everywhere. The plug was blown half out of the power point, soot down the wall, smoke everywhere. Soot in the holes where you plug the plug in. The heater cord now has a hole in it, power must have surged through it. The heater will be thrown out, but I wonder whether the power point will be wrecked. Too scared to plug anything in it to find out. Any electricians out there? I checked the wall for any hot patches for a couple of hours, but none. Also checked the other side of the wall where there is a power point, but it is working fine. The power point in question is in the bathroom the other side of the wall is the bedroom. I have noticed that sometimes the cord from anything I plugged in to that socket in the past, would get quite warm if left plugged in too long. Usually a fan heater.
captaingraham,
Mar 24, 4:37pm
The heater would have had a plug moulded direct to the lead. It has had a poor internal connection, overheated and had a meltdown. The outlet socket may have overheated internally. If you're worried about it get an electrician to replace it. The heater may be ok with a new plug fitted.
ianab,
Mar 24, 5:16pm
"The heater cord now has a hole in it,"
I'm guessing the cord had some unseen damage, and basically had a dead short in it. You plug that in the outlet, and all sorts of exciting things happen, including melting the insulation off the cable and scorching the outlet.
Yes the current could have damaged the contacts in the outlet. The "Soot" is basically vapurised copper from the plug and socket contacts, burnt off by the arcing. That wont do them any good.
Also, your fuse or circuit breaker should have blown before the cord melted. Check someone hasn't replaced the fuse with a piece of #8 wire at some point, or some other dodgy "fix".
nzjay,
Mar 24, 6:18pm
There seems to have been localised heat from either the internal connections within the moulded plug, or between the plug pins and the socket contacts, that has allowed a plastic meltdown causing a short circuit within the plug. I'm disturbed the protection on the circuit didn't work (fuse or circuit breaker), and also that your bathroom has a power point in it that you are using a fan heater on. Unless this power point has RCD protection, this is illegal and dangerous. If it has, why didn't the RCD trip. You need a registered electrician to check all this out. The heater may only need another plug fitted (by the electrician)
nzjay,
Mar 24, 6:20pm
It may be appropriate to have the electrician suggest more appropriate, safer ways of heating your bathroom.
denisue,
Mar 24, 9:06pm
I don't use the heater to actually heat the bathroom, I use it mainly to dry out the shower box after I have used it. I have a mould and mildew problem and have found using a fan heater for 10 minutes pointed into the show has certainly helped keep the mould down. I wipe down the walls first, then use the heater. I will get an electrician in to check out both the heater and the power point. The building was built in 1972, so many electrical things are probably not up to today's standards. I have a problem with green ooze on the meter board also. I have lived there 23 years and have not had problem with using the heater in this way for the past 15 years or so, but have noticed sometimes the plug is warm when I remove it, and if I leave it in longer it is even warmer still, but not that hot that I can't touch it. So maybe the power point has been building up to a problem for some time, or the heater, although the heater was new last winter. The joys of owning an older home I guess. I will avoid the power point for now, I can not afford to get an electrician at the present time, too many other debts and problems. Thank you for your posts everyone.
denisue,
Mar 24, 9:13pm
I don't place the heater in the shower box, put it on a plastic garden chair and point it in the direction of the shower, it has a curtain, not a door, so plenty of ventilation. Make sure the curtain is well out of the way of the heat. Also make sure there is no water flowing anywhere while the heater is on, either in the shower or hand basin.
bill1451,
Mar 25, 3:24am
If you have green ooze from cables, it is plasticiser and althoght it is messy Is nothing to get too concerned about, if your house is 1972 you probably have old rewirable fuses, plug in circuit breakers are available for these And would be a safe option as fuses will not work, especially if someone has used a bit of no 8 wire in them, will just burn your house down. Do not use the damaged socket as the connections will be weak and cause overheating.
denisue,
Mar 25, 3:46pm
I have taped over the socket to make sure I can not use it. Just in case I forget and plug something in it. Can't afford an electrician at the moment, so it will just have to go in the queue of other problems I need money for. At times like this I wish I had a landlord! The green ooze is coming from the fuses, and yes they are rewireable. I have fuse wire, but so far have not had to use it.
denisue,
Mar 25, 9:57pm
Thank you. I will get an electrician in when I can afford to. Have a priority list for things requiring money. That can go on the end. I have some other electrical problems, Will get them all done at the same time, sometime in the future.
denisue,
Feb 22, 4:11am
The joys of buying a property that is 43 years old. It was 20 years old when I first bought it, and some of these problems have happened along the way. I have a towel rail under the meter box, and some of the green ooze dripped onto a towel. I was told it was poisonous stuff, so was very careful not to touch it. I would never be able to afford a rewire. Just don't have the income. Need a huge pay rise to cover it. And that is not going to happen any time soon.
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