How bad is it.....
Discussion
It sounds bad.
If you're feeling competent - turn the electricity off at the main fuse box, check that nothing works - unscrew the offending socket and take a peak inside. There might be an obvious cause that you can see - if you can't see an obvious cause then replace socket and call an electrician. Remove/switch off light fuse in main fuse box so other electrics can be used - and use torch/ candles until fixed.
If you're feeling competent - turn the electricity off at the main fuse box, check that nothing works - unscrew the offending socket and take a peak inside. There might be an obvious cause that you can see - if you can't see an obvious cause then replace socket and call an electrician. Remove/switch off light fuse in main fuse box so other electrics can be used - and use torch/ candles until fixed.
Thanks. That I can (probably) do. I think at some point we will need a total rewire, the electrics in this house are dodgy to say the least. The shower pump trips the whole house so we don't use that, the immersion went bang the other day so we had to replace the switch but its still a bit dodgy (can't change the temp on it so when you switch it on the water literally boils in the tank) and even though there are three seperate lights and three switches in both the kitchen and living room, in both rooms one switch controls all three lights.
I love my house....
I love my house....
Lippitt said:
.... If your kitchen light switch gives you a shock when you switch the light on/off occasionally? Is it just regular need to get an electrician sometime bad, or get an electrician immediately you fool bad?
Did you REALLY just ask that question?? Get someone in before you kill yourself or someone else!!!!
The OP hasn't said what sort of shock. If it's a buzzing shock you feel right up your arm then I'd go along with the above advice.
However, if it's just a sharp pin prick it could just be you're generating a static charge walking across some carpet, say, and just earthing yourself on the fixing screws.
If the screws are screwed into an earthed, metal back plate it should be near impossible to get a shock from the mains off a plastic casing.
A mains testing screwdriver costs about £3 from Halfrauds.
However, if it's just a sharp pin prick it could just be you're generating a static charge walking across some carpet, say, and just earthing yourself on the fixing screws.
If the screws are screwed into an earthed, metal back plate it should be near impossible to get a shock from the mains off a plastic casing.
A mains testing screwdriver costs about £3 from Halfrauds.
driverrob said:
The OP hasn't said what sort of shock. If it's a buzzing shock you feel right up your arm then I'd go along with the above advice.
However, if it's just a sharp pin prick it could just be you're generating a static charge walking across some carpet, say, and just earthing yourself on the fixing screws.
If the screws are screwed into an earthed, metal back plate it should be near impossible to get a shock from the mains off a plastic casing.
A mains testing screwdriver costs about £3 from Halfrauds.
Good advice. Go with this along with tickling it with your crack However, if it's just a sharp pin prick it could just be you're generating a static charge walking across some carpet, say, and just earthing yourself on the fixing screws.
If the screws are screwed into an earthed, metal back plate it should be near impossible to get a shock from the mains off a plastic casing.
A mains testing screwdriver costs about £3 from Halfrauds.
Edited by Dave_ST220 on Wednesday 27th July 10:19
Lippitt said:
Indeed. Unless I use one of my special ones, but I don't think rubber conducts electricity anyway 
Thinking back, the water fight we had on the night it started doing it may have been partly (or wholly) responsible.
I have no idea how I am still alive.
Thinking back, the water fight we had on the night it started doing it may have been partly (or wholly) responsible.
I have no idea how I am still alive.
Can I copy this to the "Classic from the Mrs" thread?
Only sometimes? Have you thought that it might be caused by static build up in you rather than an electrical fault. If it is a metal switch then that may be your answer; it earths you and you feel a mild electric shock and a very small spark. Worth considering before calling a sparks in.
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