Hot plug prongs on 3kw dimplex heater

micks_address

Hi folks,

Just got a new outdoor socket wired by electrician. We ran a 3kw dimplex heater from it for an hour and when I unplugged the heater the plug prongs were quite hot. Is that normal?

Cheers,
Mick

micks_address

micks_address wrote: »

Hi folks,

Just got a new outdoor socket wired by electrician. We ran a 3kw dimplex heater from it for an hour and when I unplugged the heater the plug prongs were quite hot. Is that normal?

Cheers,
Mick

Actually just realized it was a two plug extension lead that the plug was warm in. Possiblity need a better extension lead?

autumnalcore

3000w is the absolute limit for a 13a plug and using it outdoors it will presumably be on 100% of the time not kicking on and off with the thermostat so yes getting hot is 'normal' but its not a good idea.

Its generally not a good idea to plug a load like that into a good extension lead and is often dangerous to plug it into an average extension lead.

A lot of extension leads are 10a or even less, and a lot are made with really poor quality alloys or plated steel that produce high resistance = hot connections, extension reels must also be fully unwound for full load.

I assume you are talking about a dimplex convector in which case if you are plugging it in outdoors most of the heat and your money is convecting away into the atmosphere. A lower wattage hard wired infrared heater is the appropriate thing for outdoors.

micks_address

autumnalcore wrote: »

3000w is the absolute limit for a 13a plug and using it outdoors it will presumably be on 100% of the time not kicking on and off with the thermostat so yes getting hot is 'normal' but its not a good idea.

Its generally not a good idea to plug a load like that into a good extension lead and is often dangerous to plug it into an average extension lead.

A lot of extension leads are 10a or even less, and a lot are made with really poor quality alloys or plated steel that produce high resistance = hot connections, extension reels must also be fully unwound for full load.

I assume you are talking about a dimplex convector in which case if you are plugging it in outdoors most of the heat and your money is convecting away into the atmosphere. A lower wattage hard wired infrared heater is the appropriate thing for outdoors.

Was actually an electrician recommended the fan heater..in fairness it directs the heat toward the area we sitting in and is quite effective. Correct re the thermostat it wouldn't kick in. The extension lead i was using had ten amp fuse. I've ordered an outdoor lead with 13a fuse

autumnalcore

micks_address wrote: »

Was actually an electrician recommended the fan heater..in fairness it directs the heat toward the area we sitting in and is quite effective. Correct re the thermostat it wouldn't kick in. The extension lead i was using had ten amp fuse. I've ordered an outdoor lead with 13a fuse

Fuse is basically a resistor so running 13a through a 10 fuse makes a nice heater in your plug and the undersized cable would get nice and warm too. Which is why dimplex have a warning in their manuals about extension leads.

It might have been quite effective yesterday but a few degrees colder and a fan heater outdoors will be more like a fart in your general direction :-p An infrared heater is massively more efficient way of directing heat

micks_address

autumnalcore wrote: »

Fuse is basically a resistor so running 13a through a 10 fuse makes a nice heater in your plug and the undersized cable would get nice and warm too. Which is why dimplex have a warning in their manuals about extension leads.

It might have been quite effective yesterday but a few degrees colder and a fan heater outdoors will be more like a fart in your general direction :-p An infrared heater is massively more efficient way of directing heat

would you have a recommendation for a infrared heater that you can plug in? Will then give you heat sitting six feet away?

TheBoyConor

Why on earth are you using an electric heater outdoors? Put on a jumper ffs.

micks_address

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Why on earth are you using an electric heater outdoors? Put on a jumper ffs.

You wiped out a complete industry there in one of patio heaters.. still the jumper business will boom

TheBoyConor

micks_address wrote: »

You wiped out a complete industry there in one of patio heaters.. still the jumper business will boom

Tbh, the patio heater is a relic of the celtic tiger. I haven't seen one since 2008.

micks_address

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Tbh, the patio heater is a relic of the celtic tiger. I haven't seen one since 2008.

Our patio gets nice sun from 3 to 7 in the evening but is in shade after that. Gets a bit chilly out there. It's a corner setup with plastered walls around so blowing a bit of heat low down actually helps quite a bit. Probably only the odd evening. Ok it's maybe not the cheapest but probably costs less than a euro for an hour..