Plug melted on Radiator

martin123123

Hi

My plug on my eletric mobile radiator melted. It was plugged into an extension lead and was the only device plugged into it. The extension lead seems fine. it burned a whole in the plug and the fuse and surrounding area was burnt black. Is it possible that the fuse wasnt connected correctly as i wasnt over powering the extension lead. I have also been using one of those plug in timmers that you plug the heater into at set the times that you want it to come on at.( i bought it for 5 euro in euor giant) But i wasnt using it the night the plug melted.

I replaced the plug but since im using the same procedure, just the heater in the extension lead im concerned it will happen again, as i have not eliminated anything.

Would it be possible that the extension lead is the cause but the heater plug took the damage?

Any advice is appreciated. cheers.

adrian92

I suggest two courses of action.
1. Disposal of the extension lead.
2. Replacement of the plug on your heater (this will probably involve cutting the cable back from the damaged area in order to get good connection for a new plug top)

Whatever was the cause, it is probable that both the plug and extension lead are irreparably damaged by the heating effect you described

TheChizler

Once you rewired the new plug correctly with good tight contact between the screws and copper strands it should be fine. Most likely there was a loose connection which overheated due to the low contact area or arcing. Also double check the new fuse is suitable.

Personally I would use the extension lead again provided there's no sign of damage. Thus may involve opening it up if possible to check for scorch marks and making sure there's no burn smell.

Unless you're living in Australia. Just read it's illegal to wire your own plugs there!

wait4me

martin123123 wrote: »

I have also been using one of those plug in timmers that you plug the heater into at set the times that you want it to come on at.( i bought it for 5 euro in euor giant)

I'd also immediately stop using a timer like this until you are sure that it has a rating which allows it to run a heavy wattage such as a heater. These yokes maybe okay for lights or such like but not heaters.

Bruthal

TheChizler wrote: »

Personally I would use the extension lead again provided there's no sign of damage.

I wouldn't be big into using an extension lead for heaters either way.

TheChizler

Bruthal wrote: »

TheChizler wrote: »

Personally I would use the extension lead again provided there's no sign of damage.

I wouldn't be big into using an extension lead for heaters either way.

Not normally no. OP mentioned they checked the rating though so they made a conscious decision at least.

Dufftronic

using an extension lead is fine as long as you fully unwind it during operation

Quackster

Might be advisable not to use the socket on the extension lead the heater was plugged into again though - the contacts could well have been damaged and it's unlikely the extension lead can be opened up to check.

I'd mark that socket or put a child safety cover on it (if you've one lying around) to prevent it being used again.

2011

Quackster wrote: »

I'd mark that socket or put a child safety cover on it (if you've one lying around) to prevent it being used again.

Disposing of a faulty and possibly unsafe device such as this would make much more sense.

Quackster

2011 wrote: »

Disposing of a faulty and possibly unsafe device such as this would make much more sense.

Previous advice on this thread was to keep using the extension lead if no visible sign of damage. I'm merely saying that the least I'd do is not use the socket on the extension lead the damaged plug was in again as the contacts in that particular socket are possibly damaged.

Of course, disposing of and replacing the entire extension lead provides maximum peace of mind.

2011

Quackster wrote: »

I'm merely saying that the least I'd do is not use the socket on the extension lead the damaged plug was in again as the contacts in that particular socket are possibly damaged.

If you think that a mains voltage socket or plug are "possibly damaged" chuck it in the bin, if you feel they are not damaged don't take any action. Writing warning messages or applying child safety covers to a potential fire hazard is not a sensible course of action under any circumstances.

Quackster

2011 wrote: »

If you think that a mains voltage socket or plug are "possibly damaged" chuck it in the bin, if you feel they are not damaged don't take any action. Writing warning messages or applying child safety covers to a potential fire hazard is not a sensible course of action under any circumstances.

In the case at hand, it would be extremely foolish to assume the extension lead is not damaged based on the lack of any visible external damage. Therefore you should be recommending that it be binned full-stop rather than only if the OP thinks it's damaged.

2011

Quackster wrote: »

Therefore you should be recommending that it be binned full-stop rather than only if the OP thinks it's damaged.

We are agreed so, bin all "possibly damaged" mains voltage plugs or sockets. Written warnings and/or child safety covers are not the solution.

Bruthal

If the actual pins of the plug that goes into the socket are clean enough, the extension lead will likely be fine to keep using.

If the contact to the extension socket contacts was at fault, the plug pins will be showing signs of severe overheating.