Careful plugging your charger in - Opus 3400

I’ve got a couple of Opus 3400’s at home and whenever I plug them into an extension lead the sockets tend to make a bit of a fizz. They clearly don’t like being pushed into a live socket but I’m lazy and the extension lead in use had no switches.

I’ve had a few fizzes and a couple of very minor flashes plugging them in but last night I plugged one in and got a proper bang from it. A decent flash and blew the fuse in the extension lead and tripped the circuit breaker for that floor of my house.

Funnily enough the charger works fine still, it just really doesn’t like being plugged into a live socket. Annoying really as the sockets in my office don’t have switches so it’s live or nothing.
Thinking about it, in the states i’m sure 99% of the sockets I’ve ever used had no on/off switch.

What i’m saying is - be careful! The transformers seem to be crap.

Ahhh british dry humor, it has been a while.

I didn’t intend for any humor to be in that post I was genuinley annoyed at it and felt a little mention on here.
In my 6 weeks I spent in the states a while back none of the wall outlets had on/off switches on them either. There is no joke about it just none of them had it.

Switches on wall outlets? I've installed a couple hundred myself and never done that! Might be a good idea for my garage.

these are standard throughout the uk…

It’s hard to find a non switched wall outlet.

All power outlets in Australia have on/off switches, never seen one without.

Actually, what it sounds like is that your “extension lead” is junk. It shouldn’t be arcing like that when you plug something into it, even a transformer. Also, make sure when you plug something in to a “live” outlet, you are not dawdling about, but pushing it in firmly and decisively. As some others have said, we don’t generally have switched electrical outlets, although there are some specific cases in which an outlet might be switched. We certainly don’t have any like those in the pictures above. Some people may be surprised to learn that we don’t have switched water heaters on our shower heads either.

The extension lead most certainly isn’t junk and both of the transformers will fizz or spark a bit if plugged into a live wall outlet too.

A switched wall outlet?
I have seen this in a few houses in the US, but here in Germany and on my holiday trips of the last years in Italy, France, Denmark, Croatia never.

A power cord extension with a switch of course, but not a switch for a wall outlet.

Okay, then I was wrong. I guess those transformers really are a special kind of junk, because I’ve never seen that problem before and I’m a state licensed electrician. :wink: I have seen more than my fair share of junk power extensions, however.

I’m sure you probably have but these are decent enough. The extension is going to be replaced as a precautionary measure but they do fizz and pop when going into normal mains sockets throughout the house. Only enough to be heard usually so I don’t worry too much. They never get hot and the voltage output is quite stable. Seems they just dont like the initial surge of current when you plug them in.

Doesn’t the transformer have a European plug on it?, mine does so I have to use a uk to euro adapter, if so I’d say the adapter is the cause of your problem

My genuine Apple 85W MagSafe power bricks, which are generally regarded as well designed with high quality components (putting aside the damn strain relief on the cords), give me sparks if I’m not speedy about plugging them in. I’m not exactly happy about it, but it isn’t just a problem with cheap chinese power bricks.

Does this charger still have any problems with the

cooling fan ?

Just checked mine—Like I thought no problems here in Louisiana—My power supply is 120v input to 12v output—The ones you have are 220v—might be the problem—-Does just the cord do this without being plugged in the charger

sound like these transformers have no inrush current limiters in them, therefore, the internal buffer cap draws a massive load till it is charged up.

I’d say the charger is crap. I don’t have issues with the 120V either.

Confirm that power outlet with switch are not used here in Italy, if you find them (maybe one in a dozen million houses :P) it has been putted there on purpose by a very cautious person.
Also never seen that in Switzerland, Germany or France or Ireland either

I can confirm often enough seeing a spark when plugging something into US 110v — and I go back to the era when receptacles and plugs weren’t polarized, but it’s not only old stuff. As EAS says, Apple (and most other) computer power supplies and USB power adapters do this sometimes.

Not usually any noise or oddness internal to the device though, just a little flash at the point the plug connects with the receptacle.
Same thing happens with any straight resistance load like an incandescent lamp, if it’s switched on before plugging it in.

I wonder why not everyone sees this. Personal magnetism?
Maybe it’s just me?

No, ’oogle reassures me it’s normal enough: http://www.quora.com/Why-does-the-electrical-socket-emit-sparks-when-I-plug-something-in

No switches on power points? Heathens.