Tumble Dryer - Melting Adapter Plug

[STD Warehouse]

Plugging both the Washing machine and tumble dryer into a double socket looks like the photo, i.e. difficult to do because of plug pin orientation.

 

So I used an adapter plug to get more room, weve been using this adapter plug for laptop, rice cooker, fan etc for the past few years.

 

But the adapter plug melted!

 

Why? does not having an earth do this? or is it the high current draw?

 

What should we do to plug these two machines in, we only have the double socket and I rather not put another wall mounted socket next to it.

 

 

[Dmaxdan]

Serious question, do you actually need the washing machine and tumble dryer plugged in at the same time?

Logic suggests that you would use the washing first, then the tumble dryer so therefore only one at a time needs to be plugged in.

 

You could buy one of those surge protection plug socket extension leads. Then plug one machine into a completely different wall socket?

[STD Warehouse]

10 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

Serious question, do you actually need the washing machine and tumble dryer plugged in at the same time?

Logic suggests that you would use the washing first, then the tumble dryer so therefore only one at a time needs to be plugged in.

 

You could buy one of those surge protection plug socket extension leads. Then plug one machine into a completely different wall socket?

yes often we have both running at the same time, and rather not have to reach into a small space and unplug/plug machines regularly.

 

i like things neat and tidy and dont want an extension lead running around.

[86Tiger]

 

 

The adaptor is of poor quality and you are putting more current (heat) through it than it is capable of handling.  

 

Get better quality adaptor or chunk it all together and get correct plug.

[86Tiger]

1 minute ago, 86Tiger said:

 

 

The adaptor is of poor quality and you are putting more current (heat) through it than it is capable of handling.  

 

Get better quality adaptor or chunk it all together and get correct plug.

 

I re-read and see plug not a problem.

[steven100]

made in china 

[lopburi3]

Have you checked the wattage of dryer?  Obviously it is well beyond that adaptor ability.  When we had a real dryer (US 220v) several decades ago it required dedicated line directly wired - they normally use a lot of electric but expect yours is a smaller unit.  Would be concerned with heating of electric line and possible fire using both on same line unless has been built for same.

[Moonlover]

A tumble drier draws a comparatively high high current and is overloading that rather poor quality adapter. The earth (or lack of it) has nothing to do with your problem.

 

I suggest that you do not use an adaptor for this machine.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, STD Warehouse said:

What should we do to plug these two machines in, we only have the double socket and I rather not put another wall mounted socket next to it.

Replace the socket with a 'down' facing socket (Chang 904N).

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/chang-pch-904n-i3303996323-s12241710585.html

[Crossy]

@BritManToo has a solution to allow you to plug in both devices at once ???? (I'd not seen these so that's something useful to come from this thread already).

 

BUT (there's always a but)

 

Thai double outlets are specified for a TOTAL load of 16A, each outlet can do up to 16A but the total for both cannot exceed 16A.

 

Your dryer is probably about 2,100W so that's about 9.5A.

Your washer is going to be about 2,000W (when it's heating) so about 9A.

 

So if the dryer is running and the washer is heating you're looking at 18.5A a 15% overload, good quality outlets will probably be OK.

AND

Your outlet may be on a 16A breaker.

 

If you manage your washing / drying so the dryer is only on when the washer has done its heating then you are probably going to be OK, but ...

 

We have a dryer, but it's not been used since we moved into the house (I bought it when our old condo. banned drying laundry on the balcony).

 

Madam prefers to use the 1kW/m² which is available on most days for a very reasonable cost (free). You can obtain this by putting the laundry outside ???? 

Bonus feature! - The UV in sunlight is a very effective disinfectant and bug killer. 

 

[STD Warehouse]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Have you checked the wattage of dryer?  Obviously it is well beyond that adaptor ability.  When we had a real dryer (US 220v) several decades ago it required dedicated line directly wired - they normally use a lot of electric but expect yours is a smaller unit.  Would be concerned with heating of electric line and possible fire using both on same line unless has been built for same.

The double socket is on its own 20A breaker for Washing and dryer only.

[Crossy]

Alternative (cheaper) solution, replace the plug on one of the appliances with a re-wireable Thai plug which has the lead exiting in a non-conflicting direction ???? 

 

[lopburi3]

12 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Alternative (cheaper) solution, replace the plug on one of the appliances with a re-wireable Thai plug which has the lead exiting in a non-conflicting direction ???? 

 

Just be sure to wire it correctly - if have cheap meter makes it easy.  And wonder of wonders see Thai plugs are now available.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/23-bewon-i2369806542-s8019649935.html?

[Crossy]

Just now, lopburi3 said:

Just be sure to wire it correctly - if have cheap meter makes it easy.  And wonder of wonders see Thai plugs are now available.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/23-bewon-i2369806542-s8019649935.html?

 

Wow!! That makes two things in one thread I hadn't seen ...

[STD Warehouse]

15 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Alternative (cheaper) solution, replace the plug on one of the appliances with a re-wireable Thai plug which has the lead exiting in a non-conflicting direction ???? 

 

Yes that’s what I was hopping to do. Should the electrician just cut the cable and put a new plug on it, OR should they replace the cable at source where it connects to the dryer.

 

btw the double socket is Panasonic brand.

[STD Warehouse]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Replace the socket with a 'down' facing socket (Chang 904N).

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/chang-pch-904n-i3303996323-s12241710585.html

Thanks, that’s interesting, although I’ve had bad experience with Chang brand electrical things, so not sure I trust the brand.

[Crossy]

Chop the cable and put on a new plug.

 

Panasonic (check it really is "Panasonic" and not some look alike) should be good to go, near the line but OK unless things start to pong.

[BritManToo]

16 minutes ago, STD Warehouse said:

Yes that’s what I was hopping to do. Should the electrician just cut the cable and put a new plug on it, OR should they replace the cable at source where it connects to the dryer.

 

btw the double socket is Panasonic brand.

50/50 chance the Chang socket will fit the Panasonic surround.

But Chang surrounds are cheap ...... and fit your existing wall box.

Socket PCH-904N 43bht

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/chang-pch-904-n-100-i2422511747-s8350654780.html

Surround FA-203 10bht

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/chang-fa-203-3-i2433278626-s8419009333.html

Postage 23bht.

 

Cheaper than buying two new plugs.

I've replaced most of my house with Chang sockets and switches ...... ZERO problems.

[lopburi3]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Cheaper than buying two new plugs.

But only one plug needs changing.  

[Crossy]

As a FYI for future builders, here are our kitchen outlets, two doubles per location, note that they are in opposite orientations to allow for the leads to point in sensible directions.

 

It's not obvious from the photos that the upper and lower doubles are also on different breakers. This caused huge confusion for our sparks who wanted to just wire them on the same 20A circuit.

 

The "crazy farang" prevailed (he was paying after all) and we have never had an issue in the >10 years we've lived here, even with every imaginable appliance running.

 

 

 

[STD Warehouse]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

As a FYI for future builders, here are our kitchen outlets, two doubles per location, note that they are in opposite orientations to allow for the leads to point in sensible directions.

 

It's not obvious from the photos that the upper and lower doubles are also on different breakers. This caused huge confusion for our sparks who wanted to just wire them on the same 20A circuit.

 

The "crazy farang" prevailed (he was paying after all) and we have never had an issue in the >10 years we've lived here, even with every imaginable appliance running.

 

 

 

Understand your in Thailand, but I always thought that in the UK a house would have all sockets on a ring main that went to a single breaker? And then all lights were on another breaker. 
 

my dad was very confused when he saw our house has like 18 breakers! Even with 5 aircons, and kitchen oven/hob/heater, that’s still like 12 breakers for sockets and lights. And the electrician here likes to wire by location so all sockets and lights in a particular area of the house are on one breaker, etc, as we move around the house.

[sometimewoodworker]

15 minutes ago, STD Warehouse said:

Understand your in Thailand, but I always thought that in the UK a house would have all sockets on a ring main that went to a single breaker? And then all lights were on another breaker. 

That is really old school thinking, and discouraged today (for quite a few years) as a ring final (correct term, ring main is commonly used but not right the real ring main is outside the house and connects several/many houses) has quite a few failure modes that are trouble to diagnose and can seem to be off while  being live.

 

modern thinking in the U.K. has caught up to the rest of the world. Splitting the ring final into 2 radial finals so increases the current draw available from a 32A MCB to 2 X 20A MCBs 

 

there are usually several different radials as power usage is increasing, along with more than 1 lighting circuit.

[BigT73]

The larger appliance manuals state what size wire inside the walls and matching circuit breaker also if it needs to be on a single dedicated circuit.  Your sparky seems to be switched on with 18 circuit breakers its easy to find whats tripping or if you travel can just leave the fridge circuit on.  I noticed your adapter plug didnt have a earth pin.

[KannikaP]

5 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

(US 220v)

I thought US was 110v

[KannikaP]

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

@BritManToo has a solution to allow you to plug in both devices at once ???? (I'd not seen these so that's something useful to come from this thread already).

 

BUT (there's always a but)

 

Thai double outlets are specified for a TOTAL load of 16A, each outlet can do up to 16A but the total for both cannot exceed 16A.

 

Your dryer is probably about 2,100W so that's about 9.5A.

Your washer is going to be about 2,000W (when it's heating) so about 9A.

 

So if the dryer is running and the washer is heating you're looking at 18.5A a 15% overload, good quality outlets will probably be OK.

AND

Your outlet may be on a 16A breaker.

 

If you manage your washing / drying so the dryer is only on when the washer has done its heating then you are probably going to be OK, but ...

 

We have a dryer, but it's not been used since we moved into the house (I bought it when our old condo. banned drying laundry on the balcony).

 

Madam prefers to use the 1kW/m² which is available on most days for a very reasonable cost (free). You can obtain this by putting the laundry outside ???? 

Bonus feature! - The UV in sunlight is a very effective disinfectant and bug killer. 

 

Heating the washer water and a tumble dryer.................yes in UK, but here?

[TropicalGuy]

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

A tumble drier draws a comparatively high high current and is overloading that rather poor quality adapter. The earth (or lack of it) has nothing to do with your problem.

 

I suggest that you do not use an adaptor for this machine.

Yes, I’m no sparky but would always plug high energy machines directly into wall sockets……would use adapters only for small devices like phones, lamps, laptops.

[mahjongguy]

8 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I thought US was 110v

The North American residential standard is for two phases which each provide 110vac to neutral.

 

OR, for dryers, water heaters, and electric stoves you can connect to Line 1 and Line 2 and get 220vac.  

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, mahjongguy said:

The North American residential standard is for two phases which each provide 110vac to neutral.

 

OR, for dryers, water heaters, and electric stoves you can connect to Line 1 and Line 2 and get 220vac.  

So you can buy either 110v or 220v appliances in USA or have 110v or 220v outlets. And if you plug a 110 into a 22ov................boom

 

[mahjongguy]

These are my favorite.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i1085314162-s2456612475.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1

 

 

[Moonlover]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Replace the socket with a 'down' facing socket (Chang 904N).

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/chang-pch-904n-i3303996323-s12241710585.html

Now isn't that an infinitely more sensible way to orientate the sockets? I've often stood in our kitchen and scratched my head wondering why the sockets are so stupidly designed.

 

Madam Moon is often having juggle with the plugs for the rice cooker, the infrared cooker and the kettle.

 

Good tip, I shall order some right now.