Fan heater danger

We often use a DIMPLEX 2kw fan heater in our Nuevo. At the Whitemead rally we left it on for a couple of hours and it melted the plug, and the extension socket. The heater is only a few years old and has hardly been used. However it is certainly a fire risk if left unattended, and will certainly damage your 13A socket.

I have changed the 13a plug and tested it in a socket at home. After about half an hour the live terminal of the plug was too hot to touch. The heater will be consigned to the bin.

Can anyone recommend a replacement that does not heat the plug - which I have seen others do.

We have a convector heater but that only heats the top half of the van.

Peter

Fan heaters are not considered safe to be left unattended, the fan can seize and then the whole thing overheat. An oil filled radiator is a much safer bet.

Agreed, fan heaters should not be left unattended for any length of time.

The fact that the plug melted is not the fault of the fan - it's a problem with the plug or the socket. If you use a good quality plug such as an MK and tighten the terminals down ~hard~ (as they always should be) then you should not suspect the plug - if it is still getting hot then suspect the socket to be faulty. Its contacts may have overheated in the past and lost their springiness, so not making good contact with the plug's pin.

One other thought - presumably you have checked that the fuse in the plug is the correct rating? A fuse that is only just under the device's power consumption may get hot instead of blowing.

Always always change the fuse in any item you buy as they are fitted with 13amp fuse. You should downrate the fuse to a 5amp or 10amp this will then blow the fuse if there is a problem. In som of the items I have in the MH I have a 1amp fuse better to be safe then sorry.