why does the plug go hot on my tumble dryer?

One more thing - when it gets hot test for heat with the back of your hand - it the socket is hotter than the plug then it's a socket problem - etc. If the cable is hot all along its length and hotter than the plug then its a machine problem (doubtful)

P
February 2010

It would be a rare thing - a defective plug - all new machines in the UK come with a moulded on plug these days.

A plug should not get hot under normal operation with normal current flow. If the current flow were too high a fuse would blow and you have no fuse blowing. The socket is new - the new one may aslo be defective (dirty connector) - Inspect the prong ends of the plug for the stains of sparking.

If it were mine I would just cut the plug off and stick a new one on but you have the machine's warranty to consider. You may do well to make a claim before there's a fire.

A plastic plug on a 3kW fan heater for instance will get warm with the normal current flow and need to be replaced in time especially if run for long periods - the hard plastic breaks down chemically.

I cant see the plug on a new appliance becoming warm unless the plug itself has a manufacturing defect.

If you are in the USA the voltage is half but the current is double - this makes the heating from a dirty connection more acute becuase of the current squared thing. 1 Ohm resistance connection to a 3kW appliance in the US is 680W !!!

Good luck...

Peccavi
February 2010

socket was replaced the machine is under a week old

julie
February 2010

It will be a dirty connection - a little bit of high resistance and it doesn't take much - could have the dirty connection point generating anything up to 100W of heat - maybe more - the plug and cable will act like a little radiator warming the house.

Over time the high resistance will get worse and the heating will become greater. Things may melt or catch fire.

Inspect (replace is best) the plug and the wall socket - or have someone do it for you.

The heat generated is a function of the resistance and the square of the current. A 2kW machine will draw 8.7 Amps - a resistance of just 1 Ohm with 8.7Amps running through it will generate 75W of heat - a 3kW machine 170W of heat for the same dirty connection.

Peccavi
February 2010