that has no reflection on how good or bad the actual wiring job in the
A wall was -- unless maybe flames start shooting out of the socket or
A something afterward.

IMO the spark is due to the electricity jumping to complete a circuit.
If the air has sufficient conductivity and the device being plugged in
has sufficient current draw then there will be a spark. ...Seems like
one should see a spark with a three-prong device if there is
sufficient static electricity, otherwise there isn't supposed to be a
direct connection between the current-carrying conductors and the
ground conductor.

-
¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

* Anagram! Slot Machines: Cash Lost in em
---
þ RoseReader 2.52á P003186
þ The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA 563-359-1971
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXMod V1.13 at BBSWORLD *