hot electrical lead

[nellyp]

I brought a few electrical items with me from the Uk, and they all have UK plugs on ( this was 5 years ago). This has never been a problem as I have used adapters or muti plugs that accept UK plugs. However, recently I have noticed that the extension I was using on my electrical kettle (2500-3000 watts) was heating up. I thought the problem was related to the watt capability of the extension, so I changed the lead off a Thai kettle onto the uk kettle to solve the problem. Unfortunately that lead is also heating up. Would i be better served puttng the original cable back onto the kettle and changing the plug (I can only find the cheap looking 2 pronged square pronged plugs here), or should I look for a cable that can handle that watage? I really though plugging straight into the wall with a kettle lead would solve the problem, but I don't actually know the wattage of the kettle lead. It is earthed though.

Cheers

[RichCor]

Is this the original short cable that came with the kettle that's getting hot?

How hot? Cable/cord very warm to touch; cord is very hot; cord feels like it's melting the rubber jacket hot?

[nellyp]

Is this the original short cable that came with the kettle that's getting hot?

How hot? Cable/cord very warm to touch; cord is very hot; cord feels like it's melting the rubber jacket hot?

It was originally the extension, but now it is the cable I replaced on the connecting plate for the kettle. The lead from the plate to the socket gets hot. Not boiling hot, just a little

[Crossy]

It is normal for the lead to get warm to the touch (the conductors can approach 70^oC), but if this is something new it needs looking into.

Are you doing a lot of kettling?

Is the kettle plugged directly into the wall outlet? Avoid extension leads like the plague.

[itsmylife]

1) Check the extension cable socket plug to the kettle it might be lose connection after years of use , go buy a new kettle cable for that , choose the bigger cable type .

2) Also check the wall socket conduction will heat up and loosen overtime when you use high wattage electrical ( kettle , oven ).

Edited September 13, 2015 by itsmylife

[Crossy]

I just boiled 1.7L of water in my Tefal 2000-2400 Watt kettle (about 9A).

The 3 x 0.75mm² flex which is rated at 6A was definitely warm to touch but not what I would describe as 'hot'.

The cable overload by design suggests that it's designed for 'intermittent' use rather than continuous boiling all day.

How much use is the OP's kettle getting?

[nellyp]

Since I have plugged the kettle directly into the wall the lead is not as hot, in fact, only warm. I boil my kettle maybe twice a day.

I have replaced the lead on the kettle and the connections are fine

Perhaps as Crossy says the lead has always been warm, and I had simply not noticed it before.

I am kindda accepting the fact that the lead will be getting hot.

[Crossy]

That the lead is cooler when plugged in directly suggests that the connection to the extension was iffy and getting hot.

I would keep things like the kettle plugged directly and only use the extension for light duty things like your blender.

[RichCor]

When you used the short lead connected to an extension cord or extension power strip I would imagine it could get very warm.

The issue with heat is compounding. If the leads are too small to support the current draw, or the current draw it high, then the leads will heat up. As the leads heat up, their ability to support high current draw reduces causing even more heat to be produced. The heat is conducted along all the metal connections, causing those sections to also be affected and resistance to create more heat.

So using the original cable connected to a 'heavy duty' plug point is probably best for your 2500-3000 watts device.

[lopburi3]

I would also recommend replacing your UK plug on the original cord as that cord is likely to be of much better quality than a normal replacement type sold here. Good three pin plugs are available - but may take some looking - perhaps best to have an electrical repair shop take care of plug change as they should be able to source easily.

Have no idea why you need that much power to boil water - my cheap jar pot unit is only 800w and will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time.

[nellyp]

I think I'll replace the plug on the original lead, as I like the kettle. But I will definitely carry on sticking it straight into the wall. I have several other things I have brought from the UK like my toaster and rice cooker etc. and will have to change them all.

Cheers

[Crossy]

Have no idea why you need that much power to boil water - my cheap jar pot unit is only 800w and will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time.

If my schoolboy physics isn't too rusted up 800W will take about 23 minutes to boil 3.8L of water starting at 30^oC

[lopburi3]

That may be true from English cool

But normally we are starting from just a little below boiling in a jar pot so time to boil is a lot less. Even from tap it really is not very long to get the water hot - and if you are just making for a cup of tea why not use the tea kettle on gas burner; or less water in the jar pot if no gas available.

[RichCor]

Have no idea why you need that much power to boil water - my cheap jar pot unit is only 800w and will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time.

If my schoolboy physics isn't too rusted up 800W will take about 23 minutes to boil 3.8L of water starting at 30^oC

I know Crossy is older than me, so...

I believe Aristotelian physics were superseded by relativistic physics and quantum physics

And "Lavoisier's" Caloric theory – successor to phlogiston theory, was discredited by Rumford's and Joule's work.

So your schoolboy physics might be out of date.

...and, AND, pouring or having heated water into a 800w jar pot is just plain cheating. (re: "my cheap jar pot unit ... will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time")

[sappersrest]

Have no idea why you need that much power to boil water - my cheap jar pot unit is only 800w and will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time.

If my schoolboy physics isn't too rusted up 800W will take about 23 minutes to boil 3.8L of water starting at 30^oC

24 mins using the online calculator .

http://www.phpdoc.info/brew/boilcalc.html

Us Brits are expert at boiling water got to be just right for the tetleys teabags.

Edited September 14, 2015 by sappersrest

[lopburi3]

But the insulated jar keeps the previously boiled water at almost boiling so a new boil is only a matter of a few minutes. But admit never got beyond my New England coffee as a hot beverage drink so much more experience with peculators .

[bankruatsteve]

Have no idea why you need that much power to boil water - my cheap jar pot unit is only 800w and will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time.

If my schoolboy physics isn't too rusted up 800W will take about 23 minutes to boil 3.8L of water starting at 30^oC

I know Crossy is older than me, so...

I believe Aristotelian physics were superseded by relativistic physics and quantum physics

And "Lavoisier's" Caloric theory – successor to phlogiston theory, was discredited by Rumford's and Joule's work.

So your schoolboy physics might be out of date.

...and, AND, pouring or having heated water into a 800w jar pot is just plain cheating. (re: "my cheap jar pot unit ... will brings 3.8L of water to a boil is very short time")

Now where did you Google that? Standard physics is in no way "superseded" by quantum mechanics. They share little if anything in common. Read a "Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking for some insight.

Edited September 14, 2015 by bankruatsteve

[RichCor]

I plagiarize everything I write straight off the Internet.

I was trying to make a joke, guessing at Crossy's age, that he most likely still relies on Newtonian Physics (as does most everyone else).

My 'joke' went wide during the research phase, and I even forgot to make the Newtonian joke.

Not sure where you're going with your comparison... my original botched paragraph mentioned Aristotelian physics being superseded. At least I hope they were.