Running a 2.5KW heater through plug socket

[sidekickdmr]

Good afternoon,

I've a old cottage, apparently the wiring is relatively good and done in the last 20 years or so, but I'm looking to get a plug in 2.5 KW oil filled rad to take the chill off during this really cold period.

The gumpf states "do not plug into an extension lead due to fire risk" due to the large power consumption.

Will a old plastic double wall socket tucked away behind the sofa, at the furthest point from the fuse board really be any different to an extension lead in a new build?

Thoughts?

[SystemParanoia]

I have one plugged into the wwall. Its fine.

They say don't pkug it into an extension because idiots will plug 2 or 3 of them into one extension and some curling irons and the iron and overload the socket.

[motco]

IANAE but the ring main is supposed to be 13 amps. The extension lead advice is due to heating of coiled cable and the possibility that it isn't rated at 13 amps anyway. My 'Henry' cleaner is not supposed to be run without fully uncoiling the lead for the same reason.

[megaphone]

The ring main should be 32 amp, check what breaker is fitted on the fuse board. 2.5Kw is about 11A so will be fine with a 13A plug fitted.

[Peanut Gallery]

Also people have been known to leave an extension lead all twisted around its carrier when they plug in a heavy load.

I did it once just to see what the fuss was about, it was really quick in getting rather warm (too hot to touch in less than a minute), and to this day that lead keeps its twist far more than it used to.

[S11Steve]

Peanut Gallery said:

Also people have been known to leave an extension lead all twisted around its carrier when they plug in a heavy load.

I did it once just to see what the fuss was about, it was really quick in getting rather warm (too hot to touch in less than a minute), and to this day that lead keeps its twist far more than it used to.

You need to spend some time looking at the videos by Photonic-Induction on Youtube if you like to overclock electric stuff! - https://www.youtube.com/user/Photonvids/videos

[herewego]

The plug socket will probably be on a ring main anyway so it is fed by two cables.

[All that jazz]

I used to have a 1.5 KW Screwfix convector heater plugged in to my 4 gang extension strip which also had my PC tower (old low spec XP machine) and monitor plugged into it. After smelling a faint plastic burning smell for a few days which I wasn't able to identify, one evening I started seeing wisps of smoke coming up from behind the desk. This was the end result :





I used to often leave them all running (heater was on a thermostat) when I was out of the house too so I got really lucky to have caught it while I was at home.

[Gingerbread Man]

I was working on a domestic building site once. Think they were doing a bit of a refurbished. I remember picking up an extension lead to move it out of the way, but promptly dropping it due to the heat of the thing.

I don't remember what they had plugged into it. Really was hot though.

[Jonesy23]

But was that cooked plug due to it being a cheapy extension lead with simple pressed contact strips, so not as good as using it into a wall socket, or was it due to a poorly assembled contact inside the plug on a cheapy heater? I can see that one pin really overheated and the other did a little bit but it isn't obvious which end was actually at fault.

A 1.5kW heater shouldn't be pulling enough to cause that sort of problem, but if the components are crap they might not actually run to spec.

[FGB]

All that jazz said:

Aren't you supposed to remove those paper bits from plugs ?

[All that jazz]

I've no idea tbh. I'd had the strip for years and was probably bought in a DIY store or a supermarket. Convector was this thing :

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ch-2000m-turbo-convector...

It would've been running at 1250W not 1500. I never ran it at 2KW as that was just bonkers hot for my needs.

[FGB]

https://bdaily.co.uk/advice/19-05-2014/take-it-off...

Tyneside based Electrical Safety Testing specialists DRA Solutions Limited are warning people of a potential fire hazard lurking in their homes and at work; on the pins of their plugs.

The danger comes from the handy cardboard wiring diagrams that are attached to the pins of the plug on new electrical appliances you buy; most commonly found on extension leads, toasters, Televisions and lamps. These diagrams tend to be left on as people presume they’re meant to be not realising the dangers they may be causing by leaving them in place.

Richard Ayre, Director of DRA Solutions Limited said “I find it ironic that these cardboard wiring diagrams are showing us how to correctly wire a plug, promoting safety yet are a fire hazard”.

“I spend my working life crawling under desks hunting for sockets and plugs, and almost every day, wherever I go I am surprised to find this one particular little fire hazard; you could call it a pet hate, but I understand why it happens so easily. Unfortunately people are being educated the wrong way”.

[All that jazz]

FGB said:

Aren't you supposed to remove those paper bits from plugs ?

Never noticed that til you just mentioned it! That's really weird how that's still there as I always make a point of removing those before plugging it in. Maybe that's what caused it then given your blurb above. Like others have said, 1.5 KW (even with the other stuff connected) shouldn't be generating enough resistance in the wire and components to cause it to overheat and nearly catch fire.

Edited by All that jazz on Thursday 1st December 22:07

[FGB]

I'm off to check my plugs .

You should do the same .

[bristolracer]

Why does every plug come with that plastic cover on the pins?

How many millions of those things are in landfill

[battered]

bristolracer said:

Why does every plug come with that plastic cover on the pins?

How many millions of those things are in landfill

Because about 20 years ago someone got a shock from one of the old uninsulated ones. It used to be possible to have a plug hanging out and the live pins exposed. They were changed, they are safer. Workplaces had to replace them all, I ended up with a boxful of the old ones, I'm still ploughing through them.

Re OP, 2.5kW needs 10.5A. Most extension leads are not that heavy, esp if coiled, and as others say you get idiots plugging two heaters in. Not long ago I saw some muppet plugging in 2 kettles on one 4 way at work.

It's perfectly safe, a singke socket will handle 13A. A twin socket on a ring will handle 2 x 13A if it's wired 2.5 T&E in a ring, and a total of 20A if it's on a single radial circuit of 1 x 2.5 T&E. A ring main 2.5 T&E will handle 30A total.

[FGB]

battered said:

bristolracer said:

Why does every plug come with that plastic cover on the pins?

How many millions of those things are in landfill

Because about 20 years ago someone got a shock from one of the old uninsulated ones. It used to be possible to have a plug hanging out and the live pins exposed. They were changed, they are safer. Workplaces had to replace them all, I ended up with a boxful of the old ones, I'm still ploughing through them.

Re OP, 2.5kW needs 10.5A. Most extension leads are not that heavy, esp if coiled, and as others say you get idiots plugging two heaters in. Not long ago I saw some muppet plugging in 2 kettles on one 4 way at work.

It's perfectly safe, a singke socket will handle 13A. A twin socket on a ring will handle 2 x 13A if it's wired 2.5 T&E in a ring, and a total of 20A if it's on a single radial circuit of 1 x 2.5 T&E. A ring main 2.5 T&E will handle 30A total.

I think he means the "protective" plastic covers.

Probably to stop morons hurting themselves by poking themselves in the eye with a new plug

[sidekickdmr]

Cheers guys, my mind is at rest and its working perfectly!

[megaphone]

Yep, protective plastic pin covers, cardboard 'insert' that no one reads, white plastic 'safety' label that no one reads and is difficult to peal off! Total waste of time and not very 'green' .