Electric Heater, BE CAREFUL

[supercub]

It got down to 28 degrees here last night. I had my little electric heater set up to help with the propane heaters I have. I never run the thing unless I'm sitting here. Anyway, I turned it off a few hours ago........I still had it plugged in, but was turned off. I was just changing batteries in a flashlight, and heard something, and then looked over at the electric heater and it began to smoke. I unplugged it and took it outside. It actually melted some of the plastic. Again, it was off, just sitting there. Sooooooooo, please be careful. I usually don't even leave it plugged in when not in use...but today I did, and......who knows what might have happened it I was sitting here.
Brian

[supercub]

Daveinet wrote:
I've not ever seen a ceramic heater go up in smoke, but I have seen several coil heaters smoke. What type was the one you had? Sometimes I have run 2 ceramic heaters on low heat, just to take the chill out of the air between furnace cycles.

I don't know, it's in one of the trash bins here at Jackson Rancheria RV Park.

[Daveinet]

I've not ever seen a ceramic heater go up in smoke, but I have seen several coil heaters smoke. What type was the one you had? Sometimes I have run 2 ceramic heaters on low heat, just to take the chill out of the air between furnace cycles.

[rgatijnet1]

Next time you use any of the plug in electric heaters for any length of time, put your hand over the outlet itself and see how hot it is. If it is hot you probably have the "push in" wired outlets, like most manufacturers use, instead of where the wire is wrapped around the outlet post and secured tight with the screw.

[azdryheat]

We have two oil type heaters from Honeywell. Used them the past two nights and they worked great. Too bad some folks lump all electric heaters into the same "UNSAFE" category when there are some good units out there.

[doxiemom11]

This is why we NEVER use ours at night. Many people do, but I previously worked in insurance and cannot tell you how many fires were started by electric heaters. Sometimes it was carelessness like leaving it to close to something combustible, but then there were other times it was a defect or malfunction or wearing out of wiring in the heater itself. I shudder when people say they sleep with them running all night and you cannot convince them that it is not safe.

[ScottG]

Pangaea Ron wrote:
My insurance agent said to put an electric heater on the open oven door for a bit more protection.

Great idea!

[Pangaea_Ron]

My insurance agent said to put an electric heater on the open oven door for a bit more protection.

[azrving]

ScottG wrote:
Just curious, was that the type with electronic controls? (digital readout and all that stuff)

Mine had two rotary knobs. One for low/high/off and one for temperature.
I just returned another one to walmart of the same type because when it's temperature setting would call for heat it would just click on and off, over and over.

[supercub]

ScottG wrote:
Just curious, was that the type with electronic controls? (digital readout and all that stuff)

It had a series of buttons you'd push to select temp, and on/of and oscillate, No LED readouts or anything fancy. I don't even remember where I bought it.
Brian

[RoyB]

I even do abit more in that I very seldom crank up the thermostat on the electric heaters much above 50%.

Running full "ON" they all get very hot and the electric cords also get hot... To me you are just flirting with disaster.

We use the oil-filled electric heaters all the time in our trailers unattended. Great back up heat source. We picked the oil-filled type heaters for their inherent safety feature as there is no visible open flame or red hot cores, no burnt dust smell and they also are very quiet with the only noise you hear is an occasional click. You won't have to worry about a mouse on fire running around the walls of the trailer

We use the standard tall oil-filled heater in the big trailer and the low profile ones in the POPUP trailer. Over the winter months I have these set for a #3 setting and plugged into one of those THERMO CUBE electric adapter. These will turn on when the temperature gets below 35 degrees and then turn off when the inside temperature get over 45 degrees.

Roy Ken

[ScottG]

Just curious, was that the type with electronic controls? (digital readout and all that stuff)

[BTPO1]

I have had that happen with CFL bulbs, normally if I am not using something I will unplug it. I always unplug portable appliances like toasters and mixers. JMO

[azrving]

I had the same thing happen. So now days we cant use an electric heater without watching it. Cheap foreign products. After looking at various propane and electric heaters it makes the factory rv furnace seem pretty good.