[aeastworth]

Ok this one is pretty weird.

I've smelled a fish smell every time someone in the house uses certain plug-ins.

Like in the Bathroom if my wife uses the hairdryer the entire house stinks; but if she uses a plug-in in the living room nothing happens. Same thing in the bedroom, if she uses the hairdryer or when we turn the computer on the bedroom it smells really bad. But I use the same plug-ins for other things that run all the time. Like the cell phone charger in always plugged in the bedroom. And it is in the same receptacle that the computer is plugged in when we turn it on (I unplug the computer when I'm not using it). Last night I had the computer going in the bedroom while I was in the living room and before I knew it the smell was all over the place. I thought at first it could be a light bulb that was a higher watt than a fixture was rated but I tried turning all of the lights out and I still could smell the odor when the dryer was turned on in the bathroom. Also in the same receptacle in the bathroom we have a clock radio that is always plugged in. It never gives off an odor.

Please help, the smell is so bad it makes us sick.

[donf]

If you can isolate it down to one outlet, than you need to watch the outlet while the hair dryer iws in use. See if you can detect any flashing behind the faceplate. That would indicate that the connections are loose.

If you don't' see any flashes, then, turn the breaker off that controls this outlet and remove the face plate. Inspect for any signs of burning or scorching. Tug on the wires to make sure they are tight, make sure there no critters who exited life by biting into the feed line (Black).

[Stratmando]

Maybe one time when the smell has cleared, Try hair drier briefly or longer if you need. Then turn off. Then smell each receptacle, it may not be coming from one it is not plugged into. Check those connections. Good Luck

[msk]

Most of the bad smell appears due to loose connections(may be loose cable or loose pin/plug connection) as Mr.donf has stated. Sometimes the sparking is so little that it cannot be detected. A second thing sometimes the cables insulation gets overheated and burnt and whenever you plug in some load it starts giving smell. My suggestion is to check the sockets