Plug stuck in receptacle

[ThatllDoCy]

This is something my wife would do. I would ask what happened, she would say nothing, when in fact she had been jamming it in the wrong way for 5 minutes. She is from the school of if it isn't working kick it, push it, jam it, overload it, and then wonder why it is broken.

 

[Clark]

Prolly. She's used to doing that sort of thing.

 

[Miniclone11]

You may want to see about getting that trailer re-wired.

 

[intrepid27]

Speaking of things electrical I wanted to share this pic. Recently took a trip to Costa Rica and several of the houses we rented had this for a water heater. It is basically an electrical coil inside the shower head. Notice the old on/ off switch on the wall.

 

[3TrueFans]

Speaking of things electrical I wanted to share this pic. Recently took a trip to Costa Rica and several of the houses we rented had this for a water heater. It is basically an electrical coil inside the shower head. Notice the old on/ off switch on the wall.

Did it tingle when you showered?

 

[Clonefan94]

This is something my wife would do. I would ask what happened, she would say nothing, when in fact she had been jamming it in the wrong way for 5 minutes. She is from the school of if it isn't working kick it, push it, jam it, overload it, and then wonder why it is broken.

HAHA, when my wife and I were first married, I kept wondering why all of a sudden our remotes quit working. Then one night as we were watching TV, she tries to change the channel and it didn't change, so she starts smacking it with her other hand. I told her to stop, replaced the batteries and it was fine. We lost probably 5 remotes this way before I figured out her solution to low batteries in a remote.

 

[dmclone]

Get one with a USB charger so you can play games on your phone while sit on the stool. Just kidding that's gross.

 

[Wesley]

Inb4 the sexual inneuendos start.

 

[ruflosn]

So somehow Ms A got her flat iron plug stuck in our bathroom GFCI receptacle this am. I can't get it unstuck for the life of me and don't have time to deal with it before work. I shut the breaker off to that outlet so hopefully that should make me feel safer about it while I'm out of the house today, right? I'm assuming my only choice is prolly going to be replacing the outlet and smashing the old one to get the plug out? Thoughts?

You don't have time to fix it, but you have time to post about it on a message board?

 

[Wesley]

Did it tingle when you showered?

Looks like a pulsating shower.

 

[tigershoops31]

Here is what I would try. Leave the breaker off and pry the plug out with a screwdriver. Force the screwdriver down between the two prongs and pry.

Hawkeye fan still right? I'd say go with what oldman said but don't worry about turning the breaker off...that's how they did it in the old days.
:idea:

 

[TXCyclones]

Inb4 the sexual inneuendos start.

Because of your really poor timing, and the fact that the sexual innuendos started on the first page, I'm beginning to wonder if you know what a sexual innuendo is, WesleyBot?

 

[Angie]

Inb4 the sexual inneuendos start.

Sorry, Wes, you missed that by about 20 posts.

 

[roundball]

Take the outlet cover plate off, then unscrew the outlet from the gang box. Pull the whole works out so you've got a little wiggle room with the wires, and then reset the breaker so the circuit is complete. The best way to remove the prongs will be to soak the whole apparatus in water to loosen it up. Use the biggest container of water you can find. If you really want to hurry things along, hop in the water container and try sticking a tool inside the plug. MAKE SURE THE TOOL IS PLASTIC, THOUGH...you don't want to get electrocuted or anything.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

You don't have time to fix it, but you have time to post about it on a message board?

Yes because asking a question 20 minutes before I have to leave for work is the same thing as driving across town, buying a new part, driving back home and replacing it. I wanted to see what the best course of action would be so I didn't have to worry about something bad happening to my apartment while my pets are inside during my 8 hour work day.

I guess I should have asked your permission first.

 

[Prone2Clone]

Sounds like an episode of Tales from the ER.

 

[roundball]

Have you tried putting a pliers on the plug and giving it a good wiggle and yank?

Not that you'd know this in an apartment, but if there are multiple GFCI outlets in your bathroom, it's very possible that they're on the same circuit...if the one you need to replace is downstream of another GFCI outlet, you can replace it with an ordinary 15 amp outlet rather than another GFCI outlet. This will save you $12-13 or so at the store.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

Have you tried putting a pliers on the plug and giving it a good wiggle and yank?

Not that you'd know this in an apartment, but if there are multiple GFCI outlets in your bathroom, it's very possible that they're on the same circuit...if the one you need to replace is downstream of another GFCI outlet, you can replace it with an ordinary 15 amp outlet rather than another GFCI outlet. This will save you $12-13 or so at the store.

That's a good thought. But it's the only GFCI in the bathroom. I have two in the kitchen but they are on a separate breaker. I'm just happy I pulled it out of the wall and it's a standard hot/neutral/ground. I was afraid I'd see a bunch of splices or something. But even the lights in the bathroom are on a separate circuit. From what I could tell each of the 3 GFCI outlets were on their own breaker in the panel. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be. Thank god my building was built within the last 5-10 years.

 

[roundball]

That's a good thought. But it's the only GFCI in the bathroom. I have two in the kitchen but they are on a separate breaker. I'm just happy I pulled it out of the wall and it's a standard hot/neutral/ground. I was afraid I'd see a bunch of splices or something. But even the lights in the bathroom are on a separate circuit. From what I could tell each of the 3 GFCI outlets were on their own breaker in the panel. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be. Thank god my building was built within the last 5-10 years.

I think most code requires the bathroom lights to be on a separate circuit and not GFCI protected (if something trips the GFCI, you don't want the lights going out too and have to feel around for the breaker switch, possibly with wet hands).

If your landlord is cool, have them replace the outlet, and if the thing's still stuck you could use a hacksaw or something to dismantle the old outlet and remove the appliance.

 

[Wesley]

Have you tried putting a pliers on the plug and giving it a good wiggle and yank? Not that you'd know this in an apartment, but if there are multiple GFCI outlets in your bathroom, it's very possible that they're on the same circuit...if the one you need to replace is downstream of another GFCI outlet, you can replace it with an ordinary 15 amp outlet rather than another GFCI outlet. This will save you $12-13 or so at the store.

My guess is she put the plug in the opposite way it was designed and the outlet will be cracked upon removal like happened for a vacuum removal in my house.