Electrical Problem

[Buckets]

Can I pick your collective brain.

I have a small relatively new and lightly used Ufesa oil filled radiator. My good lady was using it and declared that it was emitting a strange smell. On close inspection I noticed that it had partially melted around one of the plug pins, and that it had partially melted the shealth on one of the socket wires.

The apartment is only a couple of years old and we do not have an upgraded electrical supply. I noticed that the 2 of the cables at the back of the socket were touching, yet they were probably both sheathed at the time. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is the cause of the problem?

If it is not a 'short' in the oil heater what else could the problem be?

Advice much appreciated

[kevin2006]

When you say the socket i presume you mean the socket on the wall that you are plugging the rad into. If the pins in the plug are making a poor contact with this socket when plugged in you would get a heating effect at this point also if one of the wires going into the back of the socket is loose it could cause the same problem - hope this helps

[cb2011]

be carefull

stop using it !!!!

[john boy]

loose connections ieether in the socket or in the plug change both make sure you tighten all connections

[Buckets]

Thanks all

Buckets

[cbram]

In Spain there are two types of wall socket, one is only for use for say a small wattage appliance such as a lamp the other powers the normal appliances.

However, there are also two types of wall plugs to fit these sockets and one has larger terminals than the other. The problem can frequently be caused by using the wrong plug in the socket and therefore this tends to bend slightly the terminals in the wall socket making then loose, this can then lead to a loose connection between the plug and socket thus causing a slight sparking effect that heats up the socket and plug.

Also you maybe using the radiator in the wrong socket and causing it to overheat.