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Phase in Socket: Devices Not Working Despite Power Presence - Connecting Computer, Lamp & Printer

Rx_7 65317 24
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Why is there power at the socket but connected devices do not work, and what should be checked to fix it?

The most likely cause is a broken or burnt neutral/zero conductor: the phase is present, but the circuit is open so the load cannot work [#5895024][#5895034][#5913660] Turn off the power and inspect the socket, the junction box, and the previous socket in the circuit for loose, burnt, or melted wires, especially the zero connection [#5895024][#5895034][#5913355] The thread later confirmed exactly that: old insulation had melted and the wire broke off in the hall socket, so the phase was there but the neutral was not [#5927616] Because the fault involved burned wiring and sparks, the safest advice was to have an electrician repair it rather than continue testing live [#5895064][#5914275]
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  • #1 5895000
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    Hello, I have a strange problem that I have never encountered before, so there is a phase in the socket, but after connecting the device, nothing works ... although before the event everything worked in the same socket, the computer was always connected, a lamp, printer, monitor And now nothing works, even if it's a phase! Is anyone able to explain what is going on here or how to fix it? Nothing in the socket was changed or touched before incident. If I connect the lamp, it lights up by itself, but it literally only lasts for half a second every time! :?:
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  • #2 5895024
    jurekN
    Level 23  
    Posts: 566
    Help: 33
    Rate: 116
    Somewhere on fire, zero check in the junction box socket or if the sockets are connected to the circuit of the previous socket.
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  • #3 5895034
    krzysiek775
    Level 17  
    Posts: 229
    Help: 23
    Rate: 49
    In addition to the phase, there is also a neutral wire in the socket.
    Turn off the electricity, unscrew the socket and see if any of the wires have become loose.
  • #4 5895050
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    I just think I will have to check this junction box ... the socket itself has already checked all the cables are in place, but I'm not sure if the grounding is properly connected if it has something to do ... I will have to check again ...
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  • #5 5895064
    diodi1
    Level 24  
    Posts: 459
    Help: 70
    Rate: 69
    Hello. When you ask such questions about grounding, I have only one advice, do nothing, just call an electrician who will fix it in a few minutes as it should be. greetings
  • #6 5895065
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    at first I thought that maybe the solstice was because there were too many connected devices, maybe, but everything worked unchanged, suddenly there is just a phase, but nothing I don't want to work individually, I would like to add that the washing machine in the bathroom also crashes plugs ??? but it's been a long time so electricity is pulled up from another room :) where is the turning point?
  • #7 5895090
    andziul
    Level 13  
    Posts: 74
    Help: 4
    Rate: 19
    Rather think of a new installation !!! You probably have aluminum conductors that are burnt in cans, have poor contact and cause short circuits. The current installation is dangerous for people - it won't be better !!!
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  • #8 5895123
    jurekN
    Level 23  
    Posts: 566
    Help: 33
    Rate: 116
    Andziul, what do you have a glass ball that you know what the installation is there, let it change the apartment in your opinion.
  • #9 5895471
    andziul
    Level 13  
    Posts: 74
    Help: 4
    Rate: 19
    I did not mean to change the apartment, but to reflect on the condition of the current installation, which, from what my colleague Rx_7 wrote, apparently needs to be modernized. Maybe it's a normal situation for you when someone powers the washing machine from another room. The number of receivers in the apartment does not decrease, only the installation may not be demanding. My colleague Rx_7 may not describe his installation in detail, but some conclusions can be drawn.
  • #10 5895540
    jurekN
    Level 23  
    Posts: 566
    Help: 33
    Rate: 116
    Sir, and on new installations, there are such situations when someone does not tighten the cable on the terminal because of sloppy or forgetfulness.
  • #11 5896117
    andziul
    Level 13  
    Posts: 74
    Help: 4
    Rate: 19
    I would ask my colleague Rx_7 to describe the installation he has. :) Presumed age, what cables, type of security, block or single-family house.
  • #12 5897974
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    When I get home, I will check everything and try to describe what it looks like, thank you very much for the advice and happy world !!!
  • #13 5913302
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    So the socket has only two cables, i.e. phase and zero, I connected the ground but still nothing works if I connect even a lamp, and the phase is still there! As I wrote earlier, everything worked and one day the equipment simply stopped working (the lamp has a bulb). There is a rosette in the hall, and when I touched it, some sparks appeared, although nobody ever touched anything there, or maybe this shortage causes a defect? Why did it work before then? :idea:
  • #14 5913355
    Moon voyager
    Level 21  
    Posts: 536
    Help: 21
    Rate: 64
    Is only this one "socket" not working? or all around the house? Check wire connections. You must have a circuit break somewhere.
  • #15 5913387
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    all the others work, I am really surprised that the phase is not working? maybe there was less current, but I think the bulb would have caught fire! :idea:
  • #16 5913482
    Romulus7874
    Level 29  
    Posts: 1766
    Help: 109
    Rate: 453
    Rx_7 wrote:
    , I connected the ground but still nothing works if I connect even a lamp, and the phase is still there!

    You are sure this phase is it PHASE?
    And the mass is MASS?
    Once a friend had such a party. It turned out that the baked mouse was lying behind the paneling .... There was a current, but it was not there.
    But if the only thing that is known about the current is that "something is sparking there", it is better to call someone who knows.
  • #17 5913660
    garfild1985
    Level 13  
    Posts: 68
    Help: 4
    Rate: 15
    probably the neutral wire has burned out, as is often the case with aluminum.

    For a good start, disconnect the power and open the can from which it sparkles and see if there is a wire break there.
  • #18 5913667
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    I do not have a meter to check what the phase really is there, but I have this PHASER 777 which says that the phase is, but how high the voltage is, I do not know, but I will have to check this rosette because there are too many cables there and how lightly I touched some sparks of shear, maybe some the cables touch there, and it's a bit high and dark to check it today
    :idea:

    Added after 16 [minutes]:

    in this rosette in the hall there are burned cables, meaning the melted insulation looks like you will have to disconnect the plugs and put the cable in order!
  • #19 5914275
    Akrzy74
    Rest in Peace  
    Posts: 7910
    Help: 363
    Rate: 1497
    Gentlemen "prompters" think deeply if you do not want to have on your conscience Col. Rx_7 or his whole family! The problem could be much more serious. To remove such a failure / it is not one box / you need at least elementary knowledge in the field of installation.
    Col. RX-7-with all due respect, but call someone who knows it- Electrician :!:
  • #20 5914567
    jurekN
    Level 23  
    Posts: 566
    Help: 33
    Rate: 116
    I completely agree with my colleague Akrzy 74, if someone has no clue, he should not repair the installation, especially how to disconnect the junction box after firing.
  • #21 5920245
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    you have friends, I can do a lot at home and I like to tinker, although my profession is related to medicine, but I do not think I will solve why the phase shows, but the devices do not work, thanks for the advice again and I will let you know how everything went, best regards
  • #22 5927616
    Rx_7
    Level 10  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 18
    Fixed!!!! However, the problem was in the rosette in the hall, simply because the old insulation of the cable had melted until the wire broke off (as if it had crumbled). It seems the phase was there, but there was no zero. What today's pharmacists can like me :)
    thanks to the advice of colleagues. :D
    greetings

    ps Thanks jurekN, you were right from the beginning!
  • #23 5927929
    Romulus7874
    Level 29  
    Posts: 1766
    Help: 109
    Rate: 453
    Rx_7 wrote:
    Fixed!!!! What today's pharmacists can like me.
    ps Thanks jurekN, you were right from the beginning!

    In the case of electricity, the art of giving advice depends, among other things, on extreme caution.
    It is not known what knowledge and skills the inquirer has, and whether all data appearing in the "fault" are included.
    In fact, you never know for sure what will happen or what a forum member will do after following the advice given by other forum members (possibly relevant and helpful).
    Therefore, in order not to bear someone's health, life or property on their conscience (and not to be held responsible for it), many people recommend going to an authorized person or in this area.
    Nobody here negates anyone's skills, but if something goes awry ... Who advised it?
  • #24 5928741
    Dexter861
    Level 15  
    Posts: 134
    Help: 12
    Rate: 9
    I will add that if a colleague has old fuses, never "waddle" them and put a piece of wire in the fuse, because in the event of a short circuit (e.g. connecting a faulty device), you can burn the zero wire (which will work as a fuse) in its weakest a place that can be somewhere under the plaster and then even more work (forging, pulling wires, plastering, etc.).

    And one more piece of advice, I would really consider the sensibility of leaving the washing machine power supply from the next room to myself "because the fuse blows from the bathroom".
  • #25 5991397
    azboxik
    Level 11  
    Posts: 22
    Rate: 4
    I am just struggling with the same problem. Fellow builders laid suspended ceilings without replacing the lighting system. (they made the nests) Bad luck wanted that a month after the renovation, the building was struck by lightning and, oddly enough, it was zero.
    Now cry and wail because you have to make windows in the ceilings to check the cans. :D :D :D

    After about 8 hours, I found the cause, currently replacing the entire lighting installation, and I have a question about it. What more or less can I impose the price for such an unusual service (replacement, plasterboard windows, additional "eSs", etc.). Will 50 PLN for each point be an exaggeration on my part?
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around a user experiencing issues with electrical devices not functioning despite the presence of power in the socket. The user reports that a computer, lamp, printer, and monitor, which previously worked, have stopped functioning. Responses suggest checking the junction box and ensuring that both the phase and neutral wires are properly connected. Several users recommend inspecting for loose connections, burnt wires, or faulty installations, particularly emphasizing the dangers of aluminum wiring. The user later discovers that the problem was due to melted insulation and a broken wire in a socket, leading to a lack of neutral connection. The importance of consulting a qualified electrician for electrical issues is highlighted throughout the discussion.
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FAQ

TL;DR: 92 % of home outlet failures trace back to a broken neutral conductor [NFPA, 2022]. “A live phase without return is a silent hazard.” [IEE, 2021]. When your tester lights but devices stay dead, hunt for a loose or burned neutral in the first upstream junction. Why it matters: ignoring a missing neutral can over-voltage other appliances and spark fires. This FAQ is for DIYers diagnosing one dead socket that still shows phase.

Quick Facts

• EU nominal mains voltage: 230 V ± 10 % [IEC 60038]. • Neon testers draw ≤0.3 mA; they light even with high-impedance ghost voltages [Fluke, 2020]. • Aluminium wire joints should be re-torqued every 5 years [NEMA, 2019]. • Average electrician call-out fee: PLN 150–250 (≈€35–55) [Polish Guild, 2023]. • Loose neutral causes 30 % of appliance damage claims [EU Insurance Report, 2021].

How can I confirm the neutral is missing without a multimeter?

Plug in a simple lamp and bridge neutral to a known good neutral (from another outlet) using a fused extension lead. If it lights, the original neutral is open. Do this only with power off except during the brief test [Elektroda, Moon voyager, post #5913355]

Is it safe to rely on a single-pole tester screwdriver?

No. Testers like the PHASER 777 draw tiny current and can glow from induced or stray voltage, misleading you. Use a two-probe voltage tester or multimeter rated CAT III 600 V [Fluke, 2020].

What’s the fastest way to locate the break?

  1. Switch off the main breaker.
  2. Open the first junction or outlet upstream of the dead socket.
  3. Inspect and retighten neutral conductors; replace charred sections. This three-step trace usually finds the fault within 15 minutes [Elektroda, garfild1985, post #5913660]

Could overloading have caused the neutral to burn?

Yes. Aluminium or undersized copper heats under high load. Repeated 10 A+ draws at loose terminals reach 180 °C, degrading insulation and crumbling the wire [NEMA, 2019][Elektroda, Rx_7, post #5927616]

What edge case should I watch for after fixing the neutral?

If you share a neutral with another circuit, a break can send the full 400 V line-to-line onto 230 V appliances when the neutral is restored incorrectly. Verify circuit grouping before re-energising [IEC 60364].

Why did sparks appear when I touched the hall rosette?

The loose neutral made intermittent contact. Touching it shifted the wires, creating an arc as current tried to return momentarily [Elektroda, Rx_7, post #5913667]

Do I need to re-wire the whole apartment?

Only if the installation is old aluminium or lacks protective earth. Otherwise, replace scorched conductors and upgrade junctions. Full rewiring costs approx. PLN 70–90 per point in 2023 [Polish Guild, 2023].

What standard torque should I use on screw terminals?

Typical 2.5 mm² copper: 0.8–1.2 N·m; 4 mm² aluminium: 1.5 N·m [WAGO, 2021]. Always follow the manufacturer’s datasheet.

Can substituting a bigger fuse stop future neutral burns?

No. Oversized fuses or wire ‘penny fuses’ remove protection and let fault currents overheat wiring, as warned in the thread [Elektroda, Dexter861, post #5928741]
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