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Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:15AM

A fire today was due to someone using a space heater on an extension cord, it was said.

If a space is on an outlet then you can't plug anything else on that outlet or any tied outlet either. It uses 12.5A, your outlet is 15A max however 80% of 15A is the maximum "continual load" which is 12A - so your already done when you start.

You can find that out by snapping off a breaker and seeing what outlets no longer work: all of these are together, meaning ONLY ONE "amp eater" can be on them.

(yes you could something that uses milli-amps on the same outlet, but not anything using amps on the same outlet)

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: heat me ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:24AM

My space heater only draws 10.5 amps on high and 7.5 amps on low.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:29AM

shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwHfD5sDwfgYXQtS5Av

if your thinking you have 20A outlet you probably do not - 20A outlets have an extra notch in the left ear

Light bulbs and lighting do count as "amp eaters" unless they are low wattage LED ones (say, 9W - not 60W).

EXTENSION CHORDS have their rating printed on them all along the chord jacket. A rule for chinese import junk with no ratings anywhere: if the chord is round and thick its 15A, but if the chord is paired and looks like a lamp chord DO NOT USE IT for anything more than, say 0.5A

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: Baby, it's cold outside ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:36AM

I can't run the microwave at 100% power and the coffee-maker on the same line at the same time. Today, I also have a space heater plugged into the same circuit. Any one of the three is fine. The microwave at 50% power is fine with one of the other two. Just takes a little planning.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: Pyro Pete ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:37AM

Burn baby burn

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:48AM

there's something else you can do

you can feel the wire: it should be mildly warm to touch (at most 120-140 deg, a little warmer than body temperature) but not "warm" (it should not be able to heat your hands) and definitely not hot.

the same goes for any insulated wire going into your electrical box (with the warning don't touch any exposed metal). you can't feel the wires behind the wall and that's a shame because it's true one leg may be hot but the tail near the box is not - due to poor conductivity (wires not making good contact, about 15-24 ft/lb of pressure pressing copper together is needed - which wire nuts and outlets screws are meant to apply).


breakers throw if the amps spike above the rating only - they are NOT designed to throw due to excess heating from having too many appliances on the same breaker (the same circuit). you as the human about are supposed to know better.


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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: APE Control ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:54AM

fire safety Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> src=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/shopping?q=
> tbn:ANd9GcQwHfD5sDwfgYXQtS5AvEjOwmhcNZZejbi4eUFiEC
> lgPc5Mfajqgy142ipq8u4287d5nYb0w19U6xI&usqp=CAc>
>
> if your thinking you have 20A outlet you probably
> do not - 20A outlets have an extra notch in the
> left ear
>
> Light bulbs and lighting do count as "amp eaters"
> unless they are low wattage LED ones (say, 9W -
> not 60W).
>
> EXTENSION CHORDS have their rating printed on them
> all along the chord jacket. A rule for chinese
> import junk with no ratings anywhere: if the chord
> is round and thick its 15A, but if the chord is
> paired and looks like a lamp chord DO NOT USE IT
> for anything more than, say 0.5A


This post is racist because it it too technical, and requires the ability to read.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:55AM

Sperry-circuit-finder-5a1da68089eacc0037

you should regularly check or replace your (rough housed) outlets

an outlet broken in any way (say, plastic broken or rattling) should be replaced immediately (unless a an electrician can say there is no inner damage - which is difficult to say because the brass inside an outlet can have intermittent bad contact if an outlet cracked)

older homes should be particularly aware that the screws holding on wires may already be loose in the outlet, and these need to be checked in a safe manner - all of them - even if they appear to be working "fine".

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 11:58AM

the above tester is cheap and everyone should have one

but the acid test is to have a heater on high and to feel the electrical wire over some few and several minutes of use (the insulated part) for warmth. if the wiring does NOT grow warm to touch then it is passing current well. (this does not mean older homes should not inspect their old outlets for loosening nuts and stray grounds: they should)

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: fire safety ()
Date: January 21, 2019 12:00PM

(actually called "a load test")

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: Electrical discord ()
Date: January 21, 2019 12:08PM

If you were sold any extension chords, take them back to the store right away and demand extension cords instead. Don't use even those with a space heater though.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: 3lckk ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:21PM

file.php?40,file=162613,filename=1c2756b (warm but unsafe and imported: temporary use only)

OFF TOPIC. but these can be dangerous

put them on brick 2' on every side and keep flammables 4' back

but THAT NEWS may be fake news: these "new" ones are made cheap as possible all in china - they have "small fasteners". small fasteners and heat done mix: they pop off. a heater which is "unraveling itself" is a fire waiting to happen and big business isn't going to give you those warnings (it would reduce their import markup sales). there's a reason old stoves are not thin metal but iron with heavy fasteners: it's because small fasteners and rust holes in thin metal caused fires.

big media is never going to tell you if homes caught on fire due to failures in these imports. you can't sue a china company either: they are in another country why would you think you could sue them? which caught fire first - the oil heater or the surrounding material?

A SAFE WELL MADE STOVE OR HEATER HAS TWO LONG PIPES, one to bring in fresh air for the flame (so you dont' have a window open letting the warm air out), the other so exhaust gasses done choke the people indoors.

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST DO NOT CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO HAVE TWO SUCH PIPES WHEN HOMES ARE BUILT - infact many home hvac have no oxygen intake pipe and letting in fresh air at times is necessary for safety if your house is "well sealed"

What You Must Know About Kerosene Heater Repair - HomeQuicks - they're a disposable product from china - the idea you can fix it is wrong - if you merelate take one apart and re-asseble it you may have made it unsafe - if you don't have to break it to achieve doing that

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: what could go wrong ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:26PM

you have a 2,000 degree hot box sitting on top of a tank of keroscene fuel, which if gets looks, will run onto the floor flaming - and it won't matter if bricks are under it at that point it would set the floor and probably ceiling on fire

allot could go wrong with this little "set up"

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: Play it safe ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:27PM

Never operate s kerosene heater indoors.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: 23reg ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:39PM

hqdefault.jpg (repair youtube of a tube keroscene "shop heater")

this guy things a fuel filter may be his "issue" with performace. to the right of his finger (outside of camera shot) is a network of 120V wires the chinese unit uses. this guy has yet to realize he has 120V wires on his rusty frame and rusting fuel tank right below the hot exhaust of a keroscene flame. he'd better hope the fan doesn't fail: if the wires melt they could burn an elecgtrical arc hole through that flimsy tank very easily. if the wiring is loose it could cause the same even if keroscene heat doesn't cause the problem.

chinese smart: run your wires between an oil tank and a 2,000 degree hot box with no protection whatsoever - rusty frame ready to break if dropped, and etc.

if you ever (still) have had a home oil furnace you'll probably remember it had no wires! gee wonder why? against the law is why, actually.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: xxb9w ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:40PM

mqdefault.jpg

... this time on this chinese crap i'm going to say NO - DON'T FIX IT

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: 23reg ()
Date: January 21, 2019 02:45PM

(energizing a fuel cell or leaving it exposed to likely energization of a 1st tear failure is illegal, that's the fact jack)

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: mn9jc ()
Date: January 21, 2019 03:01PM

9304-6b008dd6-9297-4f4e-bacd-e00fe672f26

"oops"

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: 2refd ()
Date: January 21, 2019 03:05PM

how did the above not set the whole home on fire? probably building code. be wary illegal aliens from today's companies don't follow building codes and don't hired well paid workers, though.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: sam mann ()
Date: January 21, 2019 04:31PM

Another danger can be if the space heater does not automatically shut off if it tips over. They claim to and you are fine as long as you trust the Chinese.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: I Have No Trust ()
Date: January 21, 2019 07:46PM

sam mann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another danger can be if the space heater does not
> automatically shut off if it tips over. They claim
> to and you are fine as long as you trust the
> Chinese.


I don't trust the Chinese. They have been the ones (along with India) who have been using carcinogens in blood pressure medications. So far, there have been many drug recalls over the past 6 months to this issue.

So no, I wouldn't trust the "tip over" switch on a Chinese-made heater.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: chink1 ()
Date: January 25, 2019 08:42PM

I Have No Trust Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sam mann Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Another danger can be if the space heater does
> not
> > automatically shut off if it tips over. They
> claim
> > to and you are fine as long as you trust the
> > Chinese.
>
>
> I don't trust the Chinese. They have been the ones
> (along with India) who have been using carcinogens
> in blood pressure medications. So far, there have
> been many drug recalls over the past 6 months to
> this issue.
>
> So no, I wouldn't trust the "tip over" switch on a
> Chinese-made heater.


Thats is RACIST!

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: Charles Carter ()
Date: April 13, 2019 06:30AM

According to me, one should always check out the electronic appliances before they run it directly with power. After reading of this, I suddenly got to remember about the incident happened at my sister's home, the AC in her bedroom got burst and when she called the HVAC contractor like Santa Barbara HVAC contractor the professionals came and solved the issue. Likewise, whenever anyone faces issues with such HVAC, appliances they should only hire professional HVAC contractors instead of doing the things on their own.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: PHTPD ()
Date: April 15, 2019 10:32AM

fire safety Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> if your thinking you have 20A outlet you probably
> do not - 20A outlets have an extra notch in the
> left ear

Kitchen, dining room, and laundry room outlets are required to be on 20A circuits. It is rare for there to actually be 20A outlets installed on these circuits because (1) they cost more (2) it's acceptable to install 15A outlets on these circuits (3) there are few appliances that actually have a 20A plug on them.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: YCPVF ()
Date: April 15, 2019 10:34AM

fire safety Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> there's something else you can do

Re-wire any outlets using those shitty push-in connections to use the screw terminals instead. This would go a long way towards improving safety and reliability.

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Re: Don't use a space heater until you check your outlet, a fire could result.
Posted by: ArthurBrent ()
Date: July 23, 2019 10:46AM

Standard electric heaters are really unsafe, especially if the house has old wiring. However, there are more modern infrared heaters that are more compliant with safety regulations. You can hop over to here to watch this model. I took one for the garage, but it could well be used in the house.

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