Need electrical advice!

manatoo · 05-03-2012 12:35PM #1

Hi

I have a 2kw fan heater. 2 issues have started with it.

1) When using it the plug has started to heat up significantly. Not quite to the point that you wouldn't be able to grip it to unplug it but not far off. A quick popping off of the cover of the plug revealed that the black wire is completely corroded/melted/generally annihilated and there's brown burnt looking discolouration all over that pin and the side of the plastic casing which contacts it.

2) The heater has started cutting in and out intermittently. I know this isn't due to the thermostat functioning as normal because by moving the thermostat dial I can see where it should be cutting in and out and this isn't what's causing it.

I'm not sure if the 2 issues are linked. The heater is old but it's a good brand and I'd rather not chuck it if there's no big issue.

Cheers for any help you can give guys

Avns1s · 05-03-2012 12:38PM

Cut off the old plug and the damaged cable section and put a new one on.

Sounds to me like a loose or bad connection on the N. See where you go from there.

manatoo · 05-03-2012 01:55PM

Thanks Avens1s. Any ideas on why it would be cutting out? I did accidentally cover it with a towel the other day and that cut it out but after removing it came back on and was fine for the next few days. I suspect it's related....

Avns1s · 05-03-2012 02:02PM

Well, if the connections are burnt at the plug, it may be losing power. Change the plug and see how you get on. It may solve the problem completely.

If not, we'll have to see if we can dig deeper.

Bruthal · 05-03-2012 03:06PM

Poor quality or old sockets can also cause this. Did you notice any burn marks on the plug pins?

But changing the plug would be the first course of action anyway.

The intermittent working of the heater would be likely due to a bad connection, possibly the now badly damaged connection in the plug.

manatoo · 05-03-2012 03:39PM

There are burn marks on both the pin, the plastic surround and also on the socket I plug it into.

Actually the socket I plug it into is also cracked, just on the plastic front cover but could this mean that the connection on the plug side isn't great too?

Cheers for the help lads, much appreciated

meercat · 05-03-2012 04:00PM

agree with the replies you already have
replace both the plug and the socket and this may resolve your problem

meercat · 05-03-2012 04:03PM

when you cut the plug off,make sure to cut the cable back a few inches
you may find the cores are brown and blue(not black)

RealExpert · 05-03-2012 10:11PM

when you accidentally covered it with the towel you stopped the airflow through it and the elements glowed red getting too hot and cutting out.I agree with the above posts also make a visible check to make sure the fan didnt suck in some fluff from the towel and partially obstruct the air intake.If it were me I would bin it and get another one they are not expensive but most of all are you are putting yourself or your family in danger if in doubt throw it out.

manatoo · 06-03-2012 02:25PM

Thanks for the advice everyone. Cutting off the old plug, cutting the cable back as far as where there's no charring seems to have solved it. The new plug isn't heating up at all and the cutting in and out isn't happening anymore. Must've been a bad connection somewhere in the plug/copper wires. As mentioned above I hoovered out some fluff from around the vents also as they were looking pretty clogged.

No idea why the old plug wud have been heating up. I read somewhere that not enough wire contact on a high wattage appliance can lead to that but I don't get why that would be the case. Surely the thing would just cut out if this was the case, not heat the contact points.

Anyway, cheers for all the help!

meercat · 06-03-2012 04:22PM

if you can ,replace the socket also
just in case any damage was done to the pins

Bruthal · 06-03-2012 06:02PM

manatoo wrote: »

No idea why the old plug wud have been heating up. I read somewhere that not enough wire contact on a high wattage appliance can lead to that but I don't get why that would be the case. Surely the thing would just cut out if this was the case, not heat the contact points.

Once there is contact, it will work, but if the connection is not sound, it will heat, and metal wires or ferules on the wore ends in a screw terminal tend to relax a little after a while when compressed, so if they are not tightened properly in the first place, the connection can become worse over time, heat more, and this adds to the problem. If they then get very hot, the conductor oxidises, making the connection fail eventually.

As meercat says, replacing the socket would be recommended, especially if the face plate is cracked like i think you said earlier.

TPM · 08-03-2012 10:42PM

As meercat and robbie say the socket should be replaced, most times its the contacts in the socket that wear/break or spread apart causing poor contact and over heating.

This problem is common enough in sockets with regular high current demand, washing machines, electric heaters. I think over time the high current heats the metal "clips" in the socket (that touch the plug pins) causing them to weaken

Need electrical advice!

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