Patio heater keeps tripping mains fuse???

[W4SIM]

I got this patio heater about a year ago:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2KW-QUARTZ-OU..._bbq_Patio_Covers_Heating&hash=item3363f1908c

Its been working fine with no issues what so ever, until 2 days ago.

The heater is plugged in via a 10m extension cable, as its always been.

Two days ago i had it on and then about 15 mins later it just cut out, it was on the lowest setting. Naturally i thought either the heater or the extension had blown a fuse. But what iv found out is that the extension cable doesnt seem to work anymore and when i plug the heater in anywhere else is just trips the household fuse for all the sockets in the house. The worst thing is that it isnt even switched ON when it trips the fuse, its just simply plugged in a pop it goes. The first time i plugged it in i did see a bright flash from the plug so i went and changed the 13 amp fuse, but it still keeps doing it.

Any ideas why its gone so bad???

 

[MalcofArabia]

built in obsolescence to be honest.

At 37 pound it is probably not worth trying to repair if it's outside any warrenty period, so most things built today it's throw away.

Though please stop going around plugging it into sockets.

 

[W4SIM]

Though please stop going around plugging it into sockets.

Just trying the old process of elimination to be honest with you.

I know its only £37, but what with the extension cable blown aswell i dont want to get another one and find the same thing happen again if it was something else that caused it to go pop in the first place.

 

[bernardgreen]

Tell us exactly what trips in the fuse box. Is it the MCB or the RCD which has a test button ?

Does the heater work without the extension lead being used ?

Does the extension lead by itself trip the " fuse ".

One possible cause is the socket at the end of the extension lead has over heated and that has damaged the plug and cable of the heater creating a short circuit in the plug and /or socket of the extension lead.

If the lead is one that has cable wound on a drum and was not fully unrolled then the cable in the drum may have melted.

 

[MalcofArabia]

I got this patio heater about a year ago:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2KW-QUARTZ-OU..._bbq_Patio_Covers_Heating&hash=item3363f1908c

Its been working fine with no issues what so ever, until 2 days ago.

The heater is plugged in via a 10m extension cable, as its always been.

Two days ago i had it on and then about 15 mins later it just cut out, it was on the lowest setting. Naturally i thought either the heater or the extension had blown a fuse. But what iv found out is that the extension cable doesnt seem to work anymore and when i plug the heater in anywhere else is just trips the household fuse for all the sockets in the house. The worst thing is that it isnt even switched ON when it trips the fuse, its just simply plugged in a pop it goes. The first time i plugged it in i did see a bright flash from the plug so i went and changed the 13 amp fuse, but it still keeps doing it.

Any ideas why its gone so bad???

As it's blowing the protection device in the main CU it would seem to be the heater

 

[W4SIM]

Tell us exactly what trips in the fuse box. Is it the MCB or the RCD which has a test button ?

Does the heater work without the extension lead being used ?

Does the extension lead by itself trip the " fuse ".

One possible cause is the socket at the end of the extension lead has over heated and that has damaged the plug and cable of the heater creating a short circuit in the plug and /or socket of the extension lead.

If the lead is one that has cable wound on a drum and was not fully unrolled then the cable in the drum may have melted.

What trips is the MCB, the "fuse" for all the sockets in the house.

Its not the extension cable, thats ruled out. Its the actual heater plug itself thats causing the main fuse to trip regardless of wether i plug it into a socket or another extension cable.

Your theory of the plug or the wire being damaged is what i was looking at, but like i said it trips the fuse as soon as its plugged in, the heater itself isnt even switched ON, so its not drawing any power when its plugged in, yet it still trips the fuse. Its defo a short circuit, but dont know where one could have been caused?

This may sound silly, but if one of the heating elements had gone pop would that cause this to happen?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I know its only £37, but what with the extension cable blown aswell i dont want to get another one and find the same thing happen again if it was something else that caused it to go pop in the first place.

Well don't get another one then - throw it away and accept that it is sheer b****y insanity to try and warm the outside when it starts to get chilly.

You live 54°35'N, and that brings with it certain inevitabilities, one of which is that it gets cold in the winter.

As it starts to get cold, put on warmer clothing.

When it gets too cold for you to be comfortable sitting around outside even with warmer clothing on then stop sitting around outside.

Or move further south.

But don't burn fuel in an attempt to deny reality.

 

[bernardgreen]

This may sound silly, but if one of the heating elements had gone pop would that cause this to happen?

It theory no because if the heater was switched off at the switch in the heater the live supply would be disconnected at the switch in the heater.

In practise it is possible the heater's switch is in the neutral due to incorrect manufacture so then the elements have a live supply connected to them at all times ( but no neutral so no current flows when the switch is OFF ). A defective element with a short to earth would in this case trip the fuse even though the heater is turned off.

 

[W4SIM]

Well don't get another one then - throw it away and accept that it is sheer b****y insanity to try and warm the outside when it starts to get chilly.

You live 54°35'N, and that brings with it certain inevitabilities, one of which is that it gets cold in the winter.

As it starts to get cold, put on warmer clothing.

When it gets too cold for you to be comfortable sitting around outside even with warmer clothing on then stop sitting around outside.

Or move further south.

But don't burn fuel in an attempt to deny reality.

Is there a point to your post?

One of the joys of living at 54°35'N is that i have the freedom of sitting outside in the middle of winter with just my bare pants on while burning fuel and toxicating the environment in order to keep myself warm. And this is all whilst my shiny new warm-as-toast winter clothes are inside so that they dont get dirty, coz if i have to wash them then the other inevitability is that il have to put them in the dryer afterwards because its too cold outside and that's kinda like burning fuel which i dont really need to . . . . in an attempt to deny reality!!!

 

[holmslaw]

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[aptsys]