Can an electric heater (plug in) smell like fish?

Thank goodness for forums like this! Been smelling a weird fishy smell for a couple days ago. Ironically we just had fish, so I deep cleaned the kitchen. Smell was still there. Then I read this forum sure enough, I have a very brown outlet, and the plug melted to the outlet. Now I am curious how the other outlets look.

Brandi
October 2022

I read this thread and turned around and sure enough there was smoke coming out of my outlet!!!! Thank God I found it when I did...

Josh
October 2022

fishy smell came from "attached 3 prong extension cord" with heater, not the new space heater problem. the outlet is now brownish. i have had problems with other wiring.

anon
November 2020

Yes!!! Check your plug!!! Mine did this, I finally checked the plug, it was super hot and melting by one of the prongs!

D.K.
October 2018

same here. melting plug. real bad Fishy smell. confirmed by the misses going crazy. Not sure if a new plug will fix fishey smell thought. we shall see.

Tony
January 2016

Thanks. Our heater of 3 years started smelling like a 2 week old rancid dead animal. It had been plugged in for a week and was fine. 2 nights ago the smell started. We cleaned it from end to end and it worked fine last night. Tonight the smell permeated the house. We had to open doors and run fan for half an hour. After reading your response, we looked at the plug & sure enough it was fouled. Thanks, I'm disabled and would have burned with my house!

s&k
November 2015

Wow! Thank you for posting this as I was just sitting here wondering why my electric heater was smelling fishy & my wife told me to google it. After reading a few posts, I went to check the plug and sure enough it was melting and the outlet was extremely hot. With a new child, this message board has likely saved our house & possibly family. The heater in question will be on the curb tomorrow. Thanks again!

Joseph
May 2015

my electric fire is only a year old and I noticed when I switched it on this week there was a fishy smell. I thought I was imagining things. I googled it and came across this page. Oddly enough while I was reading my fire blew taking out my fuses!! The fire is now outside waiting for the bin men.

Sal
December 2014

This Literally just happened to me also. My mother was playing with the switchboard thing and it looks like she must have caused the plug to short, that, coupled with the fact that I don't unplug my heater (I always shut it off, but don't unplug it). The plastic on my heater outlet was completely burnt, and it looks like any more time and I would have started an electrical fire. Me never being home and also being a very heavy sleeper, well I could have been much worse off. Make sure you unplug things when you aren't using them, and always check your plugs if something seems off!

Danny
November 2012

Same thing happened to me. I kept smelling a fishy smell. After reading this I checked the plug at the wall. It immediately sparked at the slightest jiggle so I unplugged it right away. It was really hot and upon closer inspection the prong that goes into the wall had started to turn brownish black. It was fine when I plugged it in so thankfully I found this answer in time. Unplug it and throw it away. I definitely had someone watching over me this morning ;)

ChristyG
September 2012

Thank you for posting this. We thought it was our heater, after reading your answer, we checked the wall socket we were plugged into behing the bookcase and the wall is hot, the plug is hot and the plug is slightly melted. =( Thank God for YOU!

Tawny Kay
January 2012

I found my problem. I want to thank God for looking out for me and my family. I had wire insulation burning from an outlet in line with the outlet the space heater is plugged into. The wire became loose on the terminal which created more resistance and heat. Lots of heat. Why it smells like it did is beyond me but I'm thankful I still have a house tonight. Please check your outlets and see if their warm while your heater is running.

problems
February 2007

I have the same question as my electric spaceheater smells fishy or a urine smell. I have cleaned it and it still smells. It has worked very well for a number of years but I guess maybe it is on its way out.

problems
February 2007