quote:

This, it was a loose connection on the back side of the outlet.

not so clear. the charger is melted. I would not expect any damage on the charger end from a failed outlet.

My prior comments should not be taken to mean that chargers are not a fire hazard. They are, the best you can do is get UL listed ones. I'm a FF and I have been to some number of fires that ultimately were determined to be power distribution extensions and battery chargers. I would not leave a lithium cordless battery charger running unattended period.

That is not a charger failure, that is a bad electrical connection. The charger wouldn't have done that much damage to the outlet. That also didn't happen right away, the outlet has likely getting worse and worse over time.

Were the outlet wires stabbed in or did they use the screw terminals?

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
The wiring burned up behind the wall and the outlet, not the charger. It's clear in the picture.

Your charger didn't burn up. Your outlet did.

Yup.

That being said: I don't know Ravpower from Adam. I'll stick with Anker.

This is dated but is still pertinent.

quote:

Inspect your surge protectors for fire danger

https://www.mercurynews.com/20...ors-for-fire-danger/

I'll be damned, he said, as he walked over and unplugged the same unit from the wall. I tend to leave those things plugged in all the time.

The prongs are very solid, no way to bend them to achieve a tighter fit if your outlet is a bit loose.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

Were the outlet wires stabbed in or did they use the screw terminals?

Screwed in.

Typical china junk.

It's a bad outlet. Arcing occurred in the outlet. The melting on the charger adapter is from heat through the prong.

How old is the house and the electrical system? It may be a good time to look at GFI outlets.

It looks like an older wall, with a plastic box inset, and wiring newer than the house. Is that the case?

Thankfully you caught it before anything worse happened. I never leave chargers plugged in if they're not being used for fear of the same. I know it might be stupid with everything else in the house plugged in but it makes me feel better.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
Could this have been a simple outlet failure and not the charger? Last time I bought an outlet it was 99 cents.

That would be my guess. The prong on the USB charger wasn't making good contact within the socket of the outlet and the heat generated from the increased resistance melted both.

I've had this happen when outlets get loose and don't hold the plugs tightly.

I'm inclined to believe this is an Outlet failure, NOT a failure of the charger. If you look at the damage to the outlet it indicates that there was some arcing going on which generated enough heat to get things really going.

It's why before I moved into my current house I took the time to replace nearly every outlet in the house. Also installed 20 amp outlests in the kitchen because 20 amp outlets feature a much firmer "grip" on a plug than the typical 15 amp outlet.

I don't know if they're safer, but I like using these, made by Leviton.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I don't know if they're safer, but I like using these, made by Leviton.

Just make sure you buy the newer type which is capable of fast charging.

I have the type that only gives like 2.5 watts toward charging my phone.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Were the outlet wires stabbed in or did they use the screw terminals?

Do you feel one method is safer/more reliable than the other?

quote:

Originally posted by deepocean:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Were the outlet wires stabbed in or did they use the screw terminals?

Do you feel one method is safer/more reliable than the other?

Considering I fix outlets daily that melt just like that I can assure you 1000%, the stab in method is horrible. It's a bent piece of metal in the outlet that acts like a Chinese finger trap. The screw terminals have way more metal in contact with the copper wire. As long as properly tightened it will not fail in dry conditions.

It's space heater season for me. I replace half a dozen outlets that melt just like that every week from now til March. Of the ones that fail 95% are stab in connections the 5% that are screw terminals were never properly torqued and I can usually easily wiggle the wire around the melted terminal.

Any outlet I install utilizes the screw terminals and if there are more than two wires I pigtail the wiring.

If you have a house built in early 80's they are worse because they would accept #14 & #12 wire. The smaller wire size fails more often. Now they are limited to #14 only.

I'm really surprised it was hooked up with terminals. Possibly an exterior wall and moisture got to it or it was never properly tightened.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Skins2881,

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

Considering I fix outlets daily that melt just like that I can assure you 1000%, the stab in method is horrible. It's a bent piece of metal in the outlet that acts like a Chinese finger trap. The screw terminals have way more metal in contact with the copper wire. As long as properly tightened it will not fail in dry conditions.

Jesse, thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

My father told me a long time ago he preferred the screw on connections. He felt the other method was for people too lazy to take the time to bend the wires around the screws. I'm glad I listened to him.