Tumble drier plug partially melted…

I had a load of bedding in the tumble drier (condenser type if that helps) this morning and noticed it had stopped working. It is plugged into the mains via an extension lead and the plug from the machine had partially melted on the surface and it is stuck in the extension lead. I popped another plug on the power cable and dug out another extension lead and all is working again.

However, I am surprised at how this could have happened – we have a modern consumer unit with RCDs and it was fully tested when we had some work done a couple of years ago so I am surprised it didn’t trip that rather than just melt the plug and blow the fuse. Fortunately no damage has been done (other than to the plug and extension lead) but should this be expected?

Sounds like a lucky escape ?

I didn’t understand, do you mean the heat of the machine melted it? Or the wiring in the plug overheated and melted the plug?

RCDs test leakage, they don’t test bad connections causing heat.  An arc fault detection device(AFDD) might have tripped, but these are only currently recommended, but are seldom fitted.

Was the plug pushed all the way in?  If not, then I think they can get much hotter than usual and over time the material they are made of degrades

Is your extension lead fully unwound?

It should be for the sort of draw a tumble drier will need. But it’s not an appliance I’d ever run off an extension lead.

And how is ventilation around the machine? And I’m assuming it’s regularly de-fluffed! 🙂

Don’t they get really funny about high load devices using extensions anyway, and a slightly dodgy wobbly plug is going to add to any issues. (or even a perfectly healthy plug!).

Likely a poor connection between the plug and the extension lead. The tumble drier will be pulling close to max current for a UK plug so you need a good connection. Extension lead isn’t ideal, at the very least make sure it is a good quality one not an ebay/poundland special, but really you want a proper socket near the appliance.

As above, I wouldn’t expect a failure like that to trip an RCD, its not what they are detecting.

The plug was fully pushed in and extension lead fully unwound. I don’t really have mean option not to run off an extension lead but it goes without saying that we have never had this issue before. Ventilation is okay, but I am going to move it to somewhere where it has more space around it.

Here’s an image of it… (and yes, a lucky escape but we never run the machine when we are in bed or out of the house for this very eventuality).

Faulty plug?  Poor contacts on the fuse?  Its a moulded on plug or otherwise I would think it dodgy connection where the wires are screwed in to the terminals in the plug.

As above4 could well be a poor connection in the plug to extension lead creating arcing and thus heat

Given what has happened (and the fact I need to run the drier off an extension) I was looking at replacing the extension lead with one of these…

Thoughts please.

And I’m assuming it’s regularly de-fluffed!

Ohh yes – that is a guilty pleasure of mine and I get disappointed if my wife gets to de-fluffing before I do!

My guess is the problem is the extension lead as they can be cheap with poor connections.  The connections will then heat up and you are seeing the result of that heat being conducted up the prongs of plug.  I would be replacing both the cable (which you did) and the extension lead with something a bit meatier

edit: I don’t know the brand of extension that you linked to but given that it is a single socket at the correct power rating it is likely to be ok.

I don’t really have mean option not to run off an extension lead

Of course you do (in order of preference):

– get a sparky to install a proper socket near the drier.
– replace the whole cable from the drier
– put a good “joint” in the cable rather than an extension lead (I would use an outdoor rated one because areas with driers are often damp = corrosion = heat.

I’d be inquisitive enough to take a hacksaw to that plug and extension lead to try and understand what caused the heat.  By any chance does that extension lead sit somewhere that gets a lot of vibration (like on top of a washing machine?).  That’s not to imply that I’ve never bodged a solution with an extension lead – but there is always a way if you are sufficiently motivated.

Here’s an image of it… (and yes, a lucky escape but we never run the machine when we are in bed or out of the house for this very eventuality).

Always puzzled by people who say that like being in your house when it catches fire is better than being out – I get it might mean it gets contained but unless you have a smoke detector in this space (utility? kitchen? garage?) and a fire door on the space that you religiously keep closed when indoors then I’m not convinced you’ll be better off.  You noticed this because it didn’t work – not because of the smell of burning plastic.

Yes, something heavy duty with a high current rating and not something wound up. I have done the same when I forgot my heavy duty extension and ran some redhead lights (photo stuff) off an old extension reel. That melted too and caused a stink. I think I was in the V&A and was lucky not to set off their smoke alarm. Anyway, better than a heavy duty extension will be to get a proper socket in the correct location.

That extension isn’t BS1363. The body isn’t wide enough, you could get the Earth pin in upside-down and expose the live socket. Throw it away and get one not made out of finest Chinesium.

The problem is the extension lead.
The socket has melted due to poor connections to the extension leads socket.
This can even happen in ordinary sockets when loaded up continuously by things like tumble driers. Usual advice there is use an MK branded socked.
Ideally, you’d eliminate the extension lead and get a single gang socket fitted by a pro. I work in the fire industry and know any of us will tell you not to use an extension lead, but…
If you must, buy a masterplug extension like This (links to screwfix). Don’t buy any safety critical electrical equipment from Amazon, they have absolutely zero checks that the stuff they sell is up to basic, mandatory standards (see electric bike fires…)

Never run a dryer off an extension lead – get a new socket fitted. You were lucky!!!

Thoughts please.

That doesn’t look much better. It claims to be BS1363/A – I think it’s lying. As a rule of thumb it’s best to avoid Amazon brands which look like they’ve randomly pulled a handful of Scrabble tiles.

I would be replacing both the cable (which you did) and the extension lead with something a bit meatier

I posted a coupl eof posts ago with something I found – I assume that would be suitable?

 Ventilation is okay, but I am going to move it to somewhere where it has more space around it.

That has nothing to do with ventilation.

I posted this same issue last year.

Mine was the dryer next to the socket and in theory moisture could have been getting on the socket. I changed the socket and try not to have tumble on at same time as washing machine, no issues since

I can’t recall exactly but I think some of the wires in the plug were slightly loose

I work for consumer safety, but not the fire brigade side. Fires are not my thing. Avoiding issues in the first place, yes, that’s what I advise on as a job. Just reading your first story made me feel sick. And then you replace the plug, and start all over again with a new extension?? FFS, get a sparky in and put a proper socket in for the job. Please don’t die.

Never plug high power devices into extension sockets.

Even a kettle, for example can pull 3 kilowatts. Albiet only for 3 mins at a time, it’s a massive load..

Call a sparky.

And then you replace the plug, and start all over again with a new extension?? 

Yes, to identify the cause of the machine stopping working – and I’m now on here asking further advice. The problem is that the power lead for the machine is really short (barely longer than the height of the machine) and I can’t get a proper socket fitted as it would have to be above a sink which would fail regs The washing machine that sits under it plugs into a double socket under the sink but the drier cable isn’t long enough.

I’ve had a couple of melted plugs and sockets from charging my EV. Putting 13A through cheap eBay electricals (and dodgy domestic wiring in a damp conservatory) for an extended period can do that regardless of nominal ratings.

These days I’ve turned it down to 10A and have also replaced the cheap smart wifi timer socket for a solid 30A job. Still plugged into the wall via a (fairly robust) consumer plug and extension cable. And it’s a drier chunk of wall.

“the power lead for the machine is really short” – so why not get a longer cable fitted to the tumble drier?

How about something like this – then join up with some more mains cable (I have some high-rated stuff)?

so why not get a longer cable fitted to the tumble drier?

I could do that I guess – I just assumed it wouldn’t be very easy to access but I could take a look.

Dryers/washing machines / dishwashers and ovens are  usually on a spade terminal under a flap at the back of the machine.  Crimping / soldering a new spade terminal to take 3kw will be the next point of failure. As others have said, I’d try and get a sparky in to fit new socket.

As others have said, I’d try and get a sparky in to fit new socket.

But a new socket isn’t possible – it is as close as regs allow (due to there being a sink) but it is, annoyingly, about 6 inches too far away (ironically, this was fitted by our electrician and the previous tumble drier mains cable reached). There is nowhere else I can place the tumble drier without wholesale changes to the layout of the utility room.

If you must, buy a masterplug extension like This (links to screwfix).

This has a good plug and sock but at 10 metres the length then potentially becomes the issue, as I guess the OP would most likely have to coil it.

https://www.brennenstuhl.co.uk/en-GB/selection-of-themes/safety/why-you-should-always-unwind-a-cable-reel-completely-and-untangle-an-extension-cable-completely

^ Correct, I realised that after I posted. Shortest similar one on screwfix is 5m.
You can avoid coiling by laying it in longer lines, back and forth. Maximise the area of the coil and avoid circularity. Reason is to avoid magnetic induction heating the cable.

I’ve pondered recommending instead extending the cable using 32A rated wagos fitted inside a wago box, and using 3093Y flex as the extension, thereby avoiding the plug and socket extension. But not sure I can recommend that.

Replacing the machines flex with a longer one is of course an ideal option, but it needs doing well. IME they’re not on screw terminals on the back like an oven, IME tumble driers have a captive flex which will be terminated internally with crimps. I’d not particularly trust a jobbing appliance repair person to do it well, but it’s an option to consider.

Get a sparky to fit a longer cable to the tumble dryer?

slight hijack but related – I have an electric flymo that  has a nicked cable which I want to replace.  Ideally I would like to increase the length of the lead at the same time as this will enable the mower to reach the corner of the garden from one socket, rather than having to switch sockets half way through the mow.

Is there a maximum length of cable? Currently have circa 8 metres

ta

@kormoran

Just get a 25m extension lead for that. That’s what I use for all my gardening and outdoor electrical tool needs! 🙂

https://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-ldct2513bq-4-xd-13a-4-gang-25m-cable-reel-240v/54615

Isn’t the dryer under a bench? I thought if the space was encapsulated it could be  right under a sink and still be within the safe zone? (Like most dishwasher installations in a new build).

The problem is that the power lead for the machine is really short (barely longer than the height of the machine)

It’s designed like that for the current drawn, although it’s possibly over-cautious. A longer cable of the same conductor size won’t correlate with the current and may overheat; the longer it is, the worse it gets.

A long cable tends to get coiled when the machine is pushed back to the wall, making things worse. Heat behind a tumble dryer will worsen this. Don’t just stick an extension lead in there

Over-heating at the plug/socket may be the terminations being loose or otherwise poor.

A BS1362 fuse should deal with overcurrent, but they can be notoriously slow to blow, taking several minutes in some circumstances at much higher currents than nominally rated

Bottom line. Get proper advice, the solution might be as simple as a 6″ longer new cable with a new plugtop

The drier is above the washing machine on the counter-top. Annoyingly, if there wasn’t a wall unit in the way, the mains cable would reach (it currently has to wrap around the side and bottom of the unit.

How about something like this

Jesus christ, no, stop it! Is your photo and others not a wake-up call that bodging it is a really bad idea?

Out of the gate, you’ve cut the plug off so you’re stuck with a shorter cable. You either need a closer power socket, for which you (demonstrably) will need an electrician, or you need to replace the entire cable in one stretch from inside the guts of the machine for which you will likely require an appliance technician – with all due respect, from what you’ve posted here I wouldn’t trust you to wire the plug. If the power socket is too near the sink, other sides of the appliance may be available?

Or I suppose, you never run it when you’re out of the house, so you could save a few quid and then when the house burns down you’ll all be in it so it will no longer matter. You could put the money you’ve saved towards a will or life insurance.

Seriously mate, I know I’m being sarky for comic effect but do it properly. Please. If nothing else, I’ll feel like a right **** for writing that if you do burn the house down. Think of the Cougar.

I’ve had a couple of melted plugs and sockets from charging my EV.

Surely from an H&S perspective you’re going to get a proper charger fitted aren’t you……