OK I moved my stereo system out of the way at Xmas to make way for tree etc. On plugging back in after Xmas - nothing it was dead - changed fuses etc nothing!

Grabbed the one out of bedroom in worked fine , but we got a better hifi plugged in fine. Next day wanted to listen to cds again - it was dead - changed fuses nothing.

Grabbed the old one from bedroom again - plugged it in.. and.. dead!

3 stereos since Xmas killed - all being plugged into the same plug socket with a two plug adapter - a tall lamp uses the other side of the adapter and has no problems.. Help!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Langy

OK I moved my stereo system out of the way at Xmas to make way for tree etc. On plugging back in after Xmas - nothing it was dead - changed fuses etc nothing!

Grabbed the one out of bedroom in worked fine , but we got a better hifi plugged in fine. Next day wanted to listen to cds again - it was dead - changed fuses nothing.

Grabbed the old one from bedroom again - plugged it in .. and..dead!!

3 stereos since Xmas killed - all being plugged into the same plug socket with a two plug adapter - a tall lamp uses the other side of the adapter and has no problems.. Help!

---

The problem with a lot of electrical devices these days is the diodes which are fitted can blow at the slightest power surge or spike.
If you live in an area which is prone to a lot of these surges I would advise you that you get yourself a surge protector. Plug this into your mains and then the device such as television or hifi plugged into that!
I never use two way or even threeway adaptors especially on a socket which may have been wired as a single spur socket and is only a primary main socket. I am not sure if you are in the US or the UK but here most houses these days are wired independent on all floors i.e 1st floor ring main 2nd floor ring main, Kitchen sockets on another ring main.
This means that power flows in either direction back to the consumer unit. So you have a double socket which is wired into another double socket and then back to the source.
On this system you will have spurs, maybe one single socket which has no return and is linked with a single cable. These sockets must never be over loaded. Prior to the ring main years 30 years ago most houses were wired as a primary main no feed flowing back to the consumer unit and all sockets fed through the same single cable both upstairs and down. But obviously you were then only able fit so many sockets on each floor.
On a single floor ring main circuit I think it works like this if you have two sockets in a room you can have two spurs?
Any sorry to go on so long but your problem maybe due to a power spike or surge or overloading the socket.
I hope your p.c is surge protected. I hope this helps?

KNowing where you are, and how new/old your home electrical is, is essential in order to give a relevant answer. Could be incorrect wiring, could be a lifted neutral, could even be DC on the audio connectors.

The lamp isn't going to be much help; tungsten filaments, although mechanically fragile, are quite tough electrically. They'll survive higher voltage, not justa spike but a several second surge, quite well.

Also, are you sure it's just that socket? If it's whole house and your only fragile device is the stereo, it'll still be the only thing that goes kablooey.

But previous poster gave wise info: get a surge surpressor, a good one (not the cheapest) and use it. I have a whole-house surpressor wired in (I live in an apt and when I had a dozen loose-fitting electrical outlets replaced, I gave the electrician $20 to add the device to the circuit panel), plus I have extra surpressors where my computers, video, audio, and ham/VHF/LF/UHF radio stuff all plug in. Better safe than sorry.