Fire breathing oil heater

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izomezzo

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#87625 2-Aug-2011 23:08

Hi,

I have a Celsius oil column heater. I moved to a house recently and it's been fine for a few weeks, but today coming home I noticed the kettle in the kitchen didn't come on. Thinking the kettle was busted, I began to realise maybe it was a fuse. I pushed it in and there was an almighty spark and it popped back out again. I went upstairs and noticed my oil column heater was plugged in (but importantly wasn't on). I unplugged it anyway and then reset the fuse. It was fine. I put my heater on (it's cold...). An almighty spark shot out of the front and the fuse popped again. I unplugged the heater, reset the fuse. I got my spike protecting power strip and tried that. All seemed fine. Then later when the heater tried to restart it shot out another spark and the power bar cut out. The fuse had popped.

Does this sound like the heater is shorting, or maybe the house wiring is dodgy? Maybe it's not good at drawing 2000+ watts? But it was fine for the last few weeks. I noticed at night the heater, even when it was off, was still emitting a slight glow from the power light as if it was still drawing power. It remained like this until I unplugged it. Anyway I ordered a DeLonghi so I hope it's the heater....bloody freezing now.

Izo

Izo

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#501094 2-Aug-2011 23:18

That is too weird. It is more than just simple overloading. Get the house wiring checked out urgently.

Consider discussing it with your power provider as well. They may do a quick check free if there is reason for concern.

tomgeeknz

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#501100 2-Aug-2011 23:35

What wattage is the heater? What else is running on that fuse and what is it rated? If it is a standard 10A fuse, then you can use a maximum of 10A at 240V, thus a maximum of 2400W between ALL devices connected to a socket on that fuse. Sounds like you are overloading....

michaelmurfy

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#501108 3-Aug-2011 00:17

This does sound like the heater is either shorting, or overloading the circuit - If it's a pretty epic spark from the heater itself I would recommend getting it checked out.

I have had a similar issue with my wee fan heater - saw a pretty epic spark and then the circuit breaker blew - so I have it plugged into it's own powerpoint now and issue solved (my room has 2 breakers - Tivo + rest of the room is on one, with the heater being on the other)

I would also recommend trying a different outlet in another part of the house to see if it's the heater, or the house. If it blows the breaker again then cease use of the heater, if it all works fine on another outlet then call the sparkie.

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wreck90

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#501128 3-Aug-2011 08:20

I wouldn't use the heater again without being checked, if it is shorting inside it is possible the external casing could be electrifying.

We had an egg cooker which started popping the fuse each time it switched on. The egg cooker got binned .

Test another appliance on the same outlet. eg, plug your kettle into the heater outlet .

trig42

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#501130 3-Aug-2011 08:25

wreck90: I wouldn't use the heater again without being checked, if it is shorting inside it is possible the external casing could be electrifying.

We had an egg cooker which started popping the fuse each time it switched on. The egg cooker got binned .

Test another appliance on the same outlet. eg, plug your kettle into the heater outlet .

+1. Have you tried the heater on another circuit?

Bung

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#501136 3-Aug-2011 08:34

tomgeeknz: What wattage is the heater? What else is running on that fuse and what is it rated? If it is a standard 10A fuse, then you can use a maximum of 10A at 240V, thus a maximum of 2400W between ALL devices connected to a socket on that fuse. Sounds like you are overloading....

I put my heater on (it's cold...). An almighty spark shot out of the front and the fuse popped again.

Almighty sparks don't come out of the heater if it is the circuit that's overloaded.

tomgeeknz: you might have a 10A overload trip on a power strip but it's unlikely that your power board would have 10A breakers or fuses on Power circuits, more likely 15-20A

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#501149 3-Aug-2011 08:53

This reminds me of a funny, but extremely dangerous night with some friends.

He had an old, large TV, the old type in heavy wooden case. He noticed on his wall a bunch of sockets (I've never seen another house with similar)... one socket said earth. He notice the TV also had a connector called earth, so he decided to run a wire between the 2.

POOF. The TV stopped working. He removed the wire, but it still wouldn't go. So he opened the TV up and saw a glass fuse which on inspection was blown. He didn't have a similar glass fuse around, so wrapped fuse wire the same amperage as the fuse between the contacts, then turned TV on.

ZAPPPPP. Big flash, fuse wire vapourised. He then repeated with the heaviest gauge fuse wire he had.
ZAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPP. Big crack and flash. He then thought he was not going to let the TV win, so he got a large building nail and secured that in the fuse holder.

I along with others went outside to watch through the window as we though this was going to end badly. When he turned it on there was an almight purple flash, and massive report, and it took out power to the house. I've experienced scary electrical faults (flames from fan heater; cords shorting out, melting, and bare wires bouncing around sparking while in bed)... but this was the most impressive I've ever seen.

Beccara

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#501155 3-Aug-2011 09:00

Depends on the house, My rented house has 10a CB's on all the power socket circuits but another house has 15a CB's

Even at 15amps. Kettles are normally around 2kw and if you plug a 2.4kw heater in then you'd still pop a 15a circuit

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keewee01

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#501157 3-Aug-2011 09:01

I had a sparky tell me that you should only ever plug oil fin heaters into the wall (directly). Never into a power board/strip due to the fact that they draw so much current. If plugging them into a power board/strip you are asking for trouble, especially will the cheap and nasty varieties.

Byrned

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#501158 3-Aug-2011 09:01

IlDuce: This reminds me of a funny, but extremely dangerous night with some friends.

A Darwin nominee I'm assuming?

Bung

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#501165 3-Aug-2011 09:03

IlDuce:
ZAPPPPP. Big flash, fuse wire vapourised. He then repeated with the heaviest gauge fuse wire he had.
ZAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPP. Big crack and flash. He then thought he was not going to let the TV win, so he got a large building nail and secured that in the fuse holder.

I along with others went outside to watch through the window as we though this was going to end badly. When he turned it on there was an almight purple flash, and massive report, and it took out power to the house.

Looks like he'd already stuck a nail in the fuse for the television circuit if the main fuse blew. Drink possibly involved :D

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Geese

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#501178 3-Aug-2011 09:19

Byrned:
IlDuce: This reminds me of a funny, but extremely dangerous night with some friends.?

A Darwin nominee I'm assuming??

He survives to tell the tale. Has passed his genes on too since then.

The TV however suffered final execution by being towing behind car.

No alcohol involved. Not even Kronic. Just natural genius at work. I mean why did the company that made the TV not just think to put nails in instead of fuses!?

gzt

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#501263 3-Aug-2011 12:08

The comments about appliance overloading are true as far as they go - but also, there are a range of wiring/conductor conditions and line conditions which will cause local increased current use which may lead to premature fuse blowing. Many of these conditions are also fire risk conditions.

lxsw20

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#501347 3-Aug-2011 13:59

keewee01: I had a sparky tell me that you should only ever plug oil fin heaters into the wall (directly). Never into a power board/strip due to the fact that they draw so much current. If plugging them into a power board/strip you are asking for trouble, especially will the cheap and nasty varieties.

Yeah we had a pretty major office fire down here a few years a go due to oil heater in a cheap multi board, be nice if they would alter the plugs or something so they don't physically fit high amp devices.

keewee01

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#501400 3-Aug-2011 14:59

lxsw20:
keewee01: I had a sparky tell me that you should only ever plug oil fin heaters into the wall (directly). Never into a power board/strip due to the fact that they draw so much current. If plugging them into a power board/strip you are asking for trouble, especially will the cheap and nasty varieties.

Yeah we had a pretty major office fire down here a few years a go due to oil heater in a cheap multi board, be nice if they would alter the plugs or something so they don't physically fit high amp devices.

Agreed! Anyone else noticed with most power boards now it is darn hard to get plugs into them - and not just the cheap ones. Some you have to force plugs into them quite hard!

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