1500watt heaters/ ac

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jes25

Senior Member
Location
Midwest
Occupation
Electrician
What is the deal with the 1500 watt poratable equipment (heaters ,ac etc) with the 15amp cord ends. 3 times I have seen the face of the plug melted off. This equipment can and does run continously. How is the homeowner supposed to know if the equpment should have a ded. circuit if it has the same end on it as a lamp. I think anything over 12A should have a 20A end on it. Espicially heaters and AC. I tell my customers to have a dedicated 20A circuit on an AFCI breaker with a spec grade plug to run portable 1500Watt heaters. Any thoughts on this issue?

Some house is going to burn down or I am sure many have from this ,manufacturers wanting to sell more heaters by putting a questionable cord end on it, that is. :mad:

Also part of the issue I think is cheap or worn out (loose) receptacles
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

This comment has come up before with 1875 watt hair dryers on 15 A circuits. The answer that has been given is its a UL listing issue and not within the scope of the NEC. I agree with you as I have seen male plugs melted into receptacles. What we do at work is to provide heaters that have been modified by cutting out all but the 600 watt elements. No one is the wiser...
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

My dad had one about ten years ago that had the cord end melt off into the receptacle. He called me and I told him to throw the d****d thing away and not use them anymore. He was rather p****d whoever approved them after I explained to him how it's dangerous by design.

Edited out a couple of words that may be offensive to some. Charlie

[ December 01, 2004, 05:54 AM: Message edited by: charlie ]
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

The problem with this is when UL test these designs everything is brand new and the plug makes good contact. Maybe a suggestion to UL to do these test with a certain amount of corrosion on the plug contacts would be in order? As I have seen this many times. and using a dielectric grease on the plug has kept my own 1875 watt hair dryer plug corrosion free. :p

Ever grab one of those "HOT" plugs to unplug it :eek:

It melts in your hand but don't feel like M&M'S

[ December 01, 2004, 02:37 AM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

It is interesting to me that everyone is talking about the plugs. Over time, it is the receptacles that are going bad. Which reminds me that I need to replace the one my toaster and coffee pot plugs into. Instead of using competitive grade receptacles at the locations where a heavy load will be taken, use either an intermediate or specification grade. :D
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

I agree a spec grade recp. would help a lot. The problem is the homeowner does not know this is a problem. It has the same end on it as a milliamp load. You should here the confusion when this problem is reported. They dont get it. The job I just looked at they said the heater ran for days on high. Thay were lucky there wasn't any bed sheets touching the recp.

The root of the problem is the cord end. Puting in a spec. grade may cure the problem for that homeowner, but what about the guy buying a heater right now??

A 20A recptacle is way more heavy duty. Plus 1500va * 125% is more than a 15A can handle.
 
Re: 1500watt heaters/ ac

jes25,
A 20A recptacle is way more heavy duty.
Click to expand...
I don't think so. Take 15 and 20 amp receptacle of the same series from the same manufacturer apart. In most cases you will find that the guts are exactaly the same.
Don
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top