Electrical – Outlet giving off a burning smell

electricalreceptaclesafety

There is an electrical outlet in a room in my house giving off a strange smell. It smells kindof burnt? It happens almost immediately when something is plugged in/turned on and I promptly turn off/unplug every time so I don't know what might happen if left on/plugged in for an extended period of time (and the outlet is in my young daughter's bedroom so I'm not too inclined to find out). If something is plugged in and off (like a lamp in the off position), the smell does not happen. But if it's plugged in and turned on (lamp turned on or something like an alarm clock that has no on/off switch and is thus always "on"), the smell comes within about 30-60 seconds and is quite strong. We've tested this on a number of different things to conclude it's the outlet and not the thing being plugged in. My husband replaced the receptacle and cleaned the dust & debris out of the box, but the problem persists. He noted that there was no discoloration of the receptacle, wires, or the box, though there did appear to be some mild corrosion on the wires he believed to be the result of arcing. The thing was old, but otherwise appeared normal.

Any ideas what the problem could be and how we can fix it?

Best Answer

You have vinyl curtains

These can have a smell like burnt plastic when heated by sunlight.

Here are some things to check:

  • If you can only smell it on sunny days
  • If you can smell it on sunny days with the power turned off
  • If you can only smell it in a room that is getting direct sunlight
  • If the smell is more prominent when the curtains are pulled down.

You should still check all outlets. Check for things like outlets that are warm to touch, outlets with blackened ends, and other indications of unsafe wiring. But if you can't find any wiring issues, stick your face in the curtains and give them a sniff.

There are a few methods for trying to clean them, but the issue should be harmless.

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