Bashiqa (asker) May 28, 2011:

@cc I hope that whatever was stuck in your throat has now gone!!!!

chris collister May 28, 2011:

Yes, splatter, spatter, sputter.... splutter??

Bashiqa (asker) May 28, 2011:

@All I have actually sent this off to client having used my own choice of 'sputtering'. i.e. sprayed copper blobs for the non-technical.

chris collister May 28, 2011:

Copper splatter

Ronald van Riet May 28, 2011:

copper balls is all I can think of..

been there, done that, but WTH is it called?

chris collister May 26, 2011:

Another meaning of "perlage" is the appearance of droplets of water from a leaking or permeable pipe (for example), though I think it more likely here that the chosen interpretation is correct. Poor soldering can also produce blobs of solder where you don't want them.

cc in nyc May 25, 2011:

Thanks, both :-) Got it. That makes sense.

Bashiqa (asker) May 25, 2011:

@cc Sorry, no photo. I'm pretty sure the copper comes from the mains cable that has shorted to earth, having already caused the fire due to overheating of the surrounding plastic.
Thanks for your explanation Tony, you beat me to it.

Tony M May 25, 2011:

I'd doubt it, CC This is a very common phenomenon in electrical overheating situations, where the copper starts to melt and 'spits' off into tiny balls that stay on the surface; the appearance is really quite pretty...

cc in nyc May 25, 2011:

@ Bashiqa Does the photo show bits of copper all around? I ask because the GDT gives synonyms "moutonnage" and "marbrure" in other domains. Mottling might be apparent on the dishwasher itself, or – more likely, since copper is involved – on the pipes.

Tony M May 25, 2011:

Possibly That was what sprang to my mind too.

It's certainly used for 'perlage' in certain contexts, but can't say I've ever encountered it in this specific one.

Bashiqa (asker) May 25, 2011:

Nothing missing apart from a photo.
Just occurred to me 'sputtering' might be the answer. What do you think?

Tony M May 25, 2011:

I agree... ...with your interpretation, but no, I don't know what the proper technical term is.

BTW, isn't there something missing after your 'zone de...'?

However, I vaguely remember something similar cropping up once before, I wonder if you'll be able to find anything in the archives?