# Lucky escape



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

How about this for a bit of electrical failure.

I have three laptops in front of me. Two are plugged into an adaptor and one on batteries. I go to plug in a 500gb portable hard drive caddy to back some stuff up off one of them and BANG. The plug exploded in my hand. Great big flash and get this. The Adaptor lead and plug have actually parted company.

All the house electrics went off and I feared the worst for the drive and the two laptops that were plugged into the same outlet.

All ok. Even the drives fine once I Fitted a new 240v power lead.  God knows what caused that. Stinks in here of burning.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

You were lucky Barry.

But strangely, neither end looks particularly damaged for such a spectacular event.

Maybe you should unplug the other end first in future ;-)


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Hmm your right. It was the plug that blew up but the wires and the end smell of burning.


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

Its not just your van then!>


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Cheek. Nothing wrong with our van!!!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The plug has he fuse in doesn't it? So if there was a short in the other end (the triangular bot that has come apart) that would blow the fuse - big time. I suspect the end that has come apart had cracked after being bent at some stage and there was a short between either the live and the neutral or the live and earth.....

Whatever you have got off lightly and your laptops etc even more so......

Someone, up there doesn't want you to come up and sort out his electrics obviously......

Dave :grin2:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

You are not supposed to pull or push on the wire/cable, use the damm plug.Am starting to feel sorry for MrsD and Hank.>


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## Harrers (Dec 21, 2011)

barryd said:


> Cheek. Nothing wrong with our van!!!


are you sure?


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Harrers said:


> are you sure?


 Hmm. Tempted fate.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Every cloud - at least you know your MCB or RCB is working.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

barryd said:


> Cheek. Nothing wrong with our van!!!


Did you say this before you discovered the flat battery??? :surprise::nerd:Whadda mistaka temaka!!!!

I was always taught (not that I ever take any notice) to plug in...THEN switch on.

Seriously I recently got a recall from HP to order a new power cord - the bit same as yours that blew up.

Maybe you have a chinese faulty fake.

BTW - microwaves should never be plugged into an extender/double adaptor! Not safe!:frown2::frown2::frown2:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

It was just a standard kettle type lead plugged into an adaptor to power an external hard disk drive for getting data off hard drives. Its been chucked about in and out of the car for years so may be the lead end and been worn or broken slightly. I dont generally buy any of that cheap junk from China although there is still a good chance in originated from there.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Just glad you did not get hurt Bazz.just keep up the insurance payments is the message to Mrs D. :grin2::grin2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> You are not supposed to pull or push on the wire/cable, use the damm plug.Am starting to feel sorry for MrsD and Hank.>


He may well have the push/pull bit sorted with Mrs D.


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