Burnt receptacle Face plate

[REDEYE50]

We have an older MH Winnebago 92 model.This winter we parked it next to our garage and plugged it into the 20 amp garage. I kept a electric oil filled rad heater plugged in for some heat. For about one week it got down in the single digets, so I used another heater same type but only turned it on 600 watts. All seemed fine for a day or two. Checked one morning and they were not working. Breaker in MH was flipped. I unplugged one of the heaters, reset breaker, everything was fine. Never used both heaters again at the same time. Getting ready to start a trip and noticed that the wall plate where I had the heater plugged into was burnt on the outside(not good). beside changing the wall recepticle what else should I check for? Thanks

[Podivin]

Check the wiring behind the plug, any wiring that looks like it's been hot needs to be replaced (or just cut off, if the bad part is short enough that will leave you enough wire to make a connection).

[photopilot]

When you change the receptacle, check the condition of the wires. If they look OK, then it was probably high resistance in the plug contacts causing the burning. If the wires look charred or melted downstream, then I'd worry.

Walt

[CountryB]

Also, check to see if the connections to the receptacle are made by "friction fit" where the wire is just pushed into a hole in the back of the receptacle. The receptacle will have screw terminals and the push-in friction retention holes).

This is seen in a lot of production built homes because its faster. But the wire is also looser (than when using the screw terminal) and more prone to overheating at his connection.

If you replace the recipictals take the time to wrap the wire around the screw terminals and don't use the hole in the back.

[MSHappyCampers]

With one heater on 1500 watts and the other one on 600 watts, you would be pulling about 17 amps. If anything else in the RV was pulling any current, you could have easily overloaded the 20 amp circuit. I would use two heaters that you can set on 600 watts each!

[Dougjpr]

Most RV receptacles and switched use a press in connection for the wiring.

This method just cuts into the wire insulation to make contact with the copper.

It is not the greatest method of connection wires, but there is no other option with the way they design these devices to fit into the narrow wall cavities. Wrapping the copper wire around a terminal screw is preferred or a crimp connection, provided that it is installed correctly (correct style crimp for solid or stranded conductor and correct termination tool used)

Other issue that cause hot spots is worn out receptacle contact and cord caps.

As current flows through the connection it heats up and can cause the terminals to loose their spring tension resulting in a poor contact that may start to arc slightly. This arcing can cause a high resistance contact between the cord and the receptacle resulting in increased heat.

Change the device, check wire for damage (wire should still be flexible and not crack when you move it)

Make sure the plug on the heater fits snugly into the wall receptacle, if it does not replace the cord end if you can. On some male cord ends, the blades are made of a piece of metal (not sure exactly what metals) that is folded back on itself. There is a slim joint between the 2 pieces that you can slip a very tiny slot screw driver into and spread the to pieces, this will make the blade of the plug wider and it will make better contact in the receptacle.

Any time you have a cord that is loose in the receptacle it is not a good idea to use it as the connection is not the best.

As mentioned in previous posts, replace the receptacle and check the wiring.

Hope this helps

[Speck]

We smelled something burning as we were going down the road...

If your wires looks like this...you definitely need to find the problem. Ours was that the wire got against the refrig vent pipe and melted the insulation and shorted out the circuit. The circuit was not on a fuse, direct wire to the battery supply. I rewired the circuit, and put a fuse in the circuit. Lucky for me it was only a single line circuit and easy to get to. Replaced everything while boondocking.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Speck

We smelled something burning as we were going down the road...

If your wires looks like this...you definitely need to find the problem. Ours was that the wire got against the refrig vent pipe and melted the insulation and shorted out the circuit. The circuit was not on a fuse, direct wire to the battery supply. I rewired the circuit, and put a fuse in the circuit. Lucky for me it was only a single line circuit and easy to get to. Replaced everything while boondocking.

Attachment 194302

Attachment 194303

WOW! That's scary!

[Lt Dan]

in addition to what's been mentioned about replacing the receptacle and checking the wiring at that end, check the wiring at the circuit breaker. If the circuit has been overloaded to the point of kicking the breaker, the wiring there could be burned.

[MWKingSD]

OP didn't mention whether both heaters were plugged in to one outlet - that would make the situation worse. Could be that when the heaters thermostat cycles them on there is some surge, so if they both happened to cycle on together...

In any case, sounds to me like connections to the outlet were loose - you'd need some resistance to create enough heat to char the outlet cover. This is what's behind the problem with aluminum wiring in homes back in the late '60s - the aluminum 'flows' a bit so the contact between wire and outlet becomes loose, and that resistance can create enough heat to set the wall on fire. In other words you might look to see if the wire is aluminum or copper.

[rgvtexan]

Originally Posted by Speck

We smelled something burning as we were going down the road...

If your wires looks like this...you definitely need to find the problem. Ours was that the wire got against the refrig vent pipe and melted the insulation and shorted out the circuit. The circuit was not on a fuse, direct wire to the battery supply. I rewired the circuit, and put a fuse in the circuit. Lucky for me it was only a single line circuit and easy to get to. Replaced everything while boondocking.

Attachment 194302

Attachment 194303

Go buy a LOTTO ticket! Luck is with you!

[beaverfever]

the extension cord you are using may have to small of wire or is to long to carry the load.
size 12 minimum and size 10 would be better

[REDEYE50]

Originally Posted by beaverfever

the extension cord you are using may have to small of wire or is to long to carry the load.
size 12 minimum and size 10 would be better

10 GA

[REDEYE50]

Originally Posted by mwkingsd

op didn't mention whether both heaters were plugged in to one outlet - that would make the situation worse. Could be that when the heaters thermostat cycles them on there is some surge, so if they both happened to cycle on together...

In any case, sounds to me like connections to the outlet were loose - you'd need some resistance to create enough heat to char the outlet cover. This is what's behind the problem with aluminum wiring in homes back in the late '60s - the aluminum 'flows' a bit so the contact between wire and outlet becomes loose, and that resistance can create enough heat to set the wall on fire. In other words you might look to see if the wire is aluminum or copper.

two outlets thanks