- Colonel - wrote:
OK, I know just enough about electricity to be dangerous, but this one
has me stumped.

Today I had an oil convection electric heater (1500W) turned on in the
bathroom to heat up the room before taking a shower, and when I
unplugged it, I noticed the prongs of the plug were HOT. Probably like
175°F hot...almost too hot to touch. Then I put my hand on the socket
and that was hot, too.

Yet the cord to the heater wasn't even warm.

If the heater uses 1500W I assume that at 125V my load is about
12A...right?
It's an old house but the wiring is modern Romex.

Why would the prongs of the plug and the socket get so hot? Resistance
in the plug? (The plug APPEARS undamaged, and we always pull it out by
grabbing the plug, not the wire).

Should I put a new plug onto the cord?

Is it likely there was resistance or a bad connection in the socket?

Thanks for any clues.

Following up on another poster, first determine if the problem lies with the
plug or the socket. Power the heater from another socket far away. If the
plug still gets hot, you've got a plug problem; if not, you've got a socket
problem.

(It IS possible, too, that you've got BOTH a plug problem AND a socket
problem.)

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
- Colonel - wrote:
OK, I know just enough about electricity to be dangerous, but this one
has me stumped.

Today I had an oil convection electric heater (1500W) turned on in the
bathroom to heat up the room before taking a shower, and when I
unplugged it, I noticed the prongs of the plug were HOT. Probably like
175°F hot...almost too hot to touch. Then I put my hand on the socket
and that was hot, too.

Yet the cord to the heater wasn't even warm.

If the heater uses 1500W I assume that at 125V my load is about
12A...right?
It's an old house but the wiring is modern Romex.

Why would the prongs of the plug and the socket get so hot? Resistance
in the plug? (The plug APPEARS undamaged, and we always pull it out by
grabbing the plug, not the wire).

Should I put a new plug onto the cord?

Is it likely there was resistance or a bad connection in the socket?

Thanks for any clues.

Following up on another poster, first determine if the problem lies with
the plug or the socket. Power the heater from another socket far away. If
the plug still gets hot, you've got a plug problem; if not, you've got a
socket problem.

(It IS possible, too, that you've got BOTH a plug problem AND a socket
problem.)


If while you are messing with the receptacle you notice that you have 14
gauge wire back there, discontinue using that circuit for the heater. For
1500W you need a full 20A branch with a 12 gauge wire.

I would also add that most receptacles are actually 15A devices (see
markings molded into plastic). Just get a 20A receptacle and replace and
you should be fine if you follow all the other advice given here.