# Why is the electric plug heating up?



## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Before the Foreman Grill was a twinkle in George's eye, there was the Grillerie. It's basically a combination waffle maker/grill/pizzella maker/electric cake pan, and is well over 15 years old.

After not using it for a long time, I pulled the thing out to grill some meat and noticed the plug was hot at the outlet. The prongs were actually too hot to touch!

Is this a problem with the plug or the grill itself? I'm hoping if it's the plug that I can replace that part, because they don't make these anymore and I have all the accessories.


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Read the data plate on the grill and determine how many amps it draws. It would be nice to be able to read the actual amps being consumed but you need equipment that most people do not have. You can buy a device for about $20 that will tell you how much power a 120volt AC device is using. I think the heat is caused by the oxidation of the contacts on the prongs of the male plug and the age of the receptacle but that is only an assumption. Try cleaning the prongs on the male plug to where they shine and then try it and see if it still gets hot. Here is the device that can inform you as to the amount of power being consumed, you can buy it cheaper http://www.smarthome.com/9034/Kill-A-Watt-P4400/p.aspx


----------



## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try. After posting I read that it could be the outlet, so I tried the grill on an outlet that had been replaced within the last couple years and it still heated up.


----------



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Your electric appliance is old! To old. If you keep trying to use it, you may burn your house down.

As that plug heats up its frying your outlet too.

Dont risk using a dinosaur get something new.


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Maria, post the information concerning the power requirements that should be on the data plate for the appliance.


----------



## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

It's getting hot because there is a poor connection somewhere. It could be a problem in the outlet or in the plug of the grill. Since you said it does it on a relatively new outlet as well, it's probably the plug. It could be oxidation on the prongs which would be easy to clean off with sandpaper. It could also be a poor connection inside the plug, the wires can start to break from being flexed many times over the years. If that is the case I would cut off the plug and a few inches of the cord and install a new plug from the store. Not very hard to do. There's no reason to throw out a perfectly good appliance because of a bad plug.


----------



## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Old braided wire can have corrosion between the braid. This corrosion creates a high resistance in the wire and the connections, resulting in heat being generated as the current passes through. This is a potentially dangerous condition that could easily cause a fire. Your appliance may well be salvageable if you replace the cord. Do NOT use it until you do.


----------



## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

There is no plate, but there IS a plastic box on the back that the cord goes in to. I unscrewed it, and there are two heavy white wires coming from the grill into this box. On the box it says 120V, 1200w


ETA - For clarification, the Grillerie is 20 years old or less.


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

From the information you provided the grill will require 10 amps. 10 amps is only 2/3rds of the available power from a 14 gauge receptacle that is found in some homes. This would be the smaller amp size of the receptables used in the USA. In newer homes the bath and the kitchen will be supplied with 20 amp receptacles but that is another story and has nothing to do with your heating problem at 10 amp consumption. I would replace the male plug as cfabe suggested. The plug does need to be rated at 15 amps and the cord, should you replace it needs, to be 14 gauge.


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

FWIW, 1200 watt appliance plug prongs will be significantly warm even when operating properly. The actual point of contact in a socket can be relatively small, and a lot of current flowing through it will heat it. The outer insulated part of the plug should still be easily handled though, and replacing it periodically is a good idea. I've ruined a few plugs on my electric chainsaws, weed eater, and extension cords by waiting to long to replace them with heavy ones. The heat starts to ruin the spring action that holds contact, and the contact area gets smaller and sometimes even intermittent.


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Most offshore male plugs are designed such that the metal part is a solid material. These plugs are plagued with such problems as Harry Chickpea described above. Many USA plugs have the metal "blade" comprised by two thin sections. If you have a plug that handles a lot of current it is beneficial to use a small flat bladed screwdriver and to insert the screwdriver blade into the seam between the two sections of the prong and to spread the contacts. I often see people bending the prongs of the plug in a kink, this is not the manner to use. Spreading the prong as I described will increase the contact area when the plug is inserted into the receptacle.


----------



## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Where would be the best place to find the proper plug? 

Harry, thanks for that bit of info. I noticed my waffle maker heated up too, just not near as much. The plug was warm but not nearly as warm as the Grillerie's.

I also want to thank everyone for their assistance. I'm rather excited at the prospect of fixing this little machine, as I'm getting back into the "cooking mood" and when we first got it (not too long after we got married), I used it quite a bit.


----------



## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Most hardware stores sell replacement appliance cords that can be wired in.


----------



## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I went to the hardware store and bought a 2 prong 15a plug, the most difficult part was stripping the wire. After being plugged into the wall almost 5 minutes I checked the plug & the blades and they were only slightly warm, nothing like they were before. I'm "cookin' " now!!!!


----------



## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

If your appliance is 1200W usage, it will run 10amp current draw on the cord and male plug. I'd heed the advice of others in the above postings and replace the cord/plug. Most of the old braided cords put on appliances years ago weren't rated for 10amp constant draw without getting hot. Remember your cord is basically a resistor and resistance makes heat. The larger the wire, the less resistance. (Called Impedance in the electrical industry for AC power. Called Resistance for DC appliances.)


----------



## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

Francismilker, I disagree with your advice. On some appliances they are designed with a smaller gauge cord, usually to save cost. There will be significant voltage drop on the cord, but the appliance is designed with this in mind. I'd suggest keeping the factory cord unless it is getting very hot. If you replace it, replace it with the same gauge wire.

Impedance and resistance are two completely different electrical characteristics. They both apply to both DC and AC circuits. 

Maria, I am glad to hear you got the plug replaced and it's working well now. Congrats!


----------

