What you reckon,very warm/hot pins

[cliffed]

Working in school kitchen,they have a hot warmer & lights to keep food warm
Pulled out plugs ,really hot & on pins too.
Checked socket connections ,they were ok,face of socket warm.
They are mouldered plugs,no sign of over heating,but ridiculously warm.
The equipment is 2.8 kw.

 

[Pete999]

This is common when you get near to 3kw.Cheap plug tops tend to get warmer than branded products.
Regards,S

Could be a loose wire in the plug or socket.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Perhaps the appliance is faulty and drawing more current than designed

Unlikely, with a normal heating appliance. Plus, if it is drawing too much current it will be getting too hot, and that is more likely to be noticed than the plug.

This is simple. The weak link in any plug and socket is the tiny contact area between the two, where the socket grips the pins. Even the most expensive, high tech connectors are not perfect, and the humble 13A socket certainly isn't in its cheaper forms. If the contacts get slack or the pins are tarnished they will heat.

A good quality 13A socket/ plug combination will handle 13A semi-continuously. We should not have to suggest that a 2.8kW load is excessive so that the appliance has to be fitted to an FCU. A 16A socket would be better but should not be necessary. Maybe these sockets have been abused, maybe worn or grimy inside, or just a poor design from new. But changing them, and the plugs if needed, should solve the problem.

 

[cliffed]

It comes with plug top,may well void warranty,changing from 13 amp protection to 16 amp.
Sounds a good idea,though.

 

[Deleted account]

Hard wire into a 13A FSU will not void warranty.

 

[littlespark]

I thought the title of this thread was ".... very warm/hot pies"

I am severely disappointed.

 

[cliffed]

Oh yes steak & kidney,onion gravy & a wooden fork

 

[Toneyz]

I have been into many site offices where they have had a heater on the wall plugged in via 13A plug and the socket has brown heat marks around the pins where there is a long period of an on/off cycle. A switched fused spur is more suited. What is the F.L.C. if a plug and/or a flex has been put it could be the F.L.C. is more than 13A and should have been hardwired or via 16A socked radial circuit.

 

[cliffed]

Manufacturers state 2.8kw offa plug top

 

[Adam W]

If the pins and/or socket connection has become tarnished over time there will be a higher resistance between the two, which could well cause overheating.

Unplugging it and plugging it in on a regular basis will help keep the contacts clean. Maybe try it a few times while you're there.

A more substantial solution may be, as suggested, to wire via FCU if it's not going to be moved, or commando plug and socket if it is.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

As above swap the plug tops and socket outlets.

No. You must swap the complete plugs, not just the tops.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

Manufacturers state 2.8kw offa plug top

Doubt it. You can't get power off a plug top. You need a complete plug.

 

[littlespark]

You need a complete plug.

All a plug does is stop water running down the drain.