Block heater....again?

[RamDiver]

Starting to wonder this. Stopped working, tried mix of Cable and timer, even changed the plug on the end of a cable because thought it wast hat.

Are you saying the plug was getting hot?

If so, full stop and reassess.

A properly sized plug/extension cord should never get hot.
What gauge of extension cord are you using and is there anything else plugged in besides the block heater?

IIRC, the block heater is only about 400 Watts but I would still want a minimum of an AWG-16.

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[dashbarron]

I'm saying the block heater has completely stopped working. Change different building with a different panel box / cord and nothing now. When it wasn't working the outlet/cable never got hot. But in the cable's end I changed it had arced enough you could see scorch marks, so thats where I started.

IIRC I had Christmas lights plugged into this same outlet and some of the LED lights would randomly be out, of dimmed. I think there's something wrong with that outlet/circuit, and it's chewed through two block heaters.

Ill have to see if I can get a test on it. Old old house with improper wiring and replaced as much as I could years ago but never touched this one. Talking no grounds and knob and tube in a lot of places.

 

[06 Dodge]

Are you saying the plug was getting hot?

If so, full stop and reassess.

A properly sized plug/extension cord should never get hot.
What gauge of extension cord are you using and is there anything else plugged in besides the block heater?

IIRC, the block heater is only about 400 Watts but I would still want a minimum of an AWG-16.

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IIRC the block heater Cummins uses is 750 watts and I never use an extension with smaller then 14 awg wire when under 25 feet, if over 25 feet I prefer to use 12 awg, bigger is always better

 

[nlambert182]

Definitely sounds like a house wiring issue. Either because the circuit is overloaded and not tripping the breaker or low voltage.

Seen this a few times with friends who tried running their camper AC on a 110v 15a circuit instead of using the proper 30a or 50a circuit. It will power the ac for a while and often not tripping a breaker but can overheat the wiring in the wall. They usually didnt notice it until it burnt up the unit.

 

[RamDiver]

I'm saying the block heater has completely stopped working. Change different building with a different panel box / cord and nothing now. When it wasn't working the outlet/cable never got hot.

It sounds like you may have cooked another block heater. I would test the block heater's resistance value with an ohm meter connected directly to the plug on the truck.

But in the cable's end I changed it had arced enough you could see scorch marks, so thats where I started.

Changing a plug is rarely the fix for arcing inside of the outlet.

When the outlet gets old and the brass contacts get fatigued, they don't spring back and don't apply sufficient pressure against the plug prongs.

The poor connection between the plug and outlet contacts created excessive current and your block heater was no match.

Ill have to see if I can get a test on it.

A test???

Either you have the skills to change the outlet or back away, tape it off, identify the outlet as out of service and hire an electrician.

There's a good reason that being an electrician is a licensed trade. You're very lucky to have not experienced a fire from this issue.

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[nlambert182]

I agree. If you're not 100% confident in what you're testing for or with handling electrical circuits, call in an electrician. One sneeze while you're handling a live outlet and you won't have to worry about the block heater anymore (or anything else, for that matter).

 

[Wild one]

I agree. If you're not 100% confident in what you're testing for or with handling electrical circuits, call in an electrician. One sneeze while you're handling a live outlet and you won't have to worry about the block heater anymore (or anything else, for that matter).

You have to have a mighty weak heart for 110/120 from a normal household outlet to kill you,but that is still good advice

 

[nlambert182]

Seen it happen more than once on a jobsite, unfortunately.

I, on the other hand, at around 8-9 years old was attempting to unplug a wall heater from a 220v outlet that it shared with our dryer and briefly touched the prongs. How I'm still here... dunno. Dad had his back turned but turned around at the right moment and knocked me off it pretty quick. But I felt every bit of it, wet myself, and spent the better part of 2 weeks recovering from it after. I am probably overly cautious around electrical stuff now.

 

[crash68]

Ill have to see if I can get a test on it. Old old house with improper wiring and replaced as much as I could years ago but never touched this one.

It's best to test the circuit under load, best to be able to measure the voltage actually going to the block heater(right at the cord plug) and check the amperage (with a Cummins it should be about 6 amps 750/120=6.25amps). Other than open or shorted, measuring resistance doesn't show much as the heater is of PTC (self regulating)tyoe.

 

[Wild one]

Seen it happen more than once on a jobsite, unfortunately.

I, on the other hand, at around 8-9 years old was attempting to unplug a wall heater from a 220v outlet that it shared with our dryer and briefly touched the prongs. How I'm still here... dunno. Dad had his back turned but turned around at the right moment and knocked me off it pretty quick. But I felt every bit of it, wet myself, and spent the better part of 2 weeks recovering from it after. I am probably overly cautious around electrical stuff now.

I worked with an old electrician for abit as a kid ,and he used to test outlets by touching the wires,lol
I was working on a 600 volt bus bar standing on an aluminium step ladder,when my finger slipped and it blew me off the ladder,once i had my senses back,i stood up and told him i quit,lol

 

[RamDiver]

I worked with an old electrician for abit as a kid ,and he used to test outlets by touching the wires,lol
I was working on a 600 volt bus bar standing on an aluminium step ladder,when my finger slipped and it blew me off the ladder,once i had my senses back,i stood up and told him i quit,lol

I was working in an electronics lab for a cable company in the '80s and, we had aluminum ladders everywhere, until...

The word likely came from the Electrical & Utilities Safety Association (EUSA) and all Al ladders were removed within a few days.

I think I still have three 4' aluminum step ladders from back then.

I use fibreglass for any elevated electrical tasks, though.

That was a smart move to quit, aluminum ladders were eventually not permitted for use, officially but I'll bet a few of the older crew hung on to them for a bit longer.

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[dashbarron]

It sounds like you may have cooked another block heater. I would test the block heater's resistance value with an ohm meter connected directly to the plug on the truck.



Changing a plug is rarely the fix for arcing inside of the outlet.

When the outlet gets old and the brass contacts get fatigued, they don't spring back and don't apply sufficient pressure against the plug prongs.

The poor connection between the plug and outlet contacts created excessive current and your block heater was no match.




A test???

Either you have the skills to change the outlet or back away, tape it off, identify the outlet as out of service and hire an electrician.

There's a good reason that being an electrician is a licensed trade. You're very lucky to have not experienced a fire from this issue.

.

Good info!