mrwkuk
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Hi all, I am new here, and a DIYer, so please be gentle.
I recently bought an Intex portable hottub. One of the inflatable ones like the Lay-Z-Spa units. The unit claims it is only pulling 2400w and comes with a pre-fitted 13a socket with an inline RCD, and I confirmed this with an inline power meter.
I had previously installed a IP rated external power socket in the garden for external devices, and as it has 2x13a sockets this seemd like it would be fine. After an hour or so of the hottub in heating mode the socket was very hot, so i unplugged it and let it cool down. I then replugged it in a few hours later, and after maybe an hour it was hot enough to be making a smell. I unplugged it and investigated, it had melted the inside of the socket.
In this instance it may have been poor installation on my part, looking at the area around the melting it looks like it may have been arcing so thats likely what caused the melting. It seems like the screws were loose. Lesson learned, crisis averted.
But yeh, not ideal.
Anyway. In an effort to eliminate my potential poor workmanship from the equation I relocated the tub to power off of a professionally installed regular socket inside the house. However after doing this, this socket started to get hot too. After running the hot tub for about an hour the cable, plug, and socket, are all hot to the touch. Although not melting this time, but certainly so hot as to cause concern.
So, my question is, should these units get this hot under normal conditions?
My understanding is that hot cables = problems, but I dont see how I can do anything that would resolve this as a normal consumer. The device comes with a 13a plug suggesting that it should be fine to just plug into a regular 13a socket.
The only solution I can think of is removing the factory fitted plug/cable, and hard wiring in a higher rated 16a+ feed (either using a 16a commando plug or just a dedicated feed direct from the consumer unit) which would ideally be done by a qualified electrican. But theres no indication that this is a requirement on the box. I could understand this being a requirement of a bespoke fixed hottub installation as they are usually bigger, and more powerful anyway, but these units should essentially work like a regular consumer device.
Sorry for the wall of text, and again, be gentle
I recently bought an Intex portable hottub. One of the inflatable ones like the Lay-Z-Spa units. The unit claims it is only pulling 2400w and comes with a pre-fitted 13a socket with an inline RCD, and I confirmed this with an inline power meter.
I had previously installed a IP rated external power socket in the garden for external devices, and as it has 2x13a sockets this seemd like it would be fine. After an hour or so of the hottub in heating mode the socket was very hot, so i unplugged it and let it cool down. I then replugged it in a few hours later, and after maybe an hour it was hot enough to be making a smell. I unplugged it and investigated, it had melted the inside of the socket.
In this instance it may have been poor installation on my part, looking at the area around the melting it looks like it may have been arcing so thats likely what caused the melting. It seems like the screws were loose. Lesson learned, crisis averted.
But yeh, not ideal.
Anyway. In an effort to eliminate my potential poor workmanship from the equation I relocated the tub to power off of a professionally installed regular socket inside the house. However after doing this, this socket started to get hot too. After running the hot tub for about an hour the cable, plug, and socket, are all hot to the touch. Although not melting this time, but certainly so hot as to cause concern.
So, my question is, should these units get this hot under normal conditions?
My understanding is that hot cables = problems, but I dont see how I can do anything that would resolve this as a normal consumer. The device comes with a 13a plug suggesting that it should be fine to just plug into a regular 13a socket.
The only solution I can think of is removing the factory fitted plug/cable, and hard wiring in a higher rated 16a+ feed (either using a 16a commando plug or just a dedicated feed direct from the consumer unit) which would ideally be done by a qualified electrican. But theres no indication that this is a requirement on the box. I could understand this being a requirement of a bespoke fixed hottub installation as they are usually bigger, and more powerful anyway, but these units should essentially work like a regular consumer device.
Sorry for the wall of text, and again, be gentle
